In this video, I show how I make mannequins for my haunt. I use this method for every prop, whether animated or not. I feel this is superior to the standard tape double. You have far more creative freedom to create ANYTHING, not just a human torso, and props can created at any size. Once you you get the hand of this technique, which is nothing more than sculpting with newspaper and tape, you really can create anything you like. I'm going to use it to make creatures in the near future.
I apologize for the quality of this video. My computer kept freezing during editing, and I don't know why. I spent 4 days trying to edit it and the frustration got to me.