Meet the T-1000
Although they were all much improved and technologically far more advanced, the T-800 endoskeletons, Terminator makeups, and Arnold puppets were challenges the Stan Winston Studio crew had met before. They would be breaking all new ground with the unprecedented T-1000 liquid metal effects. “The endoskeletons, which had been a big deal on Terminator, were the least of our problems on Terminator 2,” Stan Winston Studio supervisor and Legacy Effects co-founder John Rosengrant said. “By far, the most challenging things we did for Terminator 2 were these physical effects involving the T-1000 character. We did a lot of in-camera magic tricks for that — splitting open bodies, finger blades, heads blowing open, bullet-hit wounds. Every day, there was something new and challenging to do.”
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- Creating the T-1000 “Splash Head” Effect
- Sculpting and Splitting Clay
- Making a Foam Latex Splash Head
- Combining Practical and Digital Effects
- The Final Effect
(Concept art for the T-1000 splash head by Shannon Shea.)
Creating the T-1000 “Splash Head” Effect
When the young John Connor and the Terminator break out Sarah from the state hospital, with the T- 1000 in pursuit, the T-1000’s head is split apart at an elevator door by the Terminator’s point-blank gunfire. Stan Winston Studio built two articulated puppets for what was dubbed the ‘splash head’ effect. The first was employed for the shot of the head initially springing open, viewed from behind the T-1000.
(The final 'splash head' rendering by Mark “Crash” McCreery.)
Sculpting and Splitting Clay
Studio artists sculpted Robert Patrick in clay, then split that clay sculpture down the middle and pulled it open, sculpting a ‘splash’ area into the middle of it.
(The clay sculpture of the liquid metal villain.)
Making a Foam Latex Splash Head
The foam rubber puppet was then made from molds of that sculpture. The puppet had a hinged fiberglass core that would spring open with the pulling of a single pin.
(SWS artist Beth Hathaway patches a foam latex “splash head” in preparation for painting.)
Combining Practical and Digital Effects
(Shannon Shea & Mike Spatola work on one of the 3 'splash heads" created by SWS for the effect.)
The Final Effect
(The final effect as seen in the film.)
The frontal view of the ‘splash head’ (pictured above) required a more detailed puppet that featured eye mechanisms working independently on either side of the T-1000’s split face. Pulley mechanisms pulled the sides of the head toward the middle to suggest the beginning of the healing effect, which was finished off with ILM’s computer graphics.
-Jody Duncan
Excerpt from the book The Winston Effect: The Art and History of Stan Winston Studio
Courses with the Creators of Terminator 2
- Special Effects Sequence Design with Shane Mahan
- Animatronics Design Basics with Richard Landon
- Hybrid Characters: Blending Practical & Digital FX with John Rosengrant
- Hybrid Character Design: Practical To Digital with Christopher Swift
- Animation For Animatronics: Intro To Pololu, Maya & AnimServo Software with Craig Caton-Largent
- How To Build An Animatronic Head - Creating The Mechanical Underskull with Craig Caton-Largent
- Garage Monsters - How To Make Creature FX On A Budget with Shannon Shea
- The Business of Making Monsters with Shannon Shea
- Mastering Effects Disasters - Explode A Head with Andy Schoneberg
- Remote Makeup Application Part 1: Prosthetic & Kit Preparation with Andy Schoneberg
- How To Sculpt A Character Makeup with Bruce Spaulding Fuller
- Character Makeup - Multi-Piece Prosthetic Application with Bruce Spaulding Fuller