Aug. 26, 2024
What kind of animatronic figures do we create?
We design and fabricate animated figures of any size, scope and level of sophistication. No job is too large or too small. We have created single, small characters for display in homes and/or retail locations. We have created figures to educate, entertain, inform, scare, assist and serve people of all ages. We can give a personality to any character and animate any thing: a lamp, a rock, a product, a tree, a house, a car&#;literally anything. Their sizes can range from a simple butterfly, up to and including the world&#;s largest animated figures for the world&#;s greatest theme parks. We create humans, animals, cartoon characters, dinosaurs, birds, robots, and just about everything else.
You will get efficient and thoughtful service from Gengu.
How much do animatronics cost?
Animatronics are unique works of technology and art. They are labor intensive, and, depending on their complexity and level of detail, can be very expensive. We have more experience in designing and building animatronics than any other company in the world. Our figures are built with exceptional quality and unmatched experience with the very best methods and components. Our figures (and all our other creations) are built for durability and ease of maintenance. We strive to provide the best value for your dollar. We know that there are smaller, cheaper, and less experienced companies out there, but we are often asked to replace their equipment! Benjamin Franklin once said, "The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten." We know how much this quote applies to animatronics, too.
Although most of our figures are custom, one-of-a-kind creations, we do have some "off the shelf" animatronics, like our TropiTronics animatronic parrots from GHP Products, LLC. These theme park-quality animatronic parrots have 8 or 12 functions and pricing starts at $11,999.00.
We have created custom animatronics from tiny songbirds small enough to fit in the palm of a hand to giant animated creatures nearly sixty feet tall. Figures have ranged from around $10,000.00 to well over $1,000,000.00 for just one figure. Detail, scale, fluidity of motion, and many other factors contribute to how much the unique design and fabrication of world-class animatronics will cost. Here are some more factors to keep in mind that will help determine price:
1) We like to relate the cost of our animatronics to the cost of a car. How much does a car cost? The answer is a very wide spectrum, and animatronics are similiar. Cars all have an engine, four wheels, doors, and they can move forward and backward and steer left and right. But there's a world of difference between a basic Chevrolet, and the highest end Mercedes. There's even a big spread between the Mercedes and the newest Ferrari model. In the same way, animatronics can have a single basic function with very little detail, or have more than a hundred functions and exceptionally detailed finishing.
So, the first question for potential animatronics customers is: what kind of car do you want?!
2) What type (human, animal, creature, etc.), size, level of detail is the figure? Have we done it before?
3) How many functions will the figure have, and how are they powered? Are they analog or digital, pneumatic or hydraulic or electric?
4) Will it require special controls, or compliance? Are there special safety considerations (like overhead safety)?
5) Will the client require the ability to program the figure? Will we need to provide a programming console?
6) Is there speciality engineering or safety analysis required?
7) Will the figure be indoors or outside, or under water?
8) Will the figure have a costume, or will it be furred?
9) How much skin will be visible? Will it be silicone or a hard fiberglass shell?
10) Is it a standard shape like a human, or is it an original and unique design? Do we need to sculpt it?
11) Do we provide anything else: props, stage, scripting, music, audio recording, air compressor, hydraulic pump?
If you have a specific inquiry for us, please fill in an inquiry form.
How do animatronic figures work?
Animatronic figures are most often powered by pneumatics (compressed air), and, in special instances, hydraulics (pressurized oil), or by electrical means. The figures are custom precision machines&#;robotic devices&#;built to the dimensions and proportions of living creatures. They incorporate mechanical frames that are precision machined of stainless steel and aluminum alloys, with joints placed in natural joint positions, determined by careful study of biomechanics. Motion actuators, similar to "muscles&#; are placed within this frame to create motion in limbs and joints. The machinery is covered with body shell and flexible skins made of hard and soft plastic materials. The figure is then finished to add coloring, hair, feathers, and other touches that add detail and finalize the work. Costuming is next completed, and the figure&#;s animation control computer is programmed by an animator, enabling it to perform in a realistic, lifelike manner, synchronized with sound and other effects. Find out more about how we create animatronic characters by taking the virtual tour.
Do we do likenesses?
Yes, we have created many likenesses of celebrities, presidents, historic personalities, athletes, and other influential individuals. We also create animals based on real or famous creatures. In some cases, if the person to be created is living, we will take a laser scan of their body (see Design & Production FAQ) and if needed and allowed, a life mask is taken of the individual&#;s face. In any case, we can create exact likenesses for either static or animatronic recreations.
What makes your animals better than taxidermy mounts?
Every creature made by Garner Holt Productions is a faithful recreation of its counterpart found in nature. Unlike the realism of taxidermy mounts, however, we use only synthetic materials for our animal creations: fur, eyes, teeth, claws, and most feathers. The only items taken from real creatures include feathers from domestic commercial fowl, which does not harm the creatures. Additionally, our animals have a much longer "lifespan&#; than taxidermy animals, which tend to deteriorate with time.
How long do they take to build?
Most figures we build are unique and custom creations, unless created in a series. Depending on the complexity, size of the figure, and how customized the creation is, the lead-time can vary greatly from a matter of weeks to several months. We are very experienced in our craft, and can produce animatronics very quickly. But with a greater allowance of time, our product will naturally reflect a greater level of involvement. Although tight timeframes can often be accomplished, such constraints are always costlier for the buyer.
Are animatronic figures reliable? How often do they need maintenance?
Our animated figures are built with the finest, time-proven components available. We pride ourselves in our designs and workmanship, with more than three decades&#; experience designing and building animatronic figures. Figures are mechanical, and any complex machine needs maintenance. Wear parts such as bearings, cylinders, costumes and others need to be maintained, and replaced when they reach their life expectancy. It is best to inspect animatronics at least once per week in order to keep them running at optimal performance. It is always better to be aware of a potential problem than to trace a malfunction when it appears.
Can I repair or maintain the animatronics myself?
Animatronic figures can be maintained by the buyer, if one has reasonable mechanical skills and tools available. Our figures and products include maintenance and parts manuals. The manuals provide instructions on component replacement, troubleshooting, and general maintenance. Assistance is always available by from technicians at Garner Holt Productions.
What about changing the programming?
The buyer can reprogram a figure, but it is best left to the experts. Assistance from Garner Holt Productions is available to reprogram when needed. Changing a figure&#;s program can be a very involved process. Our mechanical and electrical systems are straight forward, and any computer-literate person willing to learn the skills to operate a programming console and the software can accomplish the programming task. The aesthetic results will be subject to the individual's experience, skill and ability to "act&#; via an animatronic character.
What animals do you make?
The extent of our animal creations knows no bounds. We can build literally any animal that crawls, slithers, walks, swims, or flies. Here is a list of the animals we have created to date - check out our animal and bird gallery:
What makes your animals better than taxidermy mounts?
Every creature made by Garner Holt Productions is a faithful recreation of its counterpart found in nature. Unlike the realism of taxidermy mounts, however, we use only synthetic materials for our animal creations: fur, eyes, teeth, claws, and most feathers. The only items taken from real creatures include feathers from domestic commercial fowl, which does not harm the creatures. Additionally, our animals have a much longer "lifespan&#; than taxidermy animals, which tend to deteriorate with time.
Bird Creations FAQ
What kinds of birds do you make?
We can match nature for variety and appeal of our bird creations. Animatronic, static, realistic or caricatured, living or extinct, we can create any bird required. Here is a list of birds we've created already:
Show action systems and animated props create an environment of action, excitement and danger, thrilling young and old alike. These realistic mechanical effects can be as simple as a floating spaceship, parting waterfalls, a traveling ore car, a giant rocking boat, or as complex as a falling Jeep or a collapsing bridge. They are generally used as elements that support the show atmosphere and environment. In many cases, these systems simulate dangerous situations that put the audience in what seems to be real peril. But in reality, what they are experiencing is a result of highly sophisticated machinery, most often, carefully hidden from the guests&#; view. They are exquisitely engineered, continuous duty "safe&#; events that create a show or ride atmosphere happening over and over, hundreds of times a day, safely and reliably. With safety our number one concern, all systems are carefully engineered, analyzed, and are rigorously tested to ensure that safety is never compromised.
Whatever the requirement, Garner Holt Productions leads the way as one of the foremost manufacturers of show action systems, animated props, and special effects. Our fantastic, breathtaking effects consistently amaze and surprise audiences in all venues. We are proud that our systems are trusted and respected by the world&#;s largest entertainment companies. Some of our systems include:
* Revolving Turntables - Slides
* Scenery Movers -Automatic Doors
* Track Mounted Carriages -Shaker Tables
* Pneumatic & Hydraulic Machinery
* Simulators
* Multi-ton Lifts and Turntables
* Rotating Rooms
* Hydraulic Platforms
* Collapsing Systems
* Animated Props
* Interactive Systems and Exhibits
In addition to full-size, powered parade floats we have produced a number of atmospheric entertainment items, mini-floats, carts, and wagons. These elements are most often used to support an entertainment program, usually based on a specific theme. Performers use these units as a base to pull, drive, or pedal on-stage to perform on or around. They usually contain audio systems, lighting, and other show elements and effects to enhance the show. Our experience at Garner Holt Productions includes:
* Float Chassis / Drive Units
* Special Effects
* Animatronic Figures and Puppets
* Puppeteer Controlled Characters
* Performer Costumes
* Show Action Elements
* Scenic Elements
* Audio Systems (onboard & transmission)
* Performer Restraints
* Lighting / FX Lighting
* Electrical Parade Effects
* Float Tow Bar Units
* Inflatables
We also create support equipment such as:
* People Powered Vehicles
* Dance Props & Musical Instruments
* Performance Art Elements
* Walk-Around Puppets & Characters
* Inflatable Walk-Around Characters
Garner Holt Productions has created dozens of incredible special effects for venues throughout the world. Our work in adding a "wow&#; to attractions has included:
&#; Water FX / Waterfalls / Floods
&#; Lasers (Real & Simulated)
&#; Levitation
&#; Water Cannons / Water Blasts
&#; Air Cannons / Wind
&#; Lighting FX
&#; Projections / Optical Effects
&#; Atmosphere &#; (Lightning, Rain, Snow)
&#; Flame / Fire / Explosion
&#; Peppers Ghost
&#; Fiber Optics
&#; High Voltage Effects
&#; Audio FX
&#; Mechanical FX
&#; Unique Electronic Devices
&#; Scent Cannons
&#; Mist / Fog
&#; Neon (Real & Simulated)
&#; Fountains / Dancing Water
&#; Liquid Effects
&#; Black Light / UV Effects
&#; Flame FX / Cannon
Design and Production Services & Capabilities
PLEASE SEE OUR GHP CREATIVE DESIGN SECTION FOR MORE DETAIL
Our line of amazing products is complimented by our ability to help flesh-out the initial sparks of a concept into something ready to be built. Our designers and artists can add life to your idea and prepare it for production. Additionally, our production facility is capable of creating many things completely unrelated to our normal line of work. Contact us for help in milling, Waterjet cutting, paint, and fiberglass work.
&#; Our artists are proficient in all manner of graphic interpretations of ideas, as well as sculpture and model-making. We are also well-versed in computer-generated (CG) character design and previsualization of characters as well as complete attractions. This includes ride-through, individual scene, and guest/character interaction.
&#; With some of the most useful scenic tools available today - multiple vacuum formers, roto-molders, a Mitsubishi Waterjet, seven-axis Kuka Industrial Robot, plural hard-coat systems, as well as laser scanners and others, GHP Real Dimension is one of the most modern and complete scenic shops in the industry.
&#; Our Finishing Department is capable of finely hand and airbrushed painted finishes, on all substrates, using Nova colors, enamels, polyurethane and acrylics. We also specialize in harsh environment and outdoor finishes, as well as difficult materials like silicones, urethanes and vinyl. All of our paint booths are AQMD rated.
&#; Our Scenic Painting Department is highly skilled in the most complex finishes and effects for both visible white and ultraviolet light.
Garner Holt Productions, Inc.&#;s mechanical and creative design capabilities include: FMEA, COSMOS software, Solidworks Premium V10 which includes, but is not limited to: Solidworks Simulation (previously COSMOS), Solidworks Motion, AutoCAD LT V, Mechanical Desktop V6, RISA-3D Ver.8, ScanStudio HD, Roland 3D Editor, Delcam Tribyrd Model Suite 10, SketchUp Pro 7 3D Modeler, Adobe CS5, Spotlight Renderworks, 3D Studio Max, Z Brush Auto CAD, Solidworks, and Maya softwares.
Our Electronic Department is capable of surface mount board-level design and construction, as well as software creation and integration with all other show equipment. The facility is a UL-508 rated shop.
The design and engineering staff currently at Garner Holt Productions, Inc. has more than 30 years of experience in Computer Aided Design, 20 years of that spent working primarily in Solidworks. Given that the primary CAD tool here is Solidworks, much of the design analysis process is performed concurrently with the creation of the figure as a digital 3-D model in Solidworks. In particular, the appropriate form, fit, function and in large part, method of construction follows as a natural process when modeling in three dimensional systems like Solidworks. The adherence to client requirements for items such as material specification, fastener type, size, use, etc. are all developed in parallel during the preliminary design phase. As the model becomes more complex, we develop and examine motion requirements, clearances, initial load path determination as well as, life expectancy and maintainability.
At the end of the preliminary design phase, the design is circulated among and/or presented to a staff of engineers and craftspeople with accumulated tenure in the theme park industry of over 300 years. That review and critique generally continues through the production.
When required, static and motion studies and simulations are developed in Solidworks and Solidworks Motion. The data from static loading, resultant forces, failure mode forces (FMEA), dynamic and cyclic loading is gathered and used in several FEA studies in Solidworks Simulation (COSMOS) as required by contract specifications. In many cases, we follow stringent guidelines for overhead safety and hazard analysis (HA).
Results are compared to allowable forces determined by Safety Factors (SF) as established by client specifications.
How do I get work in this industry?
This industry, the manufacturing of animatronics and other themed entertainment and education-centered products, requires many different skills and disciplines. Management and project managers, those who deal with the overall scope of the projects, have a great deal of experience in our line of work, designing and creating these unique products. Individuals skilled and talented in specific disciplines and trades like machinists, plastics and mold technicians, illustrators, sculptors, and trained crafts persons may find opportunities in animatronic or entertainment systems firms when available. Be imaginative, positive, and focused, and our industry will recognize a talent when one appears.
How Do I Get Started in Animatronics?
Students and animatronics enthusiasts write us regularly asking how to prepare for or obtain employment in the field of animatronics. There is no school for animatronics technology either actually or in spirit. Some colleges now offer courses in robotics, and some of these dabble in "animatronic&#; figures as projects. Some robot clubs also work and experiment with animatronic-like creations.
Our recommendation is to focus on a field of work that applies to animatronics that you are most interested in, and develop your skills in that discipline. These might include:
* Mechanical Design / CAD
* Machinist Technology
* Plastics and Tooling Technology
* Electronics / Control Systems / Software Engineering
* Theater Arts / Lighting / Scenery
If you are artistic, you might want to work in design, illustration, sculpting, or similar areas. Our facility is divided into multiple design and manufacturing departments, with modern production equipment and a diverse range of skilled artisans and technicians. The following list of our departments indicates the disciplines involved in this type of manufacturing:
* Character Design / Creative Development
* CAD Development
* Technical Design and Engineering
* Sculpting
* Plastic Fabrication
* Animatronics Mechanical Fabrication
* Figure Finishing
* Costuming
* Special Effects
* Woodworking
* Hydraulic / Pneumatic System Electronics / Computer Science
* Audio / Lighting
* Show Integration and Programming
* Ride Systems Engineering
* CNC Manufacturing
* Rockwork
* 3-D Design Models
* Audio-Visual Production
* Show Sets and Scenery
* Character Paint
The Animatronic Industry appeals to many, because animatronic figures are extremely cool. Who wouldn&#;t love to play with a "real&#; fire breathing dragon, pirate, robot, or get to work behind the scenes in the world&#;s biggest theme park attractions, or even assist in building them? We get letters constantly saying, "I want to learn to build figures,&#; or asking "How do I get a job in this industry?&#;
Unfortunately, job opportunities are very limited. This is a very small industry. Outside of the Walt Disney Company, there are only a dozen or so organizations worldwide that produce animatronic figures. Within those, only a few build theme park-quality figures on a regular basis.
If you are persistent, enthusiastic, and talented in areas that relate to this line of work, you might find openings when the timing and industry conditions are right. Send a resume to the manufacturers to keep on file for future reference and job openings. Refer to our Careers page for openings at Garner Holt Productions. Many approach the animatronics industry by obtaining work maintaining figures in theme parks, or from internships at companies within the industry.
Best wishes and good luck in your search for opportunities! If you really want it, you&#;ll get there.
Some reading background:
There are very few books written on the subject of animatronics. The following are books we would recommend on industry-related subjects (many of the books listed are now out of print and may be a bit difficult to find):
The Robot Revolution by Tom Logsdon
Inside the Robot Kingdom Japan, Mechatronics and the Coming Robotopia by Frederik L. Schodt
Robots: Machines in Man&#;s Image by Isaac Asimov and Karen A. Krenkel
Robot: Your High Tech World by Gloria Skurzynski
Robo Sapiens: Evolution of a New Species by Peter Menzel and Faith D&#;Aluisio
Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind the Dreams Look at Making the Magic Real by The Imagineers
The Illusion of Life by Dr. Gene Poor
Do we do design work, or work from other&#;s designs?
Both. If you have a concept, dream or idea in mind (even a drawing on a napkin), we can take it from there. Our artists will interpret your concepts and put them on paper. If required, we then create scripts, storyboards, illustrations, and even 3 D models. When the design is approved, we engineer it and create manufacturing drawings and blueprints. If you&#;re not sure what you want, or how to do something, we can help. If you know exactly what you want already, or need us to "build to print&#; we can do that too, with or without your direction.
Do we sell parts or plans?
Replacement parts are available for all our creations. Sorry, we do not have plans available, or sell parts for "do it yourself&#; projects.
Do we give tours of our facility?
The Garner Holt Productions plant is a very active 120,000 sq. ft. design & manufacturing plant. To discourage interruption of work, and due to safety, confidentiality and security reasons, tours are generally not available, but you can enjoy a virtual tour at any time!
Who's Garner and who's Holt?
Our company was founded by Garner L. Holt, just one guy! You can learn more about him by reading Garner's Story.
Technology can teach us a lot about evolution by providing us clues through data which helps us understand how animals behave and react to various situations and scenarios.
Buragadda Sai Krishna, our next pathbreaker, Robot R&D Engineer at National Geographic&#;s Animatronics division, works on developing research databases and prototypes which try to replicate animal behaviour.
Sai talks to Shyam Krishnamurthy from The Interview Portal about his trip to the Jim Corbett National Park in 10th std that exposed him to the natural world through the photographic lens and later through animatronics, a technology used to mimic animal behaviour.
For students, robotics is not just about hi-tech industries. Biologists and Bioengineers rely on animatronics to address conservation challenges in the natural world.
Sai, your background?
I was born in a small bustling town of Andhra Pradesh known as Eluru. I belong to a family of 4. My dad works in the public sector and my mother is a homemaker with a Master&#;s degree in mathematics. Due to the nature of dad&#;s job, we relocated every 5 years. I did my major part of my schooling from Delhi.
Due to the exposure and support I received from my school and family, I went on to play Badminton at National Level and represented Uttar Pradesh at various events. I had the opportunity to learn Martial arts (Taekwondo) at a very early age which shaped my physical fitness.
I hold a master&#;s degree in performance arts (tabla) from Allahabad Sangeet Samiti and in Visual arts (Painting) from Shilpayan. I had several opportunities to showcase my skills at tabla jugalbandis at various national and international events.
I was in my 5th class when my parents gifted me a &#;Nikon D &#; DSLR for my birthday. I used to venture around with the camera and try to click pictures of everything that I found interesting. This habit of mine slingshotted my interest in photography and animals.
That very year I got to know about a company known as Boston Dynamics which was trying to replicate animal behavior using sophisticated robots.
Fast forward to , It was the year when I had just completed my 10th class exams and was given 2 months summer break. During this period, I got acquainted with a person who was a professional wildlife photographer by profession. By then I had clicked a lot of wildlife pictures with my DSLR, so I showed them to him to get his feedback and to understand how to click better photos. To my surprise, that person liked quite a few of my pictures and gave me an opportunity to join him on a trip to Jim Corbett National Park for a 2-day photography event. That was my first ever professional exposure to Wildlife photography.
After 2 years of dabbling in photography and sending those photos to reputed societies , I was finally offered a role of freelancer at National Geographic society. Yeah!! You read it right, National Geographic society.
And by then, Boston Dynamics had developed a robot called &#;Spot&#; which tries to imitate a dog . So I thought to myself, &#;Why not combine both of my interests? &#;
What did you do for graduation/post graduation?
I&#;m currently pursuing my bachelor&#;s Degree from Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore with a major in Mechanical Engineering (-22).
I wanted to pursue a course which would provide me with a platform to dive into all forms of robotics engineering. Every subject in the course had a group project. These group projects allowed me to interact with students from diverse backgrounds. It helped me in improving my soft skills and critical thinking ability. Moreover, this program helped me interact with many industry experts during guest lectures. The interactions with the industry experts helped me shape my career to a large extent.
What made you choose such an offbeat, unconventional and uncommon career?
Being an undergraduate in mechanical engineering, I had a lot of interest in product development and designing. I was given offers from many student teams to join their clubs. I finally joined a robotics club at VIT known as &#;RoboVITics&#;. In that club, I learned a lot about robotics, especially about Combat Robotics and Machine Learning. As members from different branches regularly interacted with each other, it gave me an excellent opportunity to learn and share knowledge with them.
In the Second year of my College, I was selected to work with a group of elite engineers at ARC-VIT (Autonomous Research center) which developed models to replicate human behavior.
But unfortunately, the entire college went into lockdown because of COVID-19 and the students were sent back to home. Every project came to a halt.
People had to become self-reliant from doing chores such as washing clothes, cooking. I remember reading an article about how amputees were having a hard time during this pandemic and lockdown.
The very next month, I participated in a hackathon which was aimed at developing a medical product which would be easy to manufacture and develop. I came up with an idea of developing a semi-autonomous robotic arm which converts the Electromyography (EMG) signals to robotic input signals and manipulates the arm. I tried to develop a prototype which helped us win the 1st prize in that hackathon and was awarded a cash prize of $500. That was the turning point in my career.
Are you interested in learning more about animatronics animals? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!
That prototype not only allowed me to win the competition but also gave me an opportunity to work with a reputed research team from California, USA. This research division worked as a catalyst and made me more involved in the field of animatronics.
When I worked at Aluna Research lab, I was given a lot of exposure in the field of animatronics and prosthetics. Having regular meetings with fellow researchers from different parts of the world gave me insights into how the industry is and what future developments could be expected from this field of robotics.
How did you plan the steps to get into the career you wanted? Or how did you make a transition to a new career? Tell us about your career path
I worked at SEDS VIT for 8 months.
SEDS stands for &#;Students for the Exploration and Development of Space&#;. I was inducted in this Chapter by my College club after going through several rounds of tests and interviews which were aimed at measuring the knowledge and interest the applicants had towards the field of space and exploration. I joined that club to gain knowledge and understand interesting concepts about deep space exploration and theories.
As a major in mechanical engineering, I also applied for the robotics club of VIT called RoboVITics. The combat robotics division of the club was known as Orcus. Only a select few were allowed to apply for that division. In that division, I worked as a Testing and production engineer. This role consisted of developing robot prototypes in software and testing the feasibility of the production of the robot.
In the summer of , I got to know that my neighbor was a professor and was developing a team to create a robot to map the forest cover and to prevent deforestation. I volunteered to join their team and assisted them in developing 3D models and systems required for collecting data. More specifically , I assisted in developing the mobility system for traversing the rugged terrain of the forest.
Around the same time I was also working at Intelligent Mobility labs and in Automotive research on Autonomous systems and Robots.
Intelligent Mobility labs is a student team from all across the world who are interested in the field of development of autonomous vehicles and robots. I was approached by the founding members to join them. I initially joined them to learn more about this revolutionary and upcoming field. Later on, I became the Head of Product Development and helped them to come up with an initial prototype/design for a last mile delivery robot which was aimed at replacing the delivery people with autonomous robots. This project is still going on . We have come a long way since we started
Later on, I participated in several competitions and symposiums which were focused on developing medical devices. Seeing my rather fast-growing inclination towards animatronics, I decided to shift my department from photography to animal behavior research department at National Geographic society.
During several seminars and webinars, I got to connect with some researchers from companies such as Cyberdyne and Open bionics which are the market leaders at developing such medical devices.
How did you get your first break?
I got my first break after a lot of struggle and rejection. To be recognized in this field, you should have both soft-skills and hard-skills which are above average and should have a unique way of thinking. I got to harness those skills by regularly practicing the skills and dedicating several hours of effort to acquire those skills.
Initially, though I worked with NatGeo as a freelancer, I was later given the role of apprentice to learn and understand from the seniors of the field. Later, I changed my field of interest from content creation to Animatronics by joining this division in NatGeo.
It was not easy, you need to make time for everything in life, be it to enhance your skills or learn new skills.
What were some of the challenges you faced? How did you address them?
The major challenges that I faced were:
With time you would understand that these challenges are common for any industry. In this scenario, I would say that I was fortunate enough to have industry contacts through organizations I worked for.
The easiest way to address these issues is by grabbing each and every opportunity that comes across you.
Where do you work now? Tell us about your role
At present I&#;m in the final year of my under graduation. I work in the national geographic animatronics division.
We develop research databases and prototypes which try to replicate animal behavior. We develop robots such as this
Which can be used to get more detailed data about an animal and how it reacts to various situations and scenarios.
This field of job requires skills such as product designing, Industrial sketching and most importantly patience.
I love this job because the data that we receive is way too exciting and surprising. We get to interact with them on a personal level. And most importantly the pride it comes with working at such a reputed company
Basically, what is the concept of Animatronics?
The initial stage involves processes like obtaining video data from forest cameras and making a 3D model in software such as Blender or other simulation softwares. Then we try to map the movement of joints from actual video reference to the model developed. Then we move to the production phase where we create physical 3D models and try to replicate the motion by precise programming of the motors using harmonic drives and relays.
How does your work benefit society?
My work provides the data which helps us understand how animals behave and provides us with the clues related to evolution. Our data is crucial for many Bio-engineers and biology related firms.
Tell us an example of a specific memorable work you did that is very close to you!
In the initial period of my work, I was involved in a project which involved working with &#;David Attenborough&#;. That was the most memorable experience I had at this job, meeting my childhood idol.
Your advice to students based on your experience?
Grab each and every opportunity that comes across you.
Never give up no matter what.
Never stop learning
Make space for personal life.
Future Plans?
I want to keep working in the same field and make a significant impact in this field.
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