Welcome to our Frequently Asked Questions page! At Escape Design FX (EDFX), we specialize in crafting high-quality artistic and practical effects, including custom creature suits, puppets, and resin sculptures. Our process involves meticulous craftsmanship, utilizing a range of materials and specialized techniques. We aim to provide transparency about the detailed steps and costs involved in creating these unique pieces. Whether you're considering a custom puppet for education, a resin sculpture, or handcrafted toys our FAQ will help you understand what to expect and how we bring your visions to life.

When contacting us for a quote on your project, we ask that you take some very important factors into consideration.

The Work Load:

While some of our creations, such as torso masks, can be replicated, each piece is far from standard. The process involves intensive physical labor and specialized skills, including:

• Casting: Creating molds and pouring materials.

• Rotocasting: Rotating heavy molds filled with casting materials.

• Demolding and cleaning casts.

• Patterning: Cutting and preparing all necessary pieces.

• Foam Fabrication: Customizing materials like EVA, L200, and upholstery foam.

• Assembly, hand painting, or airbrushing.

• Hair or fur work: Precision techniques like hair punching for realistic effects.

• Crafting eyes and teeth.

• Optional mechanization.

These steps highlight the meticulous craftsmanship and dedication involved in every project.

Puppets:

Creating a puppet involves numerous detailed steps that clients may not fully appreciate. The cost associated with custom puppetry reflects the craftsmanship involved, despite their common use in education and entertainment for children. Prices for a custom puppet can range from several hundred to several thousand dollars. Please be prepared for this when you contact any puppet builder for a quote.

Seemingly Simple:

Material costs can add up quickly. For example, a client might not realize that a 10-inch tall resin penguin could cost several hundred dollars to create. The silicone mold alone can be $80 or more, essential for transforming a clay sculpture into resin. Additionally, resin itself can cost up to $60 or more. By the time these materials are accounted for, the 10-inch resin sculpture is already at $140. This doesn't yet include the time required to sculpt the figure, build the mold, cast the pieces, and finish with cleaning and painting. These steps are important considerations for any client seeking custom artwork.

Budgets Should Be Realistic:

Please consider your budget realistically. Due to the craftsmanship and materials involved, we typically can't accommodate requests starting at $100. You should assume that most custom crafted projects will begin at several hundred dollars and higher.

Creatures Suits Aren’t Cheap:

Our creature suits start at about $8500, offering exceptional value compared to other shops where similar suits often begin at tens of thousands of dollars. Considering that the fur alone can cost us $3200, you can appreciate the quality and craftsmanship that goes into each piece.

You Sure You Need It Mechanized?:

If you’re looking for a creature suit or torso mask that is mechanized, please note that the cost will be higher due to the added complexity. Servos typically cost around $100 each, and radio controls can be about $400. With the additional effort required to mechanize these pieces and the extra materials involved, the price reflects the enhanced functionality and craftsmanship. You should assume that cost could be 50% to 100% more than a non-mechanized project.

Time Table Should Be Realistic:

You should always provide ample time for your projects. Practical effects shops have a number of projects going on at any given time. While EDFX tries to accommodate our clients’ needs, we have to consider the quality of the product we produce, the other clients on our production schedule, and the pressure we place on the artists. That said, if we are able to fit you in, and like the project, we will certainly do what we can for you.

Any project needing to be completed within 30 days is considered a rush job and will have an additional fee. We multiple your quoted price by 25% and tack that onto the invoice.  

Shipping and Handling:

At EDFX, we don’t ship anything until it's paid in full – no exceptions. While we strive to estimate shipping and handling costs, several factors influence the final fee. These include the project's weight, size, required shipping container (box, crate, freight, etc.), and destination. It's challenging to determine costs accurately for a project that hasn’t been built. Often, we can only provide a realistic estimate once the item is constructed.

Financing:

We understand that not all clients can afford to pay for a project all at once. So, we do offer options:

1. We offer a 50% non-refundable deposit option. This allows us to start ordering materials and begin work on a project. If for any reason a client chooses to cancel the project, these funds are forfeited. We do this so we are not stuck paying for materials if a client suddenly finds themselves in a position where they can’t continue with the project or can’t afford to pay off the balance of the project. No projects will leave the shop until they are 100% paid in full.

2. A client can put a 25% deposit down, but no work will begin until we have at least 50% of the project deposited. This 25% deposit is also non-refundable. Again, no projects leave the shop unless they are 100% paid for.

3. We don’t offer anything less than a 25% deposit option.

Why are we such sticklers? We’re glad you asked. We’ve worked in the industry long enough to learn that once we give up our leverage to get paid for our work, the client, no matter how big the Hollywood production company is, tends to permanently forget they owe us for the work we have done. It was one of the first and most painful lessons we learned working in this industry. Everyone has good intentions, but they don’t typically follow through with them. For that reason, no one at EDFX will ever agree to shipping a project out of our studio unless it's 100% paid in full. NO EXCEPTIONS EVER!