Bear Suit

[Sheridan Passell]

This is what we need -



Anyone got any thoughts where can source something like this cheaply?

[deathbat]

http://www.animatronicbear.com/berwynn.html

i dont even know if thats gonna work, but its really hard to find realistic lookin bear costumes on the web. you could always dress some kids up in the halloween ones and just pretend they're hybrids if all else fails xD

[Sheridan Passell]

Oh God, hybrids, let's hope it doesn't come to that.

[dnwilliams]

mightn't it work out cheaper to buy one and re-sell it?

[Sheridan Passell]

In theory yes, but from where exactly?

If there's someone up and coming on youtube, it might make financial sense to commission them to make a bear suit. But who would that be?

[dnwilliams]

hmm...it'd be easy enough to find designers over here, but then there's shipping it to LA. gotta rely on those the other side of the pond to source manufacturers i guess

[Prof. Loug]

Surely the thing to do is contact the maker of that video?

[dalmatianjaws]

It wouldn't hurt to approach them, but (a) they'll want lots of money and (b) you have to hire one of their performers and obey all their regulations.  Now, no one's going to get abused on this shoot but ... let's face it. We're all going to get abused on this shoot. Long hours, in the woods, fake blood ... it's going to be totally guerilla and someone's going to have to spend hours in that thing. And since we can't afford to pay a professional, I don' t think these guys are the answer. Wouldn't hurt to start there, but I highly doubt they will be the ones. Unless we want to take the script and pitch it to one of these direct to DVD companies and get actual funding (I have a mild connection with the company that made Mega Shark vs. Giant Squid or whatever that was called).

Other options:

http://www.grimreapers.com/showproduct.aspx?productid=4469&affiliateid=10054

http://www.bostoncostume.com/Rental-Costumes/Mascots-Animals/Bears-c40/

http://www.animalmascots.com/01-00203/Realistic-Bear-Costume-Mascot.html

http://www.akrondesign.com/Animal&Fruit/AnimalPages/RealBear%20$55.html

The first two might work for VERY far background stuff, but not for "character shots"  We really need something better quality. I'm okay if we CGI the facial movements, though. We don't need the animatronics. Altough, that would ROCK

Actually, while on the topic, it would be great if the suit changed a bit during the course of th emovie. Like his body is evolving too. Kinda like the sharks in Deep Blue Sea, that grow to enormous proportions because of their brains.

[dalmatianjaws]

Here is the dude in the suit:

http://www.animatronicbear.com/commercials.html


As far as Hollyood credits go, not very impressive. This gives us a chance.

However,  90% of these were paid gigs and I don't know how much. The number to call is in New York City.

Sheridan, you want to give them a call? Just maybe chat about what you want, talk price, and if it's laughable than you never know, maybe they're mom n' pop enough they wouldn't mind talking shop with you about another direction to go.

[Sheridan Passell]

I wasn't suggesting literally that company, when I looked on their site it was all pointing toward being prohibitively expensive.

It's going to be hard enough without getting into a position where we have to have funding, that'll be a massive extra headache. Monsturd had no funding.

Forum member Frank suggested another place for the bear costume that might just be affordable, but I haven't phoned them yet. And it's a long shot.

I'll give all of these guys a call next week. There are some decent effort in that list, some with a decent head but a crap body, and vice verse. None of them immediately leap out as the solution. DJaws see if you have any friends of friends who are in the practical fx line, and might have a lead.

[Sheridan Passell]

http://www.animalmakers.com/store/products/Bear%2C-Grizzly-%252d-Adult-%22Momma%22-%252d-Special-Effects-Suit-%28Daily-Rental%29.html
$6 thousand for one day's rent. Fuuuuck.

Check out the price to buy this fucker -
http://www.animalmakers.com/store/products/Animatronic-Bear.html

[Sheridan Passell]

What a magnificant costume this is -
http://www.animalfirm.com/Brown_bear.html

Probably costs as much as a house.

[dalmatianjaws]

Yeah these guys have a shitty website but do incredible work. Considering how much it took to build and design them, that's a pretty good rate.

A lot will depend on the script. If a lot of it is paws reaching from around a tree or through the slats on an old shack, then I have two strong connections with practical FX guys. One of them is a family friend of my friend and co-writer. The other is Chris Johnson who did the Freddy trailer. He loves us for promoting his trailer on MM and RF.

The money shots of the full body bear (eeeeeewww) are still a mystery. I have connections with good CGI (I'm good friends and have a long standing relationship with the guy that lit Gollum and has worked on Riddick and the Mist, etc) but I don't think he'd be willing to do a furry bear for free. Unless he was allowed to make it look fakish. But still, i'm pretty sure he'd help us out. I've known him for years and worked for his company for about two of those years.

I'll ask around and see if any of my peeps know good places or up and coming guys that would put in time and supplies for the resume.

[AristotleP]

 

[dnwilliams]

that's a mating season gag waiting to happen

[Sheridan Passell]

Ironically, that sleeping bag is a better costume than the other non-professional costumes.



...Seriously, we might have to go with a f**king sleeping bag.

[Sheridan Passell]

Good use of sound fx-




Note what he is wearing in this video before he puts on the suit, it's not part of the suit itself and we can recreate that -

[David Hawk]

Well this movie is supposed to be super cheesy, so why dont we get hold of some stock bear footage and hire/find a fake bear arm for close ups?

[AristotleP]

http://www.animatedfx.net/animals/beargrizzly/index.htm

[Sheridan Passell]

Hey that's the bear from Anchorman!