Holy Articulated Heads, Batman!

[Gemini Cricket]

http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=-9034133974768533822&hl=en

Saw this on MC and became very happy.

:)

[Ghoulish Delight]

Hmm, not getting video, just a still picure of Minnie. But if you're implying that her mouth moves...I think I'm glad I'm not seeing video.

[Gemini Cricket]

Hmm, not getting video, just a still picure of Minnie. But if you're implying that her mouth moves...I think I'm glad I'm not seeing video.
Is there a play button at the bottom of the screen?

[flippyshark]

Actually, I think it adds some much needed life to the faces. (I especialy like the eyes blinking) Is this happening out here in Orlando? Shows how much attention I've been paying.

[lashbear]

WOW !!! Love the expression Donald can get now !!!

It's in english, I guess it's Orlando.

[Gemini Cricket]

Here's a link (http://www.micechat.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1312761#post1312761) to the MC post about it...

[Gemini Cricket]

WOW !!! Love the expression Donald can get now !!!

...is this Tokyo or Orlando ?
Orlando. :)

[Ghoulish Delight]

Heh, oops, the progress bar blended too well into my task bar, didn't see it.


Simultaneously awesome and disturbing.

[Gemini Cricket]

If I was a CM and wanted to get fired, I'd take off my Mickey head, put it on the ground in the middle of Main Street USA and make it talk to kids.

"Help me. Help Mickey, kids...."

:evil:

[Not Afraid]

You know, now that the mouth moves, it makes the excessive gesticulation seem ridiculous.

[flippyshark]

You know, now that the mouth moves, it makes the excessive gesticulation seem ridiculous.

I've always found the gesticulations ridiculous. What's more, I've directed character cast members in theatrical productions, and they habitually do the same kinds of moves, both in everday life and when performing in a non plastic head play. It's a hard habit for them to break.

[Kevy Baby]

I do it a lot IRL and I have never even worked for the Mouse

[eighteenth street]

how does that even work?

[lashbear]

I do it a lot IRL and I have never even worked for the Mouse

how does that even work?

Well, eighteenth street, Kevy just waves his arms around a lot when talking.

[Gemini Cricket]

how does that even work?
I'm thinking it's done by remote. Someone needs to work the mouth other than the person in the suit.
I've seen it done for the Bear in the Big Blue House. Someone works the mouth with a hand puppet thingy...

[Drince88]

Actually, I think it adds some much needed life to the faces. (I especialy like the eyes blinking) Is this happening out here in Orlando? Shows how much attention I've been paying.

The scary thing is I WATCHED that show and don't recall that!

[innerSpaceman]

It's about time.



I've been thinking Disney should have been on to this decades ago. And not just in stage shows ... but for the characters that interact directly with guests.



If you look back at the characters circa opening day, it's a wonder they didn't scare the bejesus out of kids. They were primitive and pathetic.

Great progress was made with the characters through the 1960's ... and that's where state of the art has basically stalled (though there were design improvements until the 80's). No technological progress, however, has been made in 40 years. I think the video clip demonstates some real progress that should have hit the Parks at least a decade ago.


(and I think the ability to blink is just as important as the mouth movement in creating a wonderful illusion of life for these characters)







.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

I'm with iSm - it's awesome. I'm glad they finally achieved this. I also thought of the older versions of the rubber heads while watching this.

[RStar]

... but for the characters that interact directly with guests.
.I've often thought about this, but the voice would need to be recorded, making it very awkward to carry on a conversation.

Little Billy- "Mickey, were you born in Toontown?"

Mickey- "Hey pal, having a good time at Disneyland?"

Billy to mommy with tears in his eyes- "Why didn't Mickey answer me?"

Unless they get to the point that the motorized mouth works by the movement of the CMs lips, and the voice is done the way they do Turtle Talk With Crush, I don't see this happening in a non-structured setting.

But this is a really cool step in between!

[NickO'Time]

I'm with iSm - it's awesome. I'm glad they finally achieved this. I also thought of the older versions of the rubber heads while watching this.
I'll third that. This is a major step and it can only get better. This is a new beginning.:)

[Cadaverous Pallor]

So when the hell are we getting it HERE? Although that show was so atrocious I better be careful what I wish for...

[CoasterMatt]

I can't wait to see the Mr. Lincoln rubberhead :)

[Gemini Cricket]

I don't think it would be a good idea to have the walk around characters have articulated heads. Then they'd have to do the voices. I can just see the headlines reading, 'Tigger swears at rude girl, father sues Disneyland...'

[innerSpaceman]

I wholeheartedly disagree. I've always found it charming to suspend disbelief to such a degree that we accept not only the rubberheads, but that 93% of our favorite Disney characters are struck mute when we see them at the Park. And yet, I wish we were not forced to accept this obvious defect.

I'm not saying the technology is there yet ... but I hope someday that all the characters will be able to speak as they are rightfully supposed to.

The cute Tigger reference notwithstanding, I don't think any libel, insults or gang challenges have ever been voiced by Snow White, Aurora, Cinderella, Alice or The Mad Hatter.




Ok, maybe by the Mad Hatter ... but just that once.

[CoasterMatt]

Cruella threatened to skin me...

[Isaac]

It's about time.
Ditto.

We probably won't see these type of masks on the characters inside Disneyland for another 5 to 10 years but at least we know Disney is working on it.
You know, now that the mouth moves, it makes the excessive gesticulation seem ridiculous.
They are excessive & ridiculous but keep in mind they're doing a stage show and in most stage shows body movements & jestures are always a bit overdone. Take for example the gay choreography aboard the Columbia during Fantasmic.

[Kevy Baby]

MANY years ago (20+), one of the head characters hit on my buddy and me. She told us to meet her at a certain gate (leading from backstage to onstage) later that night. Unfortunately we missed our appointed time - it would have been fun!

I'm not sure if that fits in this thread; I just happened to think of it.

[innerSpaceman]

Sure, bring on any and all Rubber Head stories.


I'll go second ...

(and this is also 20+ years ago), one particular Pluto and Goofy liked to cavort enthusiastically under the Hungry Bear deck, far from their minders. One afternoon, when Goofy was getting a bit too demonstrative too close to the rail ... over he went headlong into the Rivers of America!






It was a different Goofy that returned the next week. Hmmmm, I never saw that first Goofy again.

[Disneyphile]

I've often thought about this, but the voice would need to be recorded, making it very awkward to carry on a conversation.Unless they combine the technology with that of Push. ;)

[CoasterMatt]

A bunch of rubberheads rolling around on top of trashcans?

I like it!! :D

[RStar]

Unless they combine the technology with that of Push. ;)

I don't know what Push sounds like, but I don't think he sounds like Mickey or Goofy. That's why I said if they could use the type of techno that Crush the Turtle has in DCA. It changes the CMs voice to sound like Crush, and a CM could be near by doing the voice.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

I don't know what Push sounds like, but I don't think he sounds like Mickey or Goofy. That's why I said if they could use the type of techno that Crush the Turtle has in DCA. It changes the CMs voice to sound like Crush, and a CM could be near by doing the voice.Ummmmmm.....I am pretty sure that Crush is simply voiced by a guy who can do the surfer dude voice. They don't have a voice filter.

[RStar]

Ummmmmm.....I am pretty sure that Crush is simply voiced by a guy who can do the surfer dude voice. They don't have a voice filter.Really? With all of the hours Crush operates they would need quite a few CMs to be available. And to build an attraction hopeing they could have someone available with the turnover rate they have, seams like a strech to me.

I assumed they had a computer with a bank of words or phrases that as the CM spoke, the computer voice would put it together. The voice is always spot-on, and the conversations are pretty similar each time (at least each time I went- only 3 or 4 times). Which is why I always thought they had a digital aspect to it.

That's part of the Disney magic- the "How'd they do that?" factor.