Mechanized Crows

A movie with a title like 'The Crow' desperately needs a few spooky spring critters.
Special Make-Up Designer Lance Anderson developed a small swarm of mechanized crows for the show.
Lance: 'Basically, I built one radio-controlled Crow, a cable-controlled Crow and a static Crow for a stand in 
for lighting etc...'
These Birds look exactly like the real thing, built with a stunning attention to detail.
The mechanical marvels of the whole Show.

He said 'No way' to the idea of making a lifecast, but allowed a few photos.
Lance: 'I didn't know at the time that the bird wrangler (Gary Gero) was using Raven's until he came to the 
shop and informed me, fortunately, my Crows look very much like the Raven. 
As I remember the head and all the bird was sculpted.'

The Body of a radio-controlled Crow (in scale). The crow is not particularly large, little space for mechanics.
Lance: 'The radio-controlled Crow could stand alone with head and neck movement. 
The cable-controlled Crow (photo) had wing flapping to be used for in flight filming. 
As I understood it they got the real Raven to fly in a wind tunnel and didn't need my bird. 
In fact the Raven's where so well trained they did most everything except for all the tight insert shots.'
Head of the cable-controlled Crow.
A radio-controlled Crow with moveable head.
A mechanized Crow gets its plumage.
Lance:'For insert shots I made pairs of wings, pairs of legs and feet, a head for pecking, also a giant head 
with eyeball used for a reflection of the burning city.'
Lance:'Real feathers were used, painting and dyeing them as needed.'
Lance with a Crow head puppet for the pecking scene.
Very Special Thanks to Lance Anderson for his comments and help with my Crow stories.
An interesting article about the demanding Make-Up FX Lance did for the show can be found here: Skull Cowboy

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