I need to "Flesh Out" my dummy

2nd_Recon · Post by **2nd_Recon** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 11:06 pm

I have a shot in my movie wherin the bad guy just goes on a rampage, and in one shot, I want him to walk under a tree, then fire up into the tree, and a sniper falls to the ground. I have a cheap rife that I can throw from the tree, and I made a simple dummy out of sticks (Right now, It looks like the Blair Witch Project thing.) Now, I need to find some way to make it look like a person, and not a bunch of sticks tied together. The shot happens in low light, so it doesn't need to be photorealistic. any ideas?

gregfromMA · Post by **gregfromMA** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 11:47 pm

borrow a store clothing dummy and dress it up like the bad guy and dump it out of the tree

2nd_Recon · Post by **2nd_Recon** » Wed Aug 11, 2004 12:23 am

I don't have tons of cash, and I can't steal a manequin

Grant · Post by **Grant** » Wed Aug 11, 2004 2:34 am

how high is the fall? If not very high then use creative angle and a real actor

2nd_Recon · Post by **2nd_Recon** » Wed Aug 11, 2004 3:04 am

it's from a tree, but you can't see much higher than 6 feet due to leaves, but I want him to land right on his head, so I decided I might just use a dummy

UFProductions · Post by **UFProductions** » Wed Aug 11, 2004 3:28 am

Well, joint the sticks at all of the natural places (elbows, knees, etc...) and also some unnatural places

. Then get some long strips of cloth, ripping up old towels works best. Wrap each individual stick with its own strip of cloth, so when the dummy is finished he will still bend in the right places. This method allows you to use different amount in different area's istead of the old "newspaper in a sack" type dummy. The cloth won't shift around, and his wrists won't be as thick as his thighs in the finished product. Duct-tape is imnvaluble for this, for securing the cloth, and making flexible joints in the sticks.

TheWall · Post by **TheWall** » Wed Aug 11, 2004 3:41 am

well if you have the dummy made this was my idea take the shirt and tie the sleeve up and do it to the pant leg and then fill up the shirt and paint with leaves. only fill the legs up with leaves and fill the shirt up then stick the shirt in the pant and duck tape the 2 halfs together and like get a trash bag for the head. well thats how i made a dummy for halloween last year. it might help you out a little

foxwood · Post by **foxwood** » Wed Aug 11, 2004 3:50 am

You could go with somthing like the wall is saying but maybe make the head out of somthing more then a garbage bag like a small ball. But I think if you use so creative angles and a mat you can do it with a brave actor.

Grant · Post by **Grant** » Wed Aug 11, 2004 5:11 am

actor dives onto crash/padded area. close shot of head hitting ground etc, easily done

Epsilon · Post by **Epsilon** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 9:19 am

http://www.matthawkins.co.uk/forum/view ... &start=625 I used a pillow!

I would pursue the mannequin idea. Go to clothing stores and offer to take their old, raggy ones for free, or Really cheap. They will probably take you up if you suggest a student film needs it badly. I tried to seek out a few myself. But funny enough all the stores I queried stopped using mannequins within the past year. If only I had thought of that a year ago...

2nd_Recon · Post by **2nd_Recon** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 11:36 pm

Lol, I might try some of the places arround here, but I'm intruiged by UFPs idea. So, you're saying that I basically use the "Fill the shirt and pants with newspaper" idea, but I tie the elbows, knees, neck, etc. closed so that they bend when I chuck him out of the tree?

UFProductions · Post by **UFProductions** » Sun Aug 15, 2004 12:26 am

And make a rough "skeleton" out of sticks. That way when he impacts the ground he won't just pile up like a sack o' beans. The skeleton will twist and push inside of him, so it looks like his legs are breaking and he's actually trying to stop his fall.

DaveP · Post by **DaveP** » Wed Aug 25, 2004 9:58 pm

or, use the good old art of stitching. Jus get a load of cloth, stitch it into the shape of a shirt and another into the shape of trousers, put in some sticks where bones would be, and FILL!

pdj · Post by **pdj** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 12:40 am

Or you could use big pieces of foam- you know the thick type that can be rapped around and you could hot glue it together? Think police training uniforms when they train dogs to attack...

I made a doll by getting 2 big potato bags, cutting out the shape of a man, sowing the 2 pieces together and filling him with plastic bags and old clothesÃ¢â‚¬Â¦worked wellÃ¢â‚¬Â¦EXPERIEMENT!