Ok, I've been real slow updating this community. Plus the website needs a total revamp, but I haven't had the time to get to it as yet.
Anyway, this is one of the rarer, more toony style costumes that we completed sometime back in January. Kudos to tugrik for the photo. The head is a latex face over cast foam, and the body is fleece. I'd been meaning to find a decent use for that feather fur for a while now...
If you're confused, an archaeopteryx is a dino-bird. A link to more information than I can muster energy to find is HERE. ...although I used the colour scheme more from my own head and loosely based on this critter HERE.
We've been working on a realistic lion quadruped costume for the last month or so along with other current projects. Thanks to some friends in the biz with a studio, we got to grab some photos of the lion today. We even got use of our very own lighting technician. Thanks to gatcat for being a fantastic photographer as always, and to kigeni for dressing up for hours on end and for being very tolerant whilst made to pose in all kinds of odd positions. ;)
There is so much we don't post here, I'll try and get more updates sorted out for the future, but right now let me introduce you to the newest critter to come out of the studio:
A fine rabbit for one of our returning customers. This person now owns three of our masks. This handsome lagomorph is a brand new design, featuring a few new little tricks that we have not put on any mask previously. Firstly, can you believe that he can actually see out of those eyes? No tricks, nor or use of tear ducts for vision, the mask has really great visibility. The eyes are based on a design provided to us by the client. They are much more stylised/cartoony than most of our work, but we can cater to a lot of styles. We kept the rest of the face somewhat realistic, apart from the mouth.
Secondly - he has removable ears for easy storage:
This guy performs his characters between the States and the UK, and it was important for him that the mask be easy to travel with and fit in a case.
The rabbit will be a full costume one of these days, but for now we have loaned him a pirate coat for a few snapshots before he goes home this weekend.
Stay tuned for a troll, an ethiopian wolf, an archaeopteryx and a clan of hyenas, amongst others.
And thanks to gatcat for the pictures and for doing a good deal of work on this mask.
Early this year, I got the chance to make a Tiger. I'd been wanting to make one to test my skills, so once I found (read that as made) time, I did this one:
Well, a few of us were up holidaying over Christmas in a rustic-ish cabin up at Lake Tahoe.
I took the lynx costume as I wanted to get a good few shots of her in a snowy environment to show the guys I'm working with on the movie project. Just in case they needed some early shots of her. I'll be sending them a better selection some time soon when I've sized all the previews.
But here are four nice shots to whet your appetite! I think costumes in a real place look so much better than those against a backdrop!
So, I try to post pictures of costumes that I do as often as I can in my own and my company journals, but I never really post any of my side/solo work which does not directly concern the company. I thought i'd take a moment to show you a music video I did a little while back.
The crew was just myself and a guy called Daren, (a local FX guy, most known for working on Life Aquatic.. really nice chap). We also had a gal makeup volenteer doing some work to keep the actors happy and refreshed, and also to apply some traditional beauty makeup and learn some stuff from us.
The music video was for "MURS & 9th Wonder" And was titled "Murry's Revenge".
The video can be seen below:
It was based off the old Nintendo game "Mike Tysons Punch Out". A list of some of the boxer characters can be found HERE
We worked on the followng characters (basically all characters requiring makeup): Bling Hippo Baller Bull Sorta Popinski Mic Tyson
You will see their game counterparts if you look up the Wiki entry I linked to above.
I worked a lot on all 4 pieces, but almost exclusively on Baller Bull and Mic Tyson. Tyson was really pretty damn good if I do say so myself under the constraints we faced... the guy looked nothing like him. I did him last minute on set during filming in about 1-2hrs with some basic tools and face putty.
All three of us put in a lot of hard work, and the video is pretty cool. All done in... a day I think it was. Well, one day of prep in the studio, one day of on site application, sculpting from scratch and filming. Busy busy. I don't remember if we went back the following day, but I don't think we did.
I learnt a few things. Firstly.. i'd never used the putty before, although it worked exactly the way I had expected it to. It was a budget shoot and we wanted to do it cheap and quick - but I think i'd have done it different had it been my choice (this one was Daren's call). Very heavy on the actor's faces and had a habit of melting under the lights. However it did the job, and was something we could just wing on set if needed. I'll definately be carrying some in my kit for future works... just not so much. ;)
I also have a commercial and some film projects I need to post when I have time. But for now I hope you enjoy this!
Nov. 2nd, 2007 @ 02:47 pm
So, we've got a new mask out. Something thats not a bear or a canine. Go us! ;)
This sheep is on his way to the UK shortly where he will become a specific Victorian Gentleman - in sheep form! However for our photographic costuming purposes, he's a bit medieval. I'll update the pictures when the client sends us the full costumed shots.
Okay, our web guy got in and replaced the physical hardware for the server. The web page is back online! It's amazing how hard it was to get access to the physical site to do this. Our email still needs tweaking, but we should be fully functional very soon.
Jul. 1st, 2007 @ 09:48 pm
Okay, it seems the server is being buggy again and is down. For the time being, please forward all emails and inquiries to primalvds [AT] gmail {DOT} com. The web guy is working on a new server, but he's on the road traveling, so please have patience. Thanks!
Jun. 25th, 2007 @ 10:28 pm
I just wanted to update with some small changes to the company.
We have been a bit lapse updating the website recently as we have been extremely busy!
We are doing a lot more work for tv, film and commercials, and as such we really do not have as much time for the individual commissions that we were taking before. We have changed our pricing structure to something more realistic to the field that we focus on, and to reflect some of the higher prices of the materials that we use to create our own unique blend of masks and costumes to industry standards and beyond. Much as we will still take individual commissions, we are probably now priced to a level that makes this less of a reality for many, but better reflects the quality and the time that goes into making them.
How will this affect me?
Those who have asked for a commission and have paid a deposit or paid in full are unaffected by these changes. We will continue on your project as before. Those who have asked for a commission and have paid a deposit or paid in full on an item as a part of a larger order - the current part is unaffected but the rest of the costume is negotiable. Those who have asked for a commission, set a start date but have not set down a deposit - prices are negotiable. Those asking for a new commission, will be affected by the new pricing structure.
There are still many hobbiests and smaller mascot companies out there who will make you a costume for the lower budget, and who do some nice work.
Thanks for you time, and good luck with your costumes.
May. 9th, 2007 @ 11:02 am
Well, yesterday was pretty interesting. I dropped four masks off at a movie shoot in downtown San Francisco, then watched while they shot the earlier scenes. I helped the guys get into costume, then headed out to shoot number 2 (which was a completely different company) to pick up some stuff and look at some of the shots.
Shoot 1 had the big location and lots of actors and extras. It was some kind of full length post-apocalypse movie. My main contact was producing it and starring in it. I met a guy from Liverpool (who they all thought was a cockney - ha!) and made a few friends and contacts for the company. They all seemed really impressed by the masks. The critters were supposed to be in background crowd shots, however two of them ended up right by the actors in the big "party" scene, through a good chunk of filming and dialogue, so looks like they'll be in it quite prominently.
Shoot 2 was the one which is really exciting though - the werefox piece. I got to see some of the fox footage - foreground fox on green screen, and the landscape that they are going to superimpose it on. The piece is really cool, all odd angles and distorted perspectives. I'm really looking forward to it. They have promised to send me some production images.
Oh, and got some good news on a music video, though not the one I originally mentioned. This one will give us more time to work, and is a bigger name artist. ;) More to follow.....
Okay, It looks like our server has gone down due to major hardware problems. It will not be up for at least a week. Please forward all Primal Visions emails to primalvds@gmail.com.
Apr. 8th, 2007 @ 03:24 pm
Just a quick FYI: Our website (http://www.primalvisions.com) and our email, is down. Please be patient, we have someone trying to figure out what happened. So, if you emailed us any time between Friday, March 9 and now, we might not have received it. When the webpage comes back up, you can email us again. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Sorry for the lack of updates, we've been extremely busy on a big gig for the Hanes T-Shirt company.
Here are some of the pictures from us as we completed them. I may post some construction pictures later. Introducing Primal Vision's Bull-Kitty and Bull-Ducky:
A black wolf partial costume. Much as a real black wolf, the fur is not exclusively black - there are shades of brown and grey in there as well, and even markings if you look closely. The paw pads provide a grip almost as good as your own fingers. The green eyes were made up especially for him.
Dec. 3rd, 2006 @ 12:15 pm
We just finished up another project for a client. This is based on a Shibu Inu dog and is comprised of a head, tail and hand paws. Please note that our tester has very small arms compared to the client, so they look a bit baggy in our shots.
Click the image to go to the gallery page:
To see more of our works go to Primal Visions website
Oct. 18th, 2006 @ 06:23 pm
We just finished a realistic Raptor tail for a client. It has a pebble texture and swings while you walk. Check out the pictures and the animation of it in motion! EDIT: The video link has been recoded and uploaded to a U-Tube page.
We are in the process of moving our entire studio to a new location.
Our old address is no longer valid, but our new one is: 1271 Washington Ave. PMB #829 San Leandro, CA. 94577-3646
We have now got the office set up, and we are slowly replying to emails. If you have sent us anything and have not had a reply by mid week, please accept our apologies and re-send your query. We are trying to stay on top of everything, and I hope nothing falls between the cracks. We are still in the process of setting up the new facilities, and working on priority (halloween deadline) projects.
Please spread the word. Thanks.
Oct. 2nd, 2006 @ 02:21 pm
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