Topic: Some Alien Props from Halloween 2011

Hello all. New to the site but I ran into Teague over at The NODE website a few months ago with some of my Alien creations. I wanted to share some of them here.

These are all pretty low-budget (except for the animated chestburster which has pneumatics and a prop controller) and are primarily cardboard, chicken wire, duct tape, and papier mache with carpet glue. I've got some "making of" pictures over in my Tumblr site if anyone is interested.

This is a Flickr set with a lot of day-of-the-party pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/avant1963/ … 997086090/

The Alien lifecycle starts with the egg pod (or for you what-came-first-chicken-types - the queen... but I didn't get to build a queen). These all started life out as a huge balloon. I created 3 different eggs; closed, opening, and open. They were painted with what is affectionately called Monster Mud - a mixture of wall spackle, paint, and some sand to give texture. These guys were presented with some color LEDs and a fog machine.
http://www.tumblr.com/photo/1280/11027716307/1/tumblr_lsk1va9DWe1qg6k76
Making of: http://avant1963.tumblr.com/post/105925 … us-34-days

Born of the pod, is the appropriately named FaceHugger. These are the wonderful creatures who only goal in life is to attach to your face, lay an embryo down your throat and die. I love them so much I built two. One huge one for the Egg Pod scene and one I could wear around the party (and be part of the chestburster prop).
http://api.ning.com/files/4sFEfbHWPVo8ClKOPab8lr2OhQf-p7b1a7wdydmspHubNyhQakNfJCe8DhCq02iErS0YdlDwZ8R7HPiquoW-4J4LyjiFO5D1/face_hugger_13.jpg
Making of: http://avant1963.tumblr.com/post/750275 … ace-hugger
http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lrvlygJ3Od1qfp6at.jpg
Making of: http://avant1963.tumblr.com/post/104804 … facehugger

After a gestation period (that seems to fluctuate from movie to movie) the little bugger is ready to be born, though the chest of the host. For his trouble, the host dies. This one was animated with a windshield wiper motor that shook the body and then an air ram that shot the little Alien through the chest all run by a prop controller.
http://www.tumblr.com/photo/1280/10886047920/1/tumblr_lse0nuXwn91qg6k76
Video in action: http://www.flickr.com/photos/avant1963/ … 7997086090

Once our little guy is all grown up (timing also seems to vary per movie) he becomes a full size Xenomorph. The one I chose to build is based off the original Giger design from the first Alien which housed a human skull under the head-dome. He had a mouth that opened and closed and a working tongue with the handy extra mouth. I built it on a little rig that I could roll back and forth from the wall to have it lurch out at people.
http://www.tumblr.com/photo/1280/12165968154/1/tumblr_ltxzdpIpRy1qg6k76
http://www.tumblr.com/photo/1280/11653138503/1/tumblr_ltbh8f3vEo1qg6k76
Making of: http://avant1963.tumblr.com/post/105923 … us-34-days

The Alien lifecycle ends usually with a kick-ass woman and a flamethrower, shown here, Ripley, played by my wife. The flamethrower was a replica of the original from the Alien movie.
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ltuf0maMgV1qg6k76o1_500.jpg
Making of: http://avant1963.tumblr.com/post/105926 … us-34-days

All of this was put together for a Halloween party that I throw every year. A lot of work for one day, but I enjoy creating and figuring out how to make this stuff with basic ingredients and know-how.

Thanks for indulging this long, first post. Cheers!
-Walt

Re: Some Alien Props from Halloween 2011

That is really cool. Welcome to the site!

Warning: I'm probably rewriting this post as you read it.

Zarban's House of Commentaries

Re: Some Alien Props from Halloween 2011

Yeah, these are crazy-good replicas.  Props, Avant... so to speak.

Thumbs up Thumbs down

Re: Some Alien Props from Halloween 2011

Very impressive stuff, your halloween parties must be so awesome

Thumbs up Thumbs down

Re: Some Alien Props from Halloween 2011

I love Walt hardcore. Look at this stuff. That's amazing.

Welcome to the forum, man!

Teague Chrystie

I have a tendency to fix your typos.

Thumbs up Thumbs down

Re: Some Alien Props from Halloween 2011

Thanks for the kind words everyone - thanks Teague.

Re: Some Alien Props from Halloween 2011

Fun fact: despite the relative lurkerness of this thread, it's gotten a huge ass jump in traffic lately from intrigued people clicking the banner.

Hooray! We're helping!

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/8069347/images/1266102322614.jpg

Teague Chrystie

I have a tendency to fix your typos.

Thumbs up Thumbs down

Re: Some Alien Props from Halloween 2011

Awesome. Thanks Teague for the idea of the banners - I've used them to check out other stuff too and spend more time in the creations forum (Like watching ARK which has also seems to re-emerged on the forum and is amaze-balls, Trey). I still get startled when I come to the site and see me up there with the facehugger on.

FYI - I just started something I am calling "A Dalek Year" where I am going to chronicle, day by day, building a full-size Dalek in my basement. There is some info out on my tumblr (http://avant1963.tumblr.com/) and the first 2 days if anyone is interested. I'm feeling a little anxious about this one.

Last edited by Avant1963 (2012-01-20 13:29:15)

Re: Some Alien Props from Halloween 2011

Duuuuude.

Teague Chrystie

I have a tendency to fix your typos.

Thumbs up Thumbs down

Re: Some Alien Props from Halloween 2011

I've always wanted a life size Dalek, it'd be awesome.

Thumbs up +1 Thumbs down