Next month our boys have a recital. Peter pan. We need to show the flying scene. Accross the window on stage wich is 6 ft. by 6 ft. Problem is the directors won't allow us to hook up any wire and or cables. We tried the conventional horizontal way of levitation,but was told not to. Any ideas please, would be welcomed. Thank you Don.

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Simply need to show a flight scene were by Peter Pan flies accross the window suspended somehow. We came up with crazy idea of black art covering the window's background with little stars here and there. Having a board slightly above the window sill covered with our subject laying across the board showing the suspended flight scene. But would like imput and perhaps other ideas.

So how about an amalgam --
The puppeteer in me suggests this -- make about a 75% life-size photo cutout, and light the scene relatively dimly, and keep the idea of the black art principle. Use the cutout as a simple rod puppet, and convince the director to stage the scene so that it's seen momentarily, but long enough for people to figure out what it's supposed to be. I think it would work if that window is far enough upstage.

You might also put a black art star curtain up that twinkles, and move Peter Pan across the space on a wagon that is also a black art star curtain. The most important thing, I think, would be to make the edges of the wagon irregular so the eye would have a hard time finding the line of it. You might also want to think about making the top, or whatever Pan is sitting on, irregular as well. I would probably see what I could do to suspend him from a sturdy trolley that was tricked up similarly, which would get you a freestanding and kind of mobile in the air effect, but like most thread work, in the long run, it's going to look like something on the end of a string.

Just a couple of thoughts, don't know if they will help or not.

Pix

If this is a recital and not a full-blown theatrical production, I'd say keep it simple... especially if you just need to fly across a 6' window.

Not clear if one of your boys is playing PP; however, I like the idea of a 3/4 scale puppet. If you can get a high-def digital photo of PP, you can have it blown up at Kinko's on one of their large color printers, either 3/4 size or even 1/2 size. Then spray-mount it to a sheet of gatorboard, cut around the image, and hang it from fishline. Two lines, suspended from a simple track (so the cutout doesn't swivel), and you're home free.

To get the flying pose, have PP lie on the floor. You get on a ladder and shoot from above. It's an ancient trick. The floor background makes no difference 'cause you're going to cut it out anyway.

Great idea, this is cool.thanks so much guys. I'm hopping to i. Respectfully Don.