I know its a bad idea, but...
- Thread starterjtf107
- Start date
I'm honestly worried that since the OP hasn't checked back in here in awhile that he may just be going ahead with it. Hopefully advice and common sense kicked in, but I think he was hoping for us to back up the idea not shoot him down and decided to write it all off and figure it out on his on. I just hope we don't find out more about this in the news
chieftfac
Active Member
I've run into this a couple of times, and luckily have been able to reason with people how different rock climbing and flying people in the theater are. However, a question to all of those who are, like me, technical directors of performing arts spaces. How do you handle the liability when the board of directors insist that this will be done no matter your protestation? Can you go on record with a statement that you think it's a bad idea? And, yes, sometimes, in the past, my Board of Directors have gotten way too involved with the day to day running of this place... That's the main reason why we are on our 3rd Executive Director in 5 years...
I've been lucky to not have it forced upon me, despite some students wanting it. I have made it clear that I'll have nothing to do with it unless they are willing to bring someone in to do it. I would like to think they wouldn't fire me for refusing to do it and they can't do a show without me, nobody else is capable. I'd stick to my guns and refuse to take part in it, citing all the reasons and sources I can, and then I'd start to debate with myself about whether I want to work for someone who would force it upon you despite all good reasoning, or if I'd try to find some sort of happy medium we could both live with that I'd feel comfortable with in regards to safety. They did Peter Pan a few years before I got here and used rock climbers and gear to fly people and I have been vocally and adamantly against anything like that ever happening again here and I think they've got the idea.
Rock climbing gear can't do 1/6th of what a professional Foy rig can do, at least not as SAFELY.
It makes me angry that people think its ok to hire rock climbing people for flying effects. It's a HUGE waste of money, time, resources and a giant liability.
I don't even want to get into details about my experience with the idiots that thought flying people with rock climbing techniques was ok because it just makes me upset. Even the rock climbing rigger they hired to set up the equipment wasn't happy with their choices. It was not money well spent because it the end, after hours of training all they ended up with was a few small suspension effects that really did nothing to help the show. Again it makes me angry when people do things motivated by a wow factor instead of considering safety or what actually serves the show.
It's hard to convey over an intern forum how adamant I am against this.
It makes me angry that people think its ok to hire rock climbing people for flying effects. It's a HUGE waste of money, time, resources and a giant liability.
I don't even want to get into details about my experience with the idiots that thought flying people with rock climbing techniques was ok because it just makes me upset. Even the rock climbing rigger they hired to set up the equipment wasn't happy with their choices. It was not money well spent because it the end, after hours of training all they ended up with was a few small suspension effects that really did nothing to help the show. Again it makes me angry when people do things motivated by a wow factor instead of considering safety or what actually serves the show.
It's hard to convey over an intern forum how adamant I am against this.
shiben
Well-Known Member
Agreed. I have rock climbed quite a bit, and the gear is excellent for doing many things: climbing up rock faces and going back down again being pretty much the things. Flying rigs are excellent for doing things like flying performers around a set. Unless you intend to build a rock face in the theater, and have someone climb it, you just wont even get good effects out of it, IMO.
It's designed to catch you if you fall and lower back down in a controlled manner. Nothing can happen in a hastened manner while maintaining control.
Is this really that terrible of an idea? I swear I saw a cast member rappel down a back wall onto the stage....the wall was at a 45 degree angle, so it seemed fairly safe. Besides, the guy only broke both legs, one arm and a collar bone doing it. That's worth it for the effect, right?
Sarcastic much? Sorry, I couldn't resist.
Sarcastic much? Sorry, I couldn't resist.
What Rigger?
I'm so fly....I Neverland.
He may have his answer and is washing his hands of it. Or at least I hope. I know I've seen churches pull that nonsense time and time again during christmas/easter and have asked me to do things like that- I of course decline. But I cringe every time I am surprised that they do it.
I worked some revival of some sort at a church that repelled six people from the catwalks. And when I went up afterward to turn off the movers, I noticed the ropes were tied off with a single clove hitch without a half hitch or anything. I remember calmly going downstairs afterward and, walking into the office of the "production manager" for the building and then asking him nicely "Are you ****ing retarded!?"
That's my story. I stay out of that nonsense as much as I can and I cringe at this summer when Peter Pan is being done at a local college with kids being flown around. They are supposedly having ZFX come in and do all the work. but with kids, I still dread the thought of it.
I worked some revival of some sort at a church that repelled six people from the catwalks. And when I went up afterward to turn off the movers, I noticed the ropes were tied off with a single clove hitch without a half hitch or anything. I remember calmly going downstairs afterward and, walking into the office of the "production manager" for the building and then asking him nicely "Are you ****ing retarded!?"
That's my story. I stay out of that nonsense as much as I can and I cringe at this summer when Peter Pan is being done at a local college with kids being flown around. They are supposedly having ZFX come in and do all the work. but with kids, I still dread the thought of it.
Well I asked one of there guys about how stuff works out in the house from the stage and it was kind of a complicated system of pulleys. I couldn't wrap my head around it- now I am not anywhere near the experience that they have for rigging and whatnot. But they say after you mess with it and understand the mechanics and math, that it's pretty simple to do. I will probably observe it a little more indepth if I get a chance. But I don't have any plans of doing anything like them.
I'm guessing the OP has either listened and done the right thing or chosen to ignore us and never coming back. But for future reference, Do a search for "Owen Hart Death" Owen was a fairly famous wrestler who used the stage name "Blue Blazer". He fell to his death in a rappelling stunt. Here's a little from Wikipedia.
