# Animatronic Shark Costumes VFXLAB's Terrifying Creation is Powered by an Unseen Human Diver By Riley von Niessen | Published 2016-08-16 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shark-costume References: [sploid.gizmodo](http://sploid.gizmodo.com/scare-everyone-shitless-with-this-animatronic-shark-cos-1785315981) & [vfxlab](http://www.vfxlab.com/) The 'VFXLAB,' a company that specializes in visual effects and boasts past clients such as [Walt Disney](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/american-heartland), [Universal Studios](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/halloween-kills) and [Warner Brothers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/reminiscence), worked to design an animatronic shark costume which it tested in the pool of a California hotel. The end result is almost too real, or at least real enough to prevent anyone from wanting to go in the water. With glossy eyes, a sleek skin and an array of sharp teeth, the shark costume looks like its ready to star in a new Jaws movie. In order to get the large structure to move throughout the water, the VFXLAB got a diver to climb inside. Once doing so, the diver was able to control the shark costume by holding onto it from underneath and then swimming. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.1/10 - Popularity: 44% | Activity: 40% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Animatronic Costumes:** There is an opportunity to create other realistic-looking animatronic costumes, like dinosaurs or mythical creatures, that can be used in movies, amusement parks, and even for educational tours. - **Remote-controlled Diver Technology:** Developing remote-controlled diver technology could enable the creation of more realistic-looking underwater creatures and animals without having to put a human inside the costume. - **Augmented Reality Aquariums:** Creating an augmented reality experience where visitors can see and interact with realistic-looking, animatronic sea creatures in an aquarium setting could be a new type of attraction for both educational and entertainment purposes. ### Where This Applies - **Film and Entertainment:** Animatronic costumes have the potential to revolutionize the film and entertainment industry by creating more realistic creatures and characters. - **Amusement Parks:** Integrating animatronic costumes into amusement park experiences could provide a unique and thrilling attraction for visitors, while also cutting down on the expenses and risks associated with live animals. - **Education and Tourism:** Developing new technologies, such as remote-controlled diver technology and augmented reality, can enable the creation of public aquariums, museums, and other educational attractions that feature lifelike sea creatures and animals without harming real wildlife. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Underwater Jetpack Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kikfin.md) - [Shark Film-Inspired Puzzle Sets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jaws-lego.md) - [Interactive Fossil-Inspired Costumes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wearable-dinosaur-costume.md) - [Filmic Shark Fragrances](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jaws-fragrance.md) - [Halloween-Ready Animatronic Line-Ups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/halloween-animatronics.md) - [Seafaring Animatronic Halloween Decor](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lowes-halloween-2024-collection.md) - [Cinematic Shark Pinball Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/stern-pinball-jaws-pinball-machine.md) - [Danger-Embracing Underwater Drones](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dangerembracing-underwater-drones.md) - [Multitasking Underwater Drones](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/multitasking-underwater-drone.md)