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Sylak Special Effects Ltd

Bio-Probe     
Cyborg 2.0     
Bio-Dagger     
Bio-Gauntlet     
The Gotheray     
The Karlof Prop     
The Real Ghostbusters     

8 pages of in-depth coverage
following our involvement in the controversial Reading Cybernetics experiment of 2002
during which: Professor Kevin Warwick underwent a medical procedure to implant a transmitter inside his arm
which connected his mind directly to computers on the internet!

Unbelievable true account

Concept piece for a range of props and models based around the art movement of Biomechanics and Biotechnology.
Heavily inspired by H.R. Giger (Alien) and David Cronenberg's (Videodrome); this piece was to become the defining prototype in a range of body props I designed in '94.
Later items joined the collection - which became an instant hit with clients, spawning massive interest at the time, and a string of work offers!

I wanted to create something more subtle and elegant this time; so I based the entire piece around a wire frame which followed the contours of the hand, sliding under and over the fingers, and joining together at a central hub under the palm - so that the bulkiest part of the design is concealed in the hollow of the wearers hand.

With this item I wanted to capture all the stunning design of one of those 50's Sci-Fi ray guns you would have seen in the original b&w Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon serials; or the tin friction toys kids of that era may have been lucky enough to have played with.
I used a lot of scraps of hardware in this project.  I liked being able to make things fit together which were never meant to.
 

No other prop in the collection has come close to raising the level of interest that this one has from private collectors, specialist companies and skilled craftsmen all over the world.
I was in discussion with knife producers, blade specialists, armourers, you name it - all bidding for the rights to manufacture the design.
We even had enquiries from trade shows that simply wanted to exhibit the item!

Another one in our 'How to' series of step by step guides on prop making.  The challenge here is to build a prop in real life for the first time ever!  (Using reference from the animated feature 'Ragnarok and Roll'.   Written by J. Michael Strazynski for 'The Real Ghostbusters' in 1986).

I remember how much I enjoyed the film 'the Mummy' staring Boris Karlof.  This movie really made an early impression on me.  Just for fun I chose to recreate the sacrificial knife of Amon-Ra (a minor prop.).  Partly because it gave me a kick to see it displayed in my home, but also it was built especially as a demonstration piece for this web page.  I hope that you will find it an interesting and informative project to follow.