alexadamson Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 I am after some advice on how to achieve the following. For my next production I need to have a swing, as in a plastic chair swing, lowered into stage, for the artist then to sit on it and it be raised about 4ft of the floor, for it then to be lowered, so they can get off, and then flown out of view again. The production is in an actual theatre with full flys, and a fixed grid if I wanted to put a motor point in. My considerations are obviously the addition of the load once somebody is sat on it, and the fact that its a dynamic weight, because they do need to swing if only a little, but also the fact that it needs to travel in and out and a good pace. I look forward to your suggestions, and thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 I'm just looking at exactly the same problem - It's there on the hanging plot, and I've just heard the cast talking about it, as if it's so easy. As soon as it's rigged, and the problems are solved, I'll post back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisD Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Ok, I have a sneaky plan - but it requires a little space in the grid either side, so no close flying... If you fix the bar the lines for the swing are hung from and have a pickup on the swing itself, you just need a static point to tie the lines off to. Obviously the grid is too high but you could easier secure a fly bar statically than have to be able to secure it during the show once the swing is in. I'm not sure if I've explained this well but basically, you hang the lines and the swing and instead of moving the lines in and out by the top of the lines, you move the swing in and out by a pickup on the swing. If this still isn't clear, PM me for a diagram HTH Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLightsTech Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Thats a REALLY good idea. Wish I'd thought of that last year... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexadamson Posted November 19, 2009 Author Share Posted November 19, 2009 Thanks guys. Sounds like a good idea to fly the swing in and you don't have to worry about the load, but I don't see how I would then raise the swing one the load is on and it needs to be used ?? Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iains Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Couple of quick questions, does the artist swing up and downstage or across stage and how much does the artist who will be sat on the swing weigh? iains Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frazer Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Thanks guys. Sounds like a good idea to fly the swing in and you don't have to worry about the load, but I don't see how I would then raise the swing one the load is on and it needs to be used ?? Instead of securing the swing to a static point, consider securing it to a bar which has already been counterweighted for the load. Release the brake once the artist is sat down and make sure the artist does not get up until the brake has been reapplied. Fly the swing completely out from the pickup to the bar that has been weighted for the empty load. Frazer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexadamson Posted November 20, 2009 Author Share Posted November 20, 2009 The swing will swing up and down stage, and the weight applied to it will be about 55kg. I would be worried about relying on an artist to get off the swing at the correct point, especially considering the importance of it, and the consequences if she stands too early. Any other suggestions ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddison Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 For my next production I need to have a swing, as in a plastic chair swing, lowered into stage, for the artist then to sit on it and it be raised about 4ft of the floor, for it then to be lowered, so they can get off, and then flown out of view again. The production is in an actual theatre with full flys, and a fixed grid if I wanted to put a motor point in. My considerations are obviously the addition of the load once somebody is sat on it, and the fact that its a dynamic weight, because they do need to swing if only a little, but also the fact that it needs to travel in and out and a good pace. I look forward to your suggestions, and thanks in advance I did this a couple of months ago; we flew the bar in cradle heavy. Raising the bar with actress (I'm assumign at 55kg that the person in question is a female) will then be straight forward. And then the bar goes out cradle heavy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
son of lx dad Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Im sure any decent flyman would happily handle a cradle heavy bar if it was only 55KG. If it was a problem you could strap 2 bars together and have 2 flypersons. You could have a stage weight on the end of the bar in the wings. When the bar comes in and the brake is on, as the performer sits down unclip the weight, then add it back on at the end. Even 1 normal 12KG stage weight on either end almost halves the overhaul load. Use a motor assist on the cradle from the grid. I'd be more worried about the movement in the bar with the swinging motion acting on it. Thinking out loud maybe use a pulley from the grid to pick up the swing seat itself then braile and breast the bar from slightly below at its 4ft flown out height. Then you could fly in the bar and drop the pulley at the same time, pick up the passenger, fly the bar back out to its 4ft dead and the bar should move less. Just some thoughts - be good to yourself and each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
librarian28 Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 This animation ticks all the boxes? You can quickly lower the empty seat to the floor. A 2:1 advantage allows a (surely?) safe way to raise the extra 55kg by 4 feet and back down. You can then speedily fly the empty seat out again. http://www.flyingeffects.co.uk/demo6.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 The kind of things that we do with people flying systems to keep the bar stable fore-aft/left-right will work - the problem is rigging that kind of thing quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 Well - we scrapped the swing and replaced it with a single rope, with foot loop, attached to a drift from the grid. Up and down stage was impossible to achieve quickly. We tried all sorts of ways to stop it, using the usual foy track method of horizontal ties to the fly rail to stop the bar moving back and forth, worked fine BUT was far too complicated to rig quickly. Ratchet straps can stop the bar moving, but even with practice, were just too impractical to do in the dark, with cues approaching. Spot line at one side to pull up the dangly end of the rope, from centre grid - and we're away. The swing was a great idea, but useless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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