#001 : Mr. Yuji Nishimura, M1 Owner
M1, located in the Fukushima Prefecture in Japan, is a leading manufacturer of creating figurines of heroes and monsters from special effect films. It’s notable that M1 has reproduced nostalgic replicas of soft vinyl toys that were sold 30-40 years ago, igniting frenzy among retro toy fanatics. Yuji Nishimura himself is an avid collector of classic toys, so it can be said that he understands fanatics’ taste buds more than anyone. That is why M1 products are accepted by so many maniacs.
The following is an interview that I was able to have with Yuji mainly about the M1 Endoskull kit, which was the base for the Animatronic Bust.
You can see how vast his knowledge is, not just about collectible toys, but also about movie props as well.
T-STUDIO
This “moving Terminator” was built based on the kit sold by M1.
Activate the Animatronic Bust ………
Yuji
This is great. Wait… was there a groove in the middle of the neck like this in the original kit?
T-STUDIO
There was in the prop in the first movie. For some reason it got omitted in T2.
Yuji
You’ve really done thorough research.
T-STUDIO
It is my faith to go beyond just making the model move, and make it as faithful as possible to the original movie prop.
Yuji
The vacuum metalizing looks great as well; fans worldwide would love this.
T-STUDIO
Thank you for the compliment. Nothing would make me happier than to receive praise by you.
So… starting off, I’d like to know a lot about the M1 Endoskull kit. This kit has been discontinued and has become a “legendary” kit.
Yuji
It goes a while back, but I’ll do my best to trace my memory.
T-STUDIO
OK, first tell me about how this project started.
Yuji
I believe I started this project in 1992. It took me about a year to launch the kit. When I visited Bob Burns, the famous collector in LA, I had the opportunity to go to his house and actually see firsthand the Endoskulls and Endoskeleton parts and replicas that he had collected. I thought to myself, “I want to create replicas like these”. After that, a friend of mine in the United States brought an opportunity for me to purchase a resin replica of an Endoskull, so I bought it at around $500 and started studying it. Then, there was another offer, which was more “underground”, to buy some other replicas, so I purchase a few and sold them at some shows in Japan. The problem with these replicas was the quality; the lines were not straight, contraction seen in the silicon, and the resin mold finish was poor in quality. They weren’t something that you could use as a prototype.
T-STUDIO
Because they are just replicas after all.
Yuji
Exactly. So, once I was granted permission to produce a product in Japan, I started looking for something that was good enough to become the prototype for my replica more seriously. When I visited the US again, they were having a props and paraphernalia show, and there they also had an auction going on as well. There I was able to win a bid for a T2 prop of an arm with a black glove smashed in a machine. There, I met Jeff, who works for James Cameron. He also played a role in the movie as a kid at the game arcade telling the T-1000 where John is. I told him about my desire to come up with an Endoskull model kit in Japan, and he said he could get me a high-quality original model from Stan Winston. Later, I visited the James Cameron office in Santa Monica to pick the model up. They showed me around the office, handed me the model, and let me take some pictures of the Endoskeleton that they had there.
T-STUDIO
Were you able to meet James as well?
Yuji
Unfortunately not, he was out of office. But I asked if I could get James to write a recommendation to print on the kit box, and they replied that it was probably doable. So now I had my original model, and was able to move forward to design the replica kit.
T-STUDIO
Tell me more about that original model.
Yuji
It was an Endoskull from the 1st movie, the lines were straight, the size and quality was good, but because it was a prop, there wasn’t much attention paid to details. The edges lacked sharpness, there were brush lines left from the original clay molds…
T-STUDIO
So you finished off the details to make your prototype?
Yuji
Right. I created a mold out of the model I received from Stan Winston, finished off the details to give it a sharper look. For the mechanics on the side of the head, I searched for the Japanese plastic model that they actually used for the movie prop, and used the exact same thing to produce my replica.
T-STUDIO
So you were able to make your model look sharp because you redesigned the whole thing.
Yuji
Seiji Takahashi did a great job working on this original mold. The metal parts that come with the model were produced by a precision machine factory in my hometown Fukushima, but that really cost a lot.
T-STUDIO
When you had Seiji refine Stan’s mold, what did you ask him to do?
Yuji
I told him to straighten out the lines and sharpen the edges on the mechanics, but don’t lay a finger on anything else. It’s a replica of a movie prop, so I wanted it to be as close as possible to Stan’s original model. I heard that Stan had mentioned the original model that I had received was taken from a mold that he thought was in the best condition out of any other.
T-STUDIO
So this is the final casting after all the fixes (image 01). This is just simply beautiful. If the Terminator had really existed, I guess it would look as sharp and beautiful as this…
Yuji
Yes, it could have.
T-STUDIO
So once you released your replica kit, did they go to James and Stan as well?
Yuji
Yes they did. I sent them both the kit and a fully painted and assembled one. I was relieved when I heard they were both very happy.
T-STUDIO
There are numerous manufacturers domestic and abroad who sell chrome plated Endoskulls today. Do you have anything to say about this?
Yuji
Those are fully assembled versus ours a model kit. So there’s a difference in the meaning of existence of the two, thus I don’t think the two are to be compared. But the lines in those products are not straight, which catches my eye. Our product has its lines straightened out, but because of the characteristics of soft vinyl, it is slightly smaller than the original model, which is a bummer. Oh, by the way, the internal mechanics design on the side of the Endoskull sold by Icons, they copied our model without getting our consent.
T-STUDIO
Lastly, I am going to be the first to announce to the world a “functioning Terminator” based on your meticulously designed kit. Can I get your comment on this Animatronic Bust ?
Yuji
I am very surprised by the quality. The sound of the motor is very similar to the movie prop I own that has the gimmick which enables the eyes to move, which gives it unique characteristic. I can see Terminator fans crying from delight.
T-STUDIO
That’s quite a compliment. Thank you very much for your time today.
#002 : Eye lens
By closely examining the close-up of the eye in the “Eye Surgery” scene sequence, you will see that the front lens is a blackish translucent piece, and the red light actually comes from inside the iris. Also, towards the end of the movie when Sarah Conner defeats the T-800 with a hydraulic press machine, you can see where the red light fades out from behind the lens, while it comes to a total breakdown. I have been thinking about this for years now; “the T-800 eye lenses are not red, but they are onlybecome red when they’re lit”, and “they are a blackish translucent color when not lit up”! This can be confirmed in the reboot scene sequence in T2 as well.
From the very first life-size Endoskull replica from Icons to the Endoskulls from XFX Studio, Sideshow Collectibles, and Style On Video… the lens on the eyes for all these products are made from a red translucent plastic, thus the eyes look red even when the eye lights are off.
The eyes on the movie prop used in T2 seem to be red when the lights are turned off, so you can say that these manufacturers followed this prop, but I believe that the real Terminator’s eyes should look like the prop from the first Terminator; they should not look red when shut down.
I agree that the Endoskeleton’s eyes should be red. The gleaming red eyes are a part of the Endoskeleton’s identity, and they play an important role in the movie by lighting up when the Terminator boots up, and dimming down when it shuts down. It’s just that I couldn’t stand the eyes looking red even when the Endoskull was turned off. For that reason the Animatronic Bust does not use the red lens provided in the M1 kit, but uses a lens I have created by adding some black pigment into a transparent resin.
#007 : Cervical spine
The cervical spine included in the M1 kit has only two vertebrae. Initially when planning the Animatronic Bust I was planning to use the spine included in the kit, but since it lacked the aesthetics and presence I desired, I opted for five vertebrae like the prop used in the movies. I could have just added the remaining three vertebrae to the M1 kit cervical spine, but since I happened to get my hands on a prop replica, I decided to refine that. Apparently this replica was a replica of a replica, thus the details were too rough and far from satisfactory to be used on its own, so I reproduced this with polyester putty and finished off the details. Since the details of the spine from the M1 kit are superb, I used that as well to finish off details. There is an acrylic pipe passed through the spine to house the drive shaft from the pedestal to the inside of the skull. There is another detail I had added when planning the Animatronic Bust Ver. 1, based on the prop from the original movie. As you can see in the images below, there is a vertical groove down the center of the neck. This groove is added to ver. 1.1 and 1.2, and from ver. 2.1, the neck parts have been improved to move in conjunction with head movement, to mimic more complex movement.
With the Animatronic Bust Ver. 2.1 and newer versions, the spine will twist in conjunction with the twist of the head, reenacting a sequence where the Endoskeleton rotates its upper body in conjunction with its head.
#008 : Internal mechanism in the side of the skull
One of the most notable characteristics of the Endoskull is the mechanical components embedded tightly in the side of the skull. I have no idea how each component works, but the aesthetics is very distinctive. According to records, they have apparently used parts from plastic military tank models made in Japan (there seems to be slightly different props used in the original movie and the second one). In the life-size Endoskull models sold today, the details of this area of the skull are very rough and some of the edges are rounded. If you own any life size busts, take a look at it and see for yourself. To mask the roughness of the details, black paint is used to mimic stains. One of the main reasons why I have chosen M1’s model for the base of the Animatronic Bust is because the detailing of this part of the skull was done very beautifully, and the edges were not dull and rounded. By using the M1 kit, there was no need to hide any roughness in the molding with excessive staining. Since the designer of the M1 kit actually designed this portion from scratch referring to the original prop, the M1 kit could be said to be “a more accurate replica of the prop than the original prop”. I’m hoping to interview Mr. Takahashi, the designer himself, about his interesting story of designing this piece.
#009 : Groove in the side of the skull
Looking closely at pictures of props and prop replicas, you can see that there is a small groove in the inside edge of the part where the mechanical components are embedded. The M1 kit is outstanding for its detailed design, but it does not have this groove, which I assume was omitted on purpose because of the difficulty in replicating this with soft vinyl (I’d like to ask the designer about this as well if I get a chance). By closely examining numerous scenes sequences from the movie, I have found out that there are some scenes sequences where they use props without this groove, but nonetheless I have added this groove to the design for the Animatronic Bust. There are a total of four grooves, and it wasn’t easy keeping the edges from looking round. I have also found a picture from the making of the original movie where it shows “holes” close to the groove in some props, but I am assuming this is just a clay prototype prop.
#010 : Teeth
In an interview, Stan Winston said that he had created a complete copy of the body physique of Arnold Schwarzenegger when the Endoskeleton for T1 was designed. Looking at the picture below that shows Schwarzenegger’s teeth alignment, you can see that they look very similar to the Endoskeleton’s, from the small gap between his front teeth to the shape of the canine tooth. After the release of T1, the new movie superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger had apparently gone through a dental makeover in the 5-6 years before shooting T2, but the T2 Endoskeleton had inherited the teeth alignment of the T1 Endoskeleton (It may be rude to a successful person who had risen to become the governor of California, but it is an inevitable topic when discussing the Endoskeleton. The purpose is to verify documented facts about a historic movie, and not to disgrace anyone). When designing the Animatronic Bust, I had a hard time deciding what to do about the teeth. There were basically three paths. One was to use the M1 kit since the teeth alignment was faithful fora very close copy of that of Schwarzenegger’s. The second was to create the teeth one by one by using resin that a dental technician would use to create false teeth, which would have a natural color to it. The last plan was to use ready-made acrylic false teeth that a dentist would use, and plant them one by one.
The first plan was abandoned at an early stage because painting has its limitations as to how close it can get to the original, and the second plan would cost too much money and effort. In the end I had chosen to go with plan three for the Animatronic Bust ver. 1.0. It may be a crazy idea but someday I would like to bring plan two to reality.
Even with ready-made fake teeth, there are numerous shapes, sizes, colors, and texture, and the stronger and aesthetically closer it gets to a real tooth, the more expensive it is. Since the strength was not a concern (since it’s not going to be used to actually bite/chew on anything), I chose based on the shape and color. When implanting the fake teeth, I had to overcome the strong impulse to create a gap between the two front teeth or make the canine tooth smaller, knowing that if I went that route there would never be an end to it. In the opening of T2, there is an Endoskeleton that appears in flames with the teeth chrome plated. It is said that they chrome plated the prop especially carefully since it was to be used in an important scene sequence. The parts used in the prop were beautifully detailed, and it was very helpful to reference the design for the T-STUDIO Animatronic Bust./p>
#011 : Cylinders on side of mouth
These can also be said to be distinctive out of all the parts that make up the Endoskull. Similar to other parts, there are differences in shape, structure, and the finish around the parts connection. One thing that’s wonderful about the M1 kit is “how well-made” the parts are. It consists of parts precisely sculptured out of stainless steel, and depending on how you build it you can make it move in conjunction with mouth movement. I had to choose whether to add chrome plating to this piece, but to avoid dulling the edges by plating it, I decided not to and use the parts as-is.
I have received questions from people who have seen the Animatronic Bust ver. 1.1, asking whether I could make the mouth move by adding some kind of mechanism to it. Compared to the complicated mechanism to move the head or eyes, making the mouth move is relatively easy. The reason I haven’t done so is because I have a strong opinion that “the incarnate Terminator needs to move its mouth to act human-like, but once it becomes an Endoskeleton it doesn’t have to act human so it never moves its mouth.” There is actually no scene sequence in any of the Terminator series movies where you will see the Endoskeleton open its mouth. Since it goes against my beliefs, I cannot cater to requests to add any mechanism to the Animatronic Bust to make the mouth move.
#012 : Oil line Hydraulic hoses
I have reviewed every picture and product available to replicate the oil line hydraulic hoses that goes down from the base of the ear. In the end, I have found that an 8mm stainless steel motorcycle brake hose was the closest choice, so I went ahead and purchased 3 meters of it. I’m calling it them an “oil line hydraulic hoses” for convenience sake, because it is not clear what this line isthese are used for unless we ask SKYNET…
The connector that connects this oil line hydraulic hose to the skull (again, not sure what to call this) seemed to be something that was already available, so I searched around for something similar, even in some big-box hardware stores in San Francisco when I happened to visit on business a couple of years back. Since I wound up with nothing I decided to follow my belief of “if you can’t find it, make it” and make one from scratch, by studying any every documentations that was available and drawing up the design, and then carving out a prototype from aluminum. I also made a nut in a similar shape and size. The edges are rounded purposely based on pictures and documents of the movie props. If you have any information on where to obtain the original parts, please let me know.
The area where this oil line hydraulic hose connects to differs between the T1/T2 and T3. The Animatronic Bust design is based on T1/T2. The parts are designed to move based on head movement.
#013:Chrome plating
There is a limit to how much metallic texture you can get out of paint. Some newer types of paints have a finish very close to real chrome plating, but considering the hassle to prepare the surface coat for the paint, I could not think of any better solution than to actually apply chrome plating. With “vacuum metalizing” the finish would not be satisfactory, so I opted for “six-layer chrome plating”. It is very complex and requires certain level of skill to apply chrome plating to something that is composed of different materials, such as this time; soft vinyl, resin, and acrylic, and most of the factories that I had inquired were not confident enough to take on the job. Only one factory was positive enough to say that they weren’t sure if it was doable but they would give it a shot, so I desperately placed my order in to chrome plate my Endoskull. I was anxious to see the outcome because of the extremely complex structure of the Endoskull, but the prototype that came back chrome plated was so beautiful I gave it two thumbs up on the spot. Even though it is plating, it is still metal. The shine and texture cannot be matched by that of paint. The plating also gives it the heaviness of real metal. I could not help but stare and sigh at my literally “metal” Animatronic Bust ver.1.1 for quite a while.
Most Endoskeleton replicas are chrome plated by “vacuum metalizing”. You may realize that it looks a little yellow-ish. That is because the chrome plating gradually turns yellow as time passes. “Six-layer chrome plating” is less exposed to aging degradation, and will maintain its beautiful shine.
The M1 kit used in creating the Animatronic Bust is made out of soft vinyl, thus requires extensive pretreatment to apply six layer chrome plating. The chrome plating process is done under heat that would deform the soft vinyl, so I had to reinforce the soft vinyl by applying resin from the inside of the skull. Also, I applied a very thin layer of coating agent to reinforce the surface. The original soft vinyl Endoskull only weighed a couple of grams, but with this pretreatment process, now it weighs more than 2 kilograms. From an aesthetic standpoint, this turned out in favor, adding a gravity of style, while from a mechanical standpoint, it added headaches to stabilize its movement.
#014 : Battle damage effects Combat distress
Some busts have stained effects and are being sold as “battle damaged combat distressed” or “combat version”.
But it is simply just applying paint to mimic stainsthe scorched look, and quality-wise does not meet expectations to be called “battle damaged combat distressed”. It’s probably because they are manufactured on an assembly line in China and where they just slap paint sloppily onto it. Most character toys and figurines are made in China. The workmanship seem to have improved over the years, but unlike other anime characters where you can just apply paint following a manual, the “battle damagecombat distress” paint on an Endoskeleton requires a certain degree of skill. It is not something you can just put on an assembly line and have it painted. Even more so on a life-size bust because the larger size makes it easier to find where you cut corners or where you lack skill. This is more an issue of the manufacturer’s philosophy about production than the workmanship of a factory itself, but at the same time it is understandable that there is a limit to how much hassle and cost you can put onto a product when you’re mass-producing in the hundreds or thousands. It would not make sense from a business standpoint to train someone to become highly skilled but only to sacrifice production efficiency. Above all, the workers on the assembly line, especially ladies who would have less interest in the Terminator than guys, don’t may not even know about the movie “Terminator”, let alone what this freaky metal skull is. I had a chance to tour a toy factory near Shanghai where they painted MLB figures. I asked the ladies who were working on the line if they knew what baseball was in the first place. Most of them shook their head. They must be wondering “what is this guy doing wearing a hat and gripping a stick?” That said, we cannot ask for a lot from these ladies to paint their products to a maniac’s satisfactory. There is no one to blame.
The T-STUDIO Animatronic Bust ver. 1.1 is designed based on “the Endoskeleton that appears toward the last of T1.” At first I hesitated to apply paint to the surface of the beautifully chrome-plated Endoskull. Since a thin black paint will be sprayed entirely over the skull, the beautiful shine from the six layer chrome plate plating will be gone for good. But since the theme was set to be the Endoskull from T1, I had no choice but to do it.
Stan Winston says he referred to a motorcycle exhaust pipe to create the burnt scorched effect on the Endoskull. The effect of heat on a metal surface is expressed using multiple colors such as orange, yellow, blue, and purple. Based on pictures of the props and Winston’s statement, I carefully airbrushed clear yellow paint then clear orange. I used three different tones of orange. Most manufacturers only use black to create their “battle damagecombat distress”, but just by applying a yellow color, it makes the “damage” scorched-look look more real. You can try it out on your bust as well by applying clear paint.
The above two pictures are that of a prop from the original movie showcased at the “Tomenosuke Shoten” store. In addition to the damage scorched effects applied at Stan Winston Studios, there are traces of actual wear and tear probably from the film shooting, and aging degradation since 1984, which adds to its “battle damagecombat distressed” character and the atmosphere that it creates. This cannot be easily copied.
#015 : M1 Endoskeleton skull kit
Article by the M1 Endoskeleton prototype designer, Seiji Takahashi, published on “SUPER MOVIE TOY” back in 2003.
A soft vinyl kit from M1 run by Yuji Nishimura. Designed with extreme perfectionism, this luxurious kit was molded from the actual head used in filming, the eyes created by injecting a clear red resin in a mold, and it even included metal cylinders with joints to make the mouth move. I was actually involved in refining the prototype. The original head was apparently made by clay, and I could still see the traces of the spatula. The parts on the side of the head could not be used because it was too obvious that it was clay sculpture, so I had to measure the original and create it from scratch. (“SUPER MOVIE TOY” p. 41, Mediaworks publication, [ISBN-8402-2588-5])
Just as the prototype designer has stated, this is the best, complete kit in the market today. Other Endoskulls sold later in Japan and the US are of course based on movie props, but the M1 kit took its mold directly from the original, so each of the parts are incomparably sharper and beautiful. The stainless steel cylinder is also beautifully constructed, and it can be moved in conjunction with the jaw depending on how you build it.
“The beautiful structure”, “the faithfulness to the original prop”, and the hollow body structure (enabling me to add a mechanism inside to move the head) are the reasons why I chose this kit.
A valuable picture received from Mr. Yuuji Nishimura. Copy taken from an original Endoskull mold from T1 [a], then details finished off by the modeler Mr. Takahashi [b]. It can be said to be “the most beautiful Endoskull existing”. See interview for details.
Specification
-The base kit-
This soft vinyl kit was released by T1 three years after the release of Terminator 2.
-Molding and remodeling-
Based on the Endoskull from the original “The Terminator” movie, I have made the following changes.
- Recreate the lens with a transparent resin
- Created the cylinder behind the head from scratch with brass
- Adding a groove in the front of the cervical spine piece, created from scratch referring to the spine from the M1 kit
I have also added the details below.
- Created the cervical spine based off of an Endoskeleton prop from T2
- Carved out four grooves on the side of the skull
- Exchange teeth to acrylic fake teeth
- Use a brake hose for the oil line on the side of the head, and create a connector piece from scratch
-Chrome plating-
The easier “vacuum metalizing” plating had its cons in texture, color, and longevity, so I opted for “six-layer chrome plating”. This method costs more money and time, and requires certain level of skill. I asked one of the best chrome plating factories to do the job.
-Animatronics-
The most distinctive feature of this replica is the “head movement”, but I put delicate attention to the details. I had two themes for the design of the robot mechanism.
Don’t make the movement look awkward
Don’t make the movement look too smooth
There are several reasons why I had these somewhat paradoxical themes.
First, to “add mechanical movement to a life-size object” requires more precision than a smaller scaled model and makes it easier to find if you had cut corners, and any strange movement would be a let-down, which would go against the whole concept of this project.
At the same time, if the model moved too smoothly, it would surpass the “not-so-perfect” animatronics technology used in the original movie, and would take away the “cold terror of the Endoskeleton chasing Kyle and Sarah in the factory”. Based on the two themes, I have chosen which motors and ball bearings to use, and designed the mechanics. There is nothing that would make me happier if you could understand the thoughts and efforts I have put into the Animatronic Bust .
출처 : http://t-800.jp/web/en/creations/specification
SPECIFICATION ANIMATRONIC BUST
(日本語) アニマトロニックバストの仕様について言及しています。素体として利用としたキット、改修する際のポイント、クロームメッキやウェザリングの方法、可動メカニズムやスイッチ
t-800.jp
출처 : http://t-800.jp/web/en/laboratory/001-eye-movement
#001 : Eye movement [endoskeleton,design,Stan Winston studio]
「Eye Surgery」のシーンで見られる生々しい眼球の動きはSFXを担当したスタンウィンストンスタジオのこだわりを感じます。このシーンでは等身大サイズのプロップをラジオコントロールによ
t-800.jp
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