Making Bionicle Animation Puppets for Short Films

by ZipplerZap in Living > Toys & Games

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Making Bionicle Animation Puppets for Short Films

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To create an animation/ movie, you have to have a good movable toy  model to work with. I made a working model out of bionicle pieces and tested it. It works wonders. The reason I used bionicles, because I've had them lying around, plus they work great for movable joints. They make great arms, legs, and body. If, you don't have any bionicles, then buy some.

In Use

This is how I used the puppets in action.
You can use them differently, but this is my way of using them.

Pieces

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Like any animation puppet, you need a frame/ skeleton. I was able to create a workable frame out of bionicle pieces. This were the pieces.  If you don't have pieces like this, then use simpler pieces.

Assemble- the Skeleton

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Assembling the frame is easy
1) Attach a hip piece, a hand piece, and a connecting rod together to get a pelvic.
2) Connect a sheen piece to the pelvic to get a  neck, chest, and pelvic.
3) Next, is the shoulders, connect two necks with connecters to the back of the chest.
When done, you have your Frame.
The frame should bend back and fort, as a real spine. And the shoulders will move the same way as yours do, up and down.
 

Assemble- Arms, Legs and Head

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1) You would need 4 thigh and bicep pieces, connect them to the body.
2) Connect the arms and sheen pieces to the thighs and biceps.
3) Finally, connect the feet the the legs, and the head to the neck.
When done, your frame/ body is finished.
The arms and legs should bend like yours, and the head will be able to rotate side to side and up and down. 

Assemble- Extras

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You can create different looking Puppets, but you must use the same frame work.
On mine, I put on armor, clothes, and magnets on the feet for grip.
And you can add different heads as while. Your puppet can look different by adding different things.
The puppet a can also look like you. 

The Movie

I was able to create a film out of some of the puppets I made.
I also added different puppets for this film.
Please comment.