Stop-motion Hand....Hi from Rick Catizone

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Hi guys,

I was looking through some sites and saw this one and thought I'd drop a line.
I built the armatures for the hand, and the full stop-mo puppet of Henrietta, and animated the hand and a number of shots, including the animated face change when Henrietta's neck grows.

I just watched a good bit of the 25th anniversary edition. I wonder how much info got edited out, because just on my interview, I know that we discussed the face-changing scene and others in detail. We also shot footage of the hand and Henrietta armatures, but none of that made it in either. Makes me wonder what we all might have missed from Doug Beswick's interview.

I also saw a post about a possible remake. It would be kinda cool if they got some of us like Doug and myself to do the cg animation (I assume they will do it cg) since we did the original stop-mo....and transitioned to cg as well.

Best,
Rick
 
Hi Rick,

The F/X parts of behind the scenes documentarys are always my favourite parts. I'd love to see any unseen pics or footage you may have if that's okay. The only time I attempted stop motion animation was in about 1980 or 81 when me and the kid up the road used frame by frame with a Super-8 to animate space lego. The monsters were those little rubber octopus type things that you could thow at a window and they would slowly roll down the glass (remember them?) . The black space sky was a black bag bin liner with pin holes punched through it to look like stars. The burning space craft was achieved by scraping the gun powder off a paper roll of toy cap gun caps and stuffing them in to the plastic rocket boosters. No storyline to speak of and nowhere near the level of work that you achieved but it was good fun and took us a couple of days. I'd love to watch that now.
 
Well, here's a look at the hand armature I designed and machined.

It was originally made for a test for a similar effect that was to be in Creepshow. However, they didn't have the budget for the effect, and because The Hand and some other film came out with that concept, they chose another route....which was to have Ted Danson and companion suddenly be inside the bathroom, which I thought was far more shocking.

However, the test animation footage did land me the job on ED2, because Mike Trcic, who had worked with me around the time I did that, told Sam about it. (Thanks again, Mike!)

The original armature was designed to fit my hand, because Tom had cast my arm for that effect. However, when the mold for the ED hand arrived, it was smaller than mine, and I had to remake some parts, and make some adjustments so the joints were in their exact and  proper place.

Best,
Rick
 
How did you go about designing that armature to later fit your own hand size/ shape ? ... and how can I do it ? .. did you measure your own hand  size and work outwards ? (backwards engineering ?) .. Mike Trcic (crazy surname) recomended you to Sam Raimi on the strength of your test footage. Ever thought about working with Tom Sullivan on a project ? .. thanks again Rick and I'd love to see any pics of anything to do with your work on Henrietta .. pleasethankyouverymuch ..
 
Well, you have to make precise measurements. Each joint must pivot from the exact and proper point or the rubber fingers will not bend correctly or convincingly.

If you mean how can you make one, that depends on your skill level. A simple version could probably be made with hardware store aluminum if you can find plates thin enough, but strong enough. I generally use 2024 aircraft aluminum, or sometimes steel. Beyond that, a hacksaw, taps for the size machine screws you choose, and an understanding of what the armature needs to accomplish before you start to make it.

Well, yes, because that footage was the type of thing they needed, and I think Mike was also confident that I could animate as well as handle other needed chores on an assignment like that.

I haven't seen Tom since the one shot I had to do on the actual set. I actually have to hunt him done...I have something to give him....

Best,
Rick
 
Thanks again for your practical advice Rick ...

I was fortunate enough to convince Tom Sullivan to contribute to Cohen Phillips Evil Dead fan flic, Return to the Woods a few years back ... I posted some liquid latex cast appliances and a couple of props from England to Cohen and Tom VERY graciously realised (after I nagged/begged him via email) we were all just fanboy rookies but still sculpted a Kandarian Chalice of the Dead anyway .. he told me at the time he'd made two of them, finding the glass bowls required at a local market to him .. ( not to mention providing a video cameo as a drunk father on the telephone when 'Nate' in a panic calls his dad from the cabin .. if you watch Tom's drunk scene closley, you'll see he has some of his own early stop motion work playing on the tv in the background ) ...

Tom Sullivan's web site/ contact details:

www.darkageproductions.com

Return to the Woods:

http://phillipsfilms.mrolaf.com/films/rttw/
 
Rick, thanks for sharing this info with us, I too myself love learning more about behind the scenes!
 
Actually, I often enjoy the behind-the-scenes as much as the films.

BTW, for any Night of the Living Dead fans, I was also interviewed on Autopsy of the Dead, a great dvd on the making of Night of the Living Dead. If you're a fan of that classic, I would highly recommend it. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and no, I don't have any financial interest involved.

Best,
Rick
 
I didn't realise untill recently that you were also responsible for the end photograph animation on the original Night of the Living Dead. Did you do any commercial /advertising work for Romero's Latent Images company in Pittsburgh around that time and do you still have any of the prints or negatives you used for that end sequence?

It must be a nice feeling knowing you worked on the first 'modern' genre defining zombie film ... similar to Tom Sullivan working on the game changing first Evil Dead 10 or so years later ...
 
Yes, I worked with George and Mike Gornick and many things (feature films don't happen everyday). Also with Bill Hinzman and his ventures. BTW, sad news that may not have made it out as yet, but Bill passed away last week. A sad goodbye to a really nice guy and friend.

No, I don't have the photos from the end sequence of NOLD. They may have been returned to the Latent Image, or they may have been lost in the closing of The Animators...which I think happened in the early 90's. I remember Bob Wolcott called me to tell me he was retiring, and asked if I wanted any of the old animation art. It never occurred to me that those photos might have been there.

Yes, it was cool having some small part in that classic. I was always into fantasy and some horror. But when the gore for gore's sake took over, I veered to straight fantasy...which had always been my favorite...films by Ray Harryhausen.

Best,
Rick
 
Thanks again Rick and sorry to hear about Bill Hinzman...

I expect you may already be aware of this, but for anyone who's not ... Gary Striener has now collected donations of $17,000 towards the $50,000 needed to stop the Evans City Cemetary chapel house from being demolished. Apart from the screen used cellar in the old Latent Image building, the iconic chapel house is the last remaining building from Night of the Living Dead ...

Links to this cause:
http://www.deadites.net/forums//index.php?topic=873.0

Early George Romero commercials from The Latent Image (look out for NOTLD's Judy in the Calgon commercial):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERzum9PbPqw

For Rick Catizone ..... Part 1 of a four part classic private tour of Forrest J. Akerman's legendary collection by the great man himself ... RIP Mr.Akerman ... look out for the original King Kong stop motion puppets.:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYhIkDROLwI&feature=related
 
I shot the first and second shots of the sub..and title.......

shot as a bi-pac setup on the animatiion stand. Three passes over the same negative......once as a matte and printing the bg, once for the ship, and once for the red interior lights.

Best,
Rick
 
Do you remember who's idea it was to parody Fantastic Voyage for that Calgon commercial Rick? ...

I remember I first saw your commercial on TV in the eighties on the George Romero episode of Johnathon Ross's The Incredibley Strange Film Show by the way .....

Fantastic Voyage trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7f1QTxvz1w
 
I am about 80% sure that it came from the ad agency....but also possible that Latent Image was in some discussions and that was the big film at the time and suggested a spoof.

Best,
Rick
 
Loved that movie Rick ...

Did you also work on the Duke beer commercial? .... in these more uptight times, feminists would have a field day with that one now I re-watch it  ;D
 
No.......I only shot stills, or animation stand photography, on outside commercials. At that time,I was with The Animators.

Best,
Rick
 
Hi, Rick.



I just did a full blown Evil Dead marathon earlier this morning, including watching all of the behind the scenes stuff that could be found. Then I came across this post. Thank you so much for stopping in and sharing a little info info with all of us. I hope that all is well...
 
You're welcome.

I hope to do some ED conventions this year. I am thinking that the 25th anniversary of ED2 should spark something. I am waiting to hear back from my friend, Jim Cironella, who tracks this stuff and helps book me. If anyone knows any info about any ED2 cons especially, drop me an email.  I usually look for cities that are no more than 8 hours from Pittsburgh. Much more than that and the drive becomes a task and its hard to be fresh for fans Friday eve, or gets me back long after midnite. It has been great fun meeting fans of ED2, the two Creepshow films, and Night of the Living Dead. Nice to know somebody appreciates all the hard work that goes into this sort of thing.

Best,
Rick
 
Hi again Rick ..

I've never been lucky enough to attend any, but Tom Sullivan tours his Evil Dead museum at loads of fantasy film conventions and they always look fantastic. He hasn't posted any appearences yet for 2012 but I'm sure that will change. I'm not sure about the radius he works in.

http://www.darkageproductions.com/appearances.php
 
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