Moving Platform

[Ash]

I have often seen big theatre productions making use of multiple moving platforms and risers etc for different scenes. Part of the thrill the audience get is to see how the scenes transforms. I am sure the big budget productions will have thousands of dollars to design and build the mechanisms involved.

 

However, for a small youth theatre , are there any ways we can somehow create much simpler/cheaper alternative effects?

 

Would appreciate comments from anyone with ideas or experience.

[sam.henderson]

What exactly do you want? Do you wnat the risers to come up from below the stage (trap door), do you want to fly them in (do you have a fly gallery?)?

 

How big is the stage, Is there trap doors/ removable flooring etc. etc. ??

 

 

Sam

[Ash]

What I had in mind are those flat platforms that you can have your furniture or set on e.g. like the ones used in Oliver or Miss Saigon.

 

They had two of these platforms coming from each side of the stage and meeting in the middle.

 

I suppose they work with wires and some automated mechanism. In school I am thinking of having our backstage crew just push them into place.

 

What I am wondering about is the construction of such platforms. Do we need special tracks? Or will heavy duty casters work as well?

 

Once these platforms are in place, then I am thinking of flying down the 'walls' for the scene. I hope the overal effect of the scene coming into place before the audience's eyes will be some form of theatre magic in our own modest scale.

[Brian]

Hi Ash

 

Castors (if you mean the sort on furniture) are not so good, they have a nasty habit of sinking into any floor underneath them because they have quite a small contact area. Getting the truck moving is then a right pain. Best to use something like 3" dia swivel rubber wheels.

 

The trucks themselves are easily built out of wood, I use MDF. What sort of size do you need? If you can get away with it don't use tracks, unless you can recess them into the stage you'll have a trip hazard right accross the stage. A rehearsed crew will be able to get them on and off OK.

 

We just did the Wizard of Oz, and Dorothy's house was on a truck so it could spin round in the storm and then track across stage from DSC to USR as it 'landed'. No-one spotted the two fully blacked-up crew spinning it and then pulling it across stage.

[Tom]

Hello Ash,

Am I right in thinking you're in America? No matter, welcome to the board.

 

What you are describing are usually called trucks. In their simplest form they are basically a rostrum (or riser) on wheels. On big shows they may be automated / motorised and run in tracks in the stage floor but there is nothing stopping you doing what you want to do.

 

Don't skimp on the casters. You'll also need some way of keeping the trucks in place. This can either be brakes on the casters (though these can be tricky to get at), brakes on the back of the truck or even drop bolts that fall into holes in the stage. The final solution might suit you best as the crew will have to get the truck in exactly the right place which means the flown scenery will match up.

 

Think it will look very effective.

[James]

I've heard of air casters being used to good effect for this type of thing - might be a bit ambitious though fir a first time :)

 

James

[Ash]

Hi Guys!

 

Thanks a million! These are the sort of advice I was looking for. You are half right Tom, I am not from the UK. I hail from Singapore.

 

You are right James, the air castors are a little bit out of our league. I will certainly look into the swivel rubber wheels Brian suggested.

 

How do you hand on or move the trucks when you move them Brian? I suppose the best way is to push them at the base of the truck right?

 

I shall also look at some way of keeping the tracks in place as you have suggested Tom.

 

By the way, we are attempting a production of West Side Story this July.

Thanks for your wisdom guys!

Ash

[James]

We did a production once which had 4 big blocks 4'x4' bases and 12' high. These were painted on all 4 sides and made a very effective way of changing scene quickly. They didn't have any handles to move them, just 1 stagehand in blacks each. they had different positions in each scene - in one they made a 16x12 wall US with a continuous scene - in another the middle two came apart and had an arch added between them, in another they were at the corners of the area,

 

These were all built with bits you could find at your local DIY store.

 

Just a thought to throw into the pile.

 

 

James

[Tom]

How do you hand on or move the trucks when you move them

.

 

Rather than having the crew bent over trying to push a heavy truck (not very elegant if they are in view and also not very good for their backs) you could have removable upright posts in the corners (or where ever else is handy). A loose socket to take a piece of scaffold would work - the operator pushes the truck on and then removes the post as they leave.

 

For ideas on hardware (casters, brakes etc) try Flints. Their catalogue makes a great reference even if you're not ordering from them. They will deliver overseas but I'm not sure how cost effective it would be.

 

(Oh - and sorry about the American slur) :)

[Ellis]

How do you hand on or move the trucks when you move them Brian? I suppose the best way is to push them at the base of the truck right?

If you have scenery such as flattage attached, you can push on the scenery (Attach it well).

 

I have also seen screw-eyes attached and stage braces used to move trucks.

 

As for stopping them moving, you could use wedges inder the edges of the truck.

 

If you are working on a rake, be very careful - lest you crush a musician or the audience! Some stages have recessed tracks into which a pin drops, guiding the truck in a straight line. If you are on a rake and there are such tracks - use them.

 

HTH

 

Ellis

[kitlane]

If the trucks move off and on a straight line then don't use swivel castors. When you come to pull the truck off the castor has to turn itself around before the wheels move which kicks the truck out of line. Always used fixed castors if you can.

 

If the trucks aren't too heavy and you have enough space in the wings then you could use a push rod, hinged to the side of the truck to push/pull it on/off. You can then steady the truck remotely by fixing the push rod (with a drop bolt or similar).

[Martin]

If the trucks move off and on a straight line then don't use swivel castors. When you come to pull the truck off the castor has to turn itself around before the wheels move which kicks the truck out of line. Always used fixed castors if you can.

Although fixed wheels are great if you only move the truck in a straight line, unless you have huge wings, usually you have to be able to move them in the other plane to store them in the wings. So it's generally a better compromise to use swivel castors (especially on a touring set). I have seen swivel castors that can lock at 45 degree steps when you drop the pin in, but it's usually not easy to get at the wheels on a truck.

 

With swivel castors it's usually easier to make sure they are pointing off stage when the truck is set, so when the truck is struck it's easier to get it going in the right direction.

[kitlane]

Although fixed wheels are great if you only move the truck in a straight line, unless you have huge wings, usually you have to be able to move them in the other plane to store them in the wings. 

 

With swivel castors it's usually easier to make sure they are pointing off stage when the truck is set, so when the truck is struck it's easier to get it going in the right direction.

Fair enough if you are short of wing space. But what if you the truck is set in view without crew onstage; for example on a pushrod? Then you don't really get the opportunity to reset the wheels.

 

If you can afford it then for this you should use what Flint's call "Scene Shifters". These are three swivel castors mounted on a plate which is itself mounted on a swivel plate. They make moving a big truck a dozen times easier than on just single swivels. The wheels never kick when you change direction. Obviously they take up a bit more space and are a bit OTT for very small trucks.

 

Flint's sell them for about £100 each but we make our own