Become a 3D-printed Predator trophy at Comic-Con (pictures)

Travis Wilson, a 24-year-old resident of Santee, Calif., and avowed Predator movie fan, leaped at the chance to have his noggin photographed in from multiple angles, printed in 3D, and attached to a Predator toy on the Preview Night of the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con. The experience, which cost him $49.95, was done to promote this winter's release of the original Arnold Schwarzenegger Predator film in 3D.

Wilson said that he's not usually a fan of 3D or 3D conversion but that the transfer process looks "great" here. "Schwarzenegger's pecs can make us all feel bad about ourselves in 3D," he said.

Conor Sellers, director of Publicity for 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, explains to Travis the photographing process and tells him that the final figurine will take four to six weeks to ship. Travis, for his part, didn't seem to mind the delay.

The 3D photographing process, produced by the company 3D Systems, involves pointing eight Canon EOS Rebel T3's at Wilson's head. Each camera is shooting a fixed-focus 50mm lens. Once the photos are finished, the images are automatically transferred to a tethered computer. It only takes a few minutes to build a rudimentary 3D model of the subject's head.

"It was like school photos," Wilson joked.

Here, another 3D Systems employee shows Wilson how he can manipulate the model of his head.

The editing process is limited. Subjects can change hair color and style, but not much else.

As Wilson makes his final edits in the background, final product prototypes -- complete with severed spine, a trophy for the Predator -- stand and stare blankly from under glass.