The AI effects we know these days were once preceded by CGI, and those were once preceded by true hand-built physical props. If that makes you think of Muppets, this video will change your mind. In a behind-the-scenes look with [Adam Savage], effects designer [Mark Setrakian] reveals the full animatronic glory of Mr. Wink’s mechanical fist from Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008) – and this beast still flexes.
Most of this arm was actually made in 2003, when 3D printing was very different than what we think of today. Printed on a Stratasys Titan – think: large refrigerator-sized machine, expensive as sin – the parts were then hand-textured with a Dremel for that war-scarred, brutalist feel. This wasn’t just basic animatronics for set dressing. This was a fully actuated prop with servo-driven finger joints, a retractable chain weapon, and bevel-geared mechanisms that scream mechanical craftsmanship.
Each finger is individually designed. The chain reel: powered by a DeWalt drill motor and custom bevel gear assembly. Every department: sculptors, CAD modelers, machinists, contributed to this hybrid of analog and digital magic. Props like this are becoming unicorns.
That chain nozzle is a mindblower.
You learn something new every day, I had no idea that was a practical effect, I assumed it was CGI. A pretty amazing creation, especially for what was available at the time. The chain winder is made more impressive by the fact that the guy had to invent it.
A precursor to his mechanism is undoubtedly the cross-cut machine for making Humbug candy, patented around 1874. Lofty Pursuits has one (7 mins in):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItjzDFYXeGk&t=7m
Nice find, thanks!
Most of the shots you see it are VFX, there’s only a few shots in the movie where they left it the practical version
Hellboy 2 was 17 years ago…
Yeah…
This would be a dream job. So impressive.