Author Topic: PROPS: Flying Carpet...  (Read 18960 times)

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Oobleck1441

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PROPS: Flying Carpet...
« on: Dec 12, 2006, 06:10 pm »
Hello Everyone! First post, But Just want to introduce myself before I go rambling on... Maryvale H.s. student from Buffalo, New York, 2nd year of SMing. Not that much experience so far and I am currently working on Aladdin Jr. from Disney...

Now that that's out of the way... Does anybody have and idea or have something that they have used to either have a flying carpet or simulate / make the illusion (Sp.) That the carpet is flying?? This is our biggest and most daunting task as of this point in the show. Any advice would be great just send it my way. We have a plan set up using an air compressed bottle jack but its come out to being very costly.

Thanks again, Oobleck1441

Moderator's note:  removed italics
« Last Edit: Jun 09, 2009, 02:13 am by PSMKay »

smejs

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Re: Flying Carpet...
« Reply #1 on: Dec 13, 2006, 12:30 am »
I think when I saw Aladdin, Jr they had a sort of rolling pedestal set piece (so it was moveable for shifts, but then on brakes for the scene) that had a dry ice tube coming out of it.  Dry ice stays more on the ground, and the thing was sort of a pedestal, so it looked like they were above the cloud...

Erin

Mac Calder

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Re: Flying Carpet...
« Reply #2 on: Dec 13, 2006, 07:20 am »
Dry Ice, a 'sunset' or 'starry night' cyc, and a carpet on a low-ish platform.

The trick with dry ice in this case, would be to get a decent sized tub of warm water, and lower the dry ice in, then use a slow fan placed a decent distance behind the tub to direct the fog onto the stage.

Actually Flying a carpet is difficult and requires specialty equipment and training. Unless your venue has motorised flys and a qualified theatrical aerobatics expert, it cannot be done safely. To fly a carpet and move it across the stage, you would need two motors - for stability, 4 would be better as well as an aerial framework etc, and from where I am sitting, the risk assessment alone would make me want to run the other way.

Tempest

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Re: Flying Carpet...
« Reply #3 on: Dec 13, 2006, 11:33 am »
I don't know the specific effect you're looking for (swooping high vs. a smooth glide) but you could borrow an effect I saw in Yeston/Koppit's Phantom.  For the boat, they filled the orchestra pit with smoke or fog (the orchestra, of course being situated elsewhere), put the boat on rolling stilts, and viola, looked like it was floating on a misty lake.  You could put ramps in the bottom of the pit to roll the carpet up and down so you got some level changes in your 'flying' through the clouds, as well....
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smalltimeSM

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Re: Flying Carpet...
« Reply #4 on: Dec 14, 2006, 01:01 am »
Hay, I have a hopefuly less expensive idea for you.

I am a freelancer for a flying effects company, and we do anything and everything dealing with flying for theatre, dance, arena shows, ect...  They have a flying carpet, and it is all on a track system.  With setting it up, you also get training on how to operate the effect, and if nessicary flight choreography.  The company is:

 "Hall Associates Flying Effects"
Web address: www.flyingfx.com   
Phone: 1-888-FLY-HALL (1-888-359-4255)

Check them out, they will work with you as best they can to accomidate most things.

Hope this helps.

Oobleck1441

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Re: Flying Carpet...
« Reply #5 on: Dec 14, 2006, 06:32 am »
Thanks for all your help everyone... Personally I like the idea with the carpet on stilts in the pit.. I will discuss the ideas with my directors adn see what she thinks. Thanks again everyone!

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« Last Edit: Dec 19, 2006, 09:20 am by BalletPSM »

blaha_haha

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Re: Flying Carpet...
« Reply #6 on: Feb 18, 2007, 12:26 pm »
I was set designer for "Aladdin Jr." last summer and for our magic carpet we had this cart- thing. The janitors used it to move heavy stuff. It was basically a metal 4x5 platofrm on wheels with a metal handle to steer. We had the Carpet literally wear a carpet and she pushed the cart on and layed on it and Jasmine and Aladdin sat on teh edges of her costume (not her!) and sang their song and Genie rolled them around. Also, we had little girls doing choreography with tool so we tied some to the handle so when the cart moved it blended with the dance.

Matt.L

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Re: Flying Carpet...
« Reply #7 on: Feb 23, 2007, 06:19 pm »
the last alladin production i did we had a medium sized jib with 3 stage hands manuvering it, we had some dry ice but mostly just had lights shining into the audience in front of the jib. I can't remember how expensive it was.

Mayo

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Re: Flying Carpet...
« Reply #8 on: Dec 08, 2007, 10:39 am »
I would like if there is some resource in europe - italy like newbielink:http://www.flyingfx.com/ [nonactive]
Thank you so much!

sievep

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Re: Flying Carpet...
« Reply #9 on: Dec 08, 2007, 11:25 am »
I've also been recommending ZFX out of Louisville Kentucky.  They do some amazing work.
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squarewheelbike

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Re: Flying Carpet...
« Reply #10 on: Dec 28, 2007, 09:34 pm »
Flying carpets are as easy as you want to be, I'm a Panto veteran. Ninja up your crew, whack on the UV's and off you go. That said the earlier mention of shining floods at the audience woks really well. Trust me I've done this many times, it's not as complicated as some people have made out!

keypalsman

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Re: Flying Carpet...
« Reply #11 on: Apr 23, 2008, 10:43 am »
A few years ago my high school did Aladdin and for our flying carpet we made a small platform rigged it up with four heavy-duty wires and put it on a pipe that the carpet could move horizontally on when we pulled a rope. Then since we have a fancy new rigging system called Vortek we just took the pipe it was on up and down to make it look like it was flying in every direction. It was awesome.

smccain

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Re: Flying Carpet...
« Reply #12 on: May 02, 2008, 03:32 am »
It's funny this topic should be brought up now. I just saw a horrendous flying carpet at a production at one of the state universities in South Dakota. Their flying carpet was a 6ft tall raked 4'x8' platform with a carpet stapled to it. Below the carpet were 2 stagehands moving the platform around. They were masked with scrim fabric around the outside. The carpet just kept doing figure eights during "A Whole New World." It was really not a good effect, so just be careful not to do that with your carpet. I had to restrain myself from laughing.
Sean

 

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