Monster in a Box advice needed :-)

1355 Views 5 Replies 4 Participants Last post by lawrie, Sep 24, 2015

Departed_Studios

Discussion Starter · Sep 21, 2015

Hi All!

I'm going to take my first stab at making an animate prop.

I have an old trunk I'm going to use.. and do it with a wiper motor, prop controller and motion detector..

First question is- Looking at monster guts I'm wondering what's needed to make this work.. is this correct?

1. Minion Prop Power Pac: $47.75
2. PC-2 MP3 Sound 2-Relay Prop Controller: $129.95
3. Motion sensor $49

I've been watching quite a few videos on youtube and I understand the cam-system.. seems simple enough.. I'd like to have a track of ambient music playing, then when the sensor is triggered, I'd like to have a different audio "scare" track start, and also turn on the wiper motor, and a light.Sound quality is important to me! I've heard some controllers with garbage audio. I need better than that. Can anyone recommend prop controller with the best audio? Which is easiest? Which is cheapest? I'm eager for any guidance form some of you pros.

The premise will be.. a doll locked in a trunk, when someone walks by she asks if anyone if out there? then the wiper motor makes the top thrash and she screams let me out etc etc..

Thanks much in advance. I appreciate any and all help.

Chest Trunk Furniture Baggage Automotive tire

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J-Man

· #2 · Sep 21, 2015

If you want a really good audio player with lots of features and kick butt sound, go with the AP-16+ from EFX-TEK.com for $129.
You can use a $10 Parallax PIR sensor which will connect directly to the AP-16+. Use 1 or 2 6x9 car speakers for awesome SFX.
You can power everything with a 12V battery like this for $15:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-12V-7AH...n-Fios-More-/121459962657?hash=item1c4793f321
This will give you a completely stand alone prop with no wires running to it.

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lawrie

· #3 · Sep 21, 2015

I would like to see this when finished. I cant justify that big a spend for a one night prop ( am in the UK) so am rocking with Bigants under $20 version.

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Departed_Studios

Discussion Starter · #4 · Sep 23, 2015

lawrie said:
I would like to see this when finished. I cant justify that big a spend for a one night prop ( am in the UK) so am rocking with Bigants under $20 version.

I hear ya.. Will def. post pics and/or video when it's done. Whatever the cost ends up being, if my wife were privy, I could easily end up calling this little trunk my home

! I'm looking at this this way- If I ever open a haunt (which I'd love to someday) it would be used there, but if not... It IS one night, but one night every year... And if I saw it in a store or on a website, it'd be wayyy more expensive, plus it wouldn't be a genuine trunk, with a genuine doll..

I'm actually thinking I might go the electric motor route with a pico-volt, and a boobox flex. it's even more $$$ but seems like the most control over the lid.. With the "director" software.. This is my first time ever building an animated prop. Whether or not I can bring my vision to life we'll see.. And whether or not it has the desired effect is another big "we'll see"... But this nice thing is, with the director software and an sd card, it seems way easier to tweak the scare.

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Screaming Demons

· #5 · Sep 24, 2015

Lawrie

If you want something simple for just one night, take a look at some of the other MIB projects on here. The simplest is just an electric drill (or other power tool) clamped down in a simple wood box with a wood cam attached to move the lid up and down.

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lawrie

· #6 · Sep 24, 2015

Screaming Demons said:
Lawrie

If you want something simple for just one night, take a look at some of the other MIB projects on here. The simplest is just an electric drill (or other power tool) clamped down in a simple wood box with a wood cam attached to move the lid up and down.

Thanks, I am always looking for ideas. At the minute I am waiting on one component to build BigAnts monster in a box which uses car door actuators. The whole setup is about $15 (plus a box which I will make from scrap wood). It works via a manual remote control, so needs someone to trigger the box, rather than it being automated, but its for one night, so cant justify the expense on making it more interactive

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