• Location: Australia
  • Joined: May 14, 2014

Topic: stiff heads

I've come to learn that when choosing actors (minifigs) one must take absoute care to ensure the legs and arms are stiff.  I also prefer the head to be loose.  On more than one occasion I've needed the head to move slightly during dialogue but its so tight and stiff I've had to remove the figure from the set, adjust the head - often too far - then re set the fig without bumping anything.

To have the head reasonably loose so it is 'touch loose' (without going too loose) is my preference but my favourite head is new and very stiff.  Anyone had the same problem?

Aka Fox
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  • Joined: May 17, 2014

Re: stiff heads

Hey Togfox,

What you've experienced is something you'll come across quite alot especially as a brickfilmer. To tell you the truth having loose legs on your minifigs are the worst. They get out place as the legs are their main support holding them up I have had this problem before. An important note tho you do want the minifig head to be relatively loose otherwise its such a pain having to pick up the minifig just to move its head. It's arms shouldn't be too stiff, but loose enough to be able to move them without having to pick the whole character up.

Something to note to help you with your problem what I do to 'adjust'' my minifigs is I grab them before the set and give them a good swing of the arms and head especially moving them up and down side to side relatively fast to make sure its well adjusted for when I film.

And don't worry bro a lot of us go through what you have just experienced.

Hope that helps.

Sincere regards,
Divine.

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  • Joined: December 27, 2008

Re: stiff heads

If I have a minifig head that was extremely stiff, here is what I do…
Go sit on the couch and watch your favorite tv show.
While watching your favorite show, turn/rotate the minifig head.
This way, you're not paying attention to the boring repetition and you're loosening the minifig at the same time.

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  • Joined: February 25, 2011

Re: stiff heads

You could also stick some steel wool into the head opening, and twist it for a little while. Then check to see if the head still gets stuck, and repeat until it doesn't.

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  • Joined: November 26, 2011

Re: stiff heads

I've taken sand paper/file to the head stalk that I wanted to be looser. But take care, too much could really mess it up (that's happened before).

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