How to make it look like someone is levitating

[meghanpotpie]

My new job is putting me through the ringer. They want 4 performers to levitate off the floor 3 or 4' but don't want to pay for a professional company to do the effect. Obviously I'm refusing to rig the stunt being that I am not certified for something like that and I have a few quote requests out with professional companies but was wondering if there was another alternative to actually flying the actors? Has anyone had any experience with this before? Some way to make it look like they are floating, maybe with lights or fog?

 

[molsen23]

The quickest and safest thing I can recommend is a wheelchair lift for a car or truck... (the kind used to store electric wheelchairs on the back of a car.) Attach it to a platform, use ground fog (or not) and lighting and you can get the amount of lift you are looking for. Sometimes you can find these cheap or can get one donated.

 

[JohnD]

Have you suggested the Ninja technique, where stagehands in all black just lift the talent up?

 

[Amiers]

Have you suggested the Ninja technique, where stagehands in all black just lift the talent up?

Took the idea right outta my head.

You could make mini escalators on a hand crank for each actor/ress at a 45* angle and fog and light right.

 

[kicknargel]

Can you describe the desired effect more fully? Do they need to lift up off the ground, or are the revealed in a floating state? Do they land again? Do they move around? What kind of scenery is in the scene?

 

[venuetech]

take this photo .. under the rug is a base plate with a very stout upright the the lower man is sitting next to, connected to the upright is an arm of steel that the lower performer's arm is resting on. Then the upright post, ending with a platform or somthing for the upper man to sit on thats 5 parts that somehow socket or interlock together so the performers asemble them and disassemble them and keep them hidden from the audiance at the same time

Most of the acts i have seen use some variation of this where the floor is actually supporting the performer but this requires that you sort of climb into the levitated position using your own power without making it look like you are doing the climbing. another act had a modified genie type lift with a silent hand operated winch hidden behind a curtian, connected to a backboard wiih a zig zag support that allowed the two tabs of curtain to hide the lift. the performers weight never really left the floor.

 

[Amiers]

Those rigs arent easy to get on and off of. Also if I remember right they use strong magnets to give added support to manholes which is why you see mats under all the people. I think with this setup though the second body is your weight. so metal plate under him and supports up his back to the stick and same with the guy on top.

 

[venuetech]

do an image search for levitation or chair levitation
http://www.usedmagicillusions.com/usedillusions.htm
This kind of magic does not come cheap.