Another Voight Kampff project

[kaiburr]

Hey guys,

Just wanted to show off the VK I've been building. This is a vac that will eventually be made into a fiberglass model and house all the working motors and electronics needed to animate. Thankfully there is a wealth of knowledge and inspiration right here on this board. Let me know what you all think so far!

Have a better one,
Nathan
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[Mr Webber]

Looks great so far Nathan, keeps those pisc coming.
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Formerly offworld66

[propsjonnyb]

Nathan ,
Excellent work so far, I see you used the Jupiter Electronics LED displays and are you using video photoframes for the monitors ? , I'm particularly interested in what did you make the rotating draw out of ?? the one below the 10 element RED LED bar , I was going to use a old CD disk cut in half - but yours looks much nicer with a perspex handle. If I can be any help PM me as I've got all the servos, linnear acctualtor and controller boards built for the arm and bellows.

John
aka propsjonnyb

[kaiburr]

Thanks guys! Johnny, that's great of you to offer parts to me, certainly interested so I'll PM ya regarding that!
The screen you see in my crap iphone photo is just a styrene placeholder, but they will no doubt be photoframes or something of that nature. They are just frames now, period! I will be making the convex "glass" soon out of clear resin. Hopefully they will act as a kind of loop, slightly magnifying/distorting the images to appear like CRT screens.
The pheromone wheel on mine is just laser cut perspex. It is not correct at the moment, lacking the flat side (from what I can tell, it should be the shape of a pizza slice and not the hockey puck I have done!) so that'll be recut in a couple of days. If you want one, let me know! I guess it kinda depends on which version you are doing, your CD idea is great for the second unit version which seems flat like a CD but has a kind of facade wall. To me it looks like a found wheel, perhaps a measuring device of some sort as there seem to be tick marks on it. The thick one I'm building just has that little thumb catch but from what I can tell is entirely simple otherwise.
I AM using Jupiter's awesome lightbars, but in order to fit in my model, I had him turn the chips sideways. If you order from him, I strongly advise requesting this done, unless this is how he's doing them all now.

Best,
Nathan

[propsjonnyb]

Kurtiboy is doing some custom video's for the photoframes for me that adds the CRT distortion , have a look at his post's - I think they'll look good in your model , from what I can gather the second unit "evolved" out out the first , as Ridley wanted as bigger main monitor for the close up shots and you never see the rear of the 'second' larger unit . I'd be very interested in the perspex 'wheel' as with a scalloped insert grill ( for sampling the air) and a CD top with the right sticker - it would be perfect!! .
Jupiter Electronics is producing the best VK animation LED bar effects to date and all his models now are designed to fit any VK prop as per my recommendations to him .
I have to say your case is very good ! I'm going with a base and four side panels , then a top of three pieces - monitor case and two side pannels left and right to allow access and fix everything together.

[kaiburr]

Johnny, thanks again. Yeah I've been actively salivating over Kurtyboy's progress and what you get with his faux distortion will surely be great, but to add to that effect, I would also like to see the illumination wrap onto a slightly convex face and this requires rounded squarish lenses (not unlike panaview ones) which I will be working on this evening. Even took a shot at animating a better "blob" last night and think I've just about nailed it (if you guys would like to implement it, it's for all).
BTW, how much does your linear actuator end up weighing? I'm most curious! We should certainly compare notes sometime!

Nathan

[propsjonnyb]

Nathan, that 'blob' has been giving me headaches for weeks !! if you've done one send it on to me at johnwbullock@btinternet.com it will be gratefullly received. The linnear accuator I had to have custom made as like the original I'm using standard commercial servos to lift the top and bottom of the arm assembly and it's limited to what it can lift, as not only has it got to extend, it has to hold the servo and controller board , for the top eye piece to rotate. PM me and I'll give you the details as it's a bit of a special and built to be very light weight.

my best regards
John
aka propsjonnyb

[joberg]

Very good work Nathan! I like the design of the wheel...I think that it was made to adjust the sensitivity of the eye while the subject is being tested...like an old radio trying to get to the right channel.

[kaiburr]

Joberg,

Yeah it has that look, huh? Another thing I love about the ambiguity of Blade Runner is that it allows you to be so speculative and therefore the film and its props remain interesting mysteries.

There is still more to be done with the wheel. I have refined the back end of the prop (another mysterious spot) and started on my screen facades last night before my transformation into Donald Trump for halloween.

Pics soon to follow!

[propsjonnyb]

I'd have liked to vac-form the outer shells , but my former's too small !

I can only go about 16" max , so the masters are going to be made out of hardboard covered with plasticard , then moulded to make cast fierglass shells , wouldn't mind one of your plexiglass doors though -please!
I like the sharp lines and crispness of your box especially the monitor screen , Nick Darling's photos show the back of the larger unit after refit - working on that one myself

more photos please !!

[Noeland]

LOVE IT! It already looks killer.

The VK machine is one of the coolest props ever made as far as I'm concerned.
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I don't have enough blasters!

[kaiburr]

Thanks guys,

i agree Noeland. It's delicate and kind of sinister. I hope I'm doing it honors.

John, what door do mean? PM me your details and where it's at on my machine and I'll get it to you


Nathan

[kaiburr]

More work done to the VK. I added a convex screen (not quite right yet, but close) and a few other aspects to the facia part, the three button plate and the rear cradle assembly. I plan to replace the square stock arm bit with a solid machined one but have yet to get around to it. Hope you all enjoy!

Best,
Nathan

[SKIN JOB 66]

Great work so far... Can't wait to see your new updates !

(I especialy like the B&W photos, they remind me a lot of the first CINEFEX issues, when you had all those behind the scenes photos of actual things made for the films, not just CGI screenshots like nowadays)

Fred
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[joberg]

Good stuff indeed! Keep up the good work.

[kaiburr]

Thanks so much guys! You made quite a nice model of it yourself, Joberg. It'll be nice to see how close I can get to nailing all the disparaging aspects of the two models. It's a bit like drawing a likeness by starting with the nose and working outwards! Thankfully, there are a couple of things on it that do indicate scale, and newer better reference has surfaced.... More soon.

[joberg]

Thanks Nathan...I like your description: "starting with the nose" yeah, I see what you mean; sometimes you start with the ear and go from there

[kaiburr]

NOW WHAT? Found some photo frames the right size (ribbon can be buried in main unit if needed). Now comes the problem with hacking these to play video. Any super genius linux people amongst our ranks?

[kaiburr]

Put together the eye tonight, gonna redo the cupola at another time. Here it is so far.

[joberg]

Love it! As for Linux I'm sure somebody will chime in with an answer to that challenge Keep up the good work.