Modding the Supreme Chewbacca Mask

I recently purchased the whole costume and the thing looks good but certainly needs some work here and there, but the main concern with me is with the Mask. I think it can be passable with some modifications.

The first thing that I did was remove the foam cap in the top of the mask and replaced it with an old bike helmet so now when the mask is worn it does not move around what so ever. The major mod that I want to make is to create a moving mouth. I believe it can be done by cutting out the existing teeth and leaving the lips there. The only problem is in the opening and closing of the mouth. What kind of Mechanism would I need to be able to do this? I want to be able to make it open and close but have no idea where to begin. Do any of you costumers have any ideas on that?

 

Do you have any photos of the mask and your modifications? This could be a good tutorial thread for others.

 

I have got to get my camera working but I will surely take pictures as I go along. As of right now nothing has been done aside from modifying the way the mask fits on my head. The way it came out of the box was dreadful in terms of wearing it, the mask just flopped around all over the place. So I brainstormed a bit and I thought of what would make the helmet be more secure and have a nice shape to it. Then I realized a bicycle helmet would be my best bet. So I stretched the latex over the top of the helmet and used some velcro to stick it up in there. Now the mask fits flush to the top of my head and I can buckle it in there if need be done. It also set the eyeholes to be exactly where I wanted them to be.

As far as modifications go, I just would love to do something about that mouth, but I am at a total mind block on how I can make a mechanism that will make it open and close with the lips attached. I am thinking something that I can either use my mouth with or even doing it mechanically. I think there is a simple way to make a jaw mechanism but I am just mind blocked.

 

[image=http://images18.fotki.com/v16/photos/6/67563/4032972/DSCF2561-vi.jpg]

well the eyes arent lined up in this photo. But for anyone who has seen the mask, this one is shaped a lot better. What I did was I used the bike helmet to shape out the top of it. Then I had an old jason mask and I cut it out to leave just the eyes, nose and forehead. THen I covered the inside of the chewie mask and the jason mask with industrial strength velco. This made it so chewies face has a shape to it, and it makes the eye holes flush to your eyes. I think seeing the eyes is the most important part. Next issue to tackle is the mouth

 

I don't see how you can make the mouth close and have it look natural with the upper lip on the mask.
Look in a mirror. Make a snarl on your face like the snarl on your mask. Now try to get your lower lip to close with your still-snarled upper lip. You are going to end up with your mouth looking like a bulldog if you try to close the mouth completely. If you want a mouth that looks natural when closed you are going to need a different upper lip.
The lower lip is doable, but the snarled upper is the problem.