What are animatronics?

Mechanical puppets in movies using robotry and AI.

Who worked on animatronics at Avatar World?

TJ Thibodeaux worked on animatronics at Avatar World.

Some animatronics behaved unexpectedly, like the Navi in Avatar World.

Artists debate the ethics of animatronics feeling pain and crossing boundaries.

Animatronics have advanced to free-roaming, walking themselves to set.

Animatronics involve advanced technology like robotry and artificial intelligence, with artists like TJ Thibodeaux and Noah Victrola working on them for movies and theme parks, sometimes leading to unexpected behaviors and ethical debates.
The discussion on animatronics extends to complex themes such as pain, desire, and blurred lines between life and machines, with artists like Sam Neal sharing experiences of intimate encounters with animatronics, highlighting safety concerns and the potential for real human-like emotions in these mechanical creations.

What are animatronics?
Mechanical puppets in movies using robotry and AI.
Who worked on animatronics at Avatar World?
TJ Thibodeaux worked on animatronics at Avatar World.
What unexpected behaviors have animatronics exhibited?
Some animatronics behaved unexpectedly, like the Navi in Avatar World.
What ethical debates surround animatronics?
Artists debate the ethics of animatronics feeling pain and crossing boundaries.
How have animatronics advanced in recent years?
Animatronics have advanced to free-roaming, walking themselves to set.

00:00

Animatronics are mechanical puppets popularized by movies like Star Wars and E.T.
They involve the use of robotry and sometimes artificial intelligence.
TJ Thibodeaux worked on animatronics at Avatar World in Disney World.
Buster Reverend built the shark in Jaws but has been on a long hiatus.
Noah Victrola works on animal robots, including those in Harry Potter.
Jeffrey Funk has worked on animatronics for 30 years, including in movies like We Bought a Zoo.
Funk and another artist worked on animatronic breasts in a movie.
The artists discuss animatronics feeling pain and craving human bodies in the Haunted Mansion.
They debate the ethics of animatronics feeling pain and crossing boundaries.
Some artists share experiences of animatronics behaving unexpectedly, like the Navi in Avatar World.

15:27

Wild cards are added to designs as inside jokes, like slipping a peanut into a baby.
An inside joke involving a peanut shared with the sister at a Dodger game.
Animatronics are carefully shelved and kept away from batteries and control systems.
Freelance work at Rainforest Cafe involved building animatronic cockatoos.
Rainforest Cafe paid $25 per animal, with 12 to 18 hours spent on each.
Animatronics at Rainforest Cafe were corroded by Fizz from Coca-Colas.
Animatronic animals at "We Bought a Zoo" were released onto the set.
A rhinoceros terrorized a Wawa and a giraffe was shot on set.
Animatronics have advanced to free-roaming, walking themselves to set.
The speaker's experience with animatronics began as a PA on Jurassic Park.

30:51

Sam Neal was trapped inside a Triceratops animatronic for three days, learning about its mechanisms.
The animatronic was so well-designed that it allowed for Sam Neal to escape safely.
Sam Neal's experience inside the Triceratops led him to specialize in creating animatronics with safety features.
There was a discussion about the blurred line between life and machines, including animatronics having sexual desires.
Sam Neal admitted to having intimate encounters with animatronics, specifically the Navi creatures at Disneyland.
The conversation delved into the challenges faced in the animatronics industry, including changes on set and unexpected costs.
The podcast revealed a shocking revelation about the animatronic used in "Bicentennial Man" having real human feelings.
The episode concluded with a dramatic confession about a shark animatronic turning on and causing harm.