Basketball drop in HS Musical

[jneveaux]

My director has seen several productions drop 6-8 balls from the flies into the gym scene - one for each player - which they allow to bounce once and then grab and start dribbling. As in this video at ~15:50 -

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Anyone done a similar rig, or have suggestions? I have a full fly loft, but with limited clearance between any open battens and electirc/borders/orchestra shells.

 

[macsound]

The way we did it on the tour was with DMX controlled claws. The basket balls were preset on the first electric.
Not sure if they were custom because I was on audio, but it was a 4 finger claw that was hinged. The claw arm extended past the hinge point toward the center and all 4 were connected together to a single servo with a single piece of round elastic.

 

[bobgaggle]

Any way you do this will be a variation on a kabuki. Lots of info on here about them if you use the search function.

 

[lwinters630]

I think kabuki. The ball's aren't spinning or rolling, therefore a simple pin realease via kabuki.

 

[notoriousRBG]

Not to be that person, but isn't DMX control of something like this a safety concern?

A data error causing a basketball to fall on an unsuspecting actor's head seems like it could do a good deal of damage, depending on the trims.

 

[macsound]

Not to be that person, but isn't DMX control of something like this a safety concern?

A data error causing a basketball to fall on an unsuspecting actor's head seems like it could do a good deal of damage, depending on the trims.

It's possible there could be a physical disable switch for those units that would only be switched on within the scene.

 

[SHCP]

In my space I would just have crew on the grid hand dropping the balls. That is, if you have a grid.

 

[RonHebbard]

In my space I would just have crew on the grid hand dropping the balls. That is, if you have a grid.

@SHCP A grid and gaps at least the size of basketballs or are you proposing hauling the balls up pre-loaded in individual bags then guessing at their fall time from 100 plus feet?
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard

 

[SHCP]

@SHCP A grid and gaps at least the size of basketballs or are you proposing hauling the balls up pre-loaded in individual bags then guessing at their fall time from 100 plus feet?
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard

My grid is only 18' from the floor. And has plenty of space for all the crew members to drop a perfectly timed ball every time without fail. Or at least they drop their phones.

 

[lwinters630]

Not to be that person, but isn't DMX control of something like this a safety concern?

A data error causing a basketball to fall on an unsuspecting actor's head seems like it could do a good deal of damage, depending on the trims.

A kabuki can be a manual, a door bell button, or dmx. Any method chosen should be planned with safety in mind. Actor would be trained to be "suspecting" and their staging allow for a clear space.
For this I would do the push button electric relay from off stage wings with visual sight lines.

Perhaps mount basket ball hoops (u-bolt) to a batten. Then about 4" below the rim a solenoid pin / lever that releases lhe ball. A section of Sonic tube could be used as a guide above the hoop.

 

[Amiers]

I don’t think he has the space for a hoop let along 6-8.

Limited space idea would be some sort of suction cup with a locking release.

https://www.rammount.com/part/RAM-B-224-1U

Of course not designed for over head lifting and yada yada safety things. This is just an example as I’m sure there are rated cups out there.

Then just need some sort of automation to release the lock.

Another method would just shoot them from off stage from 5g buckets with X amount of air pressure per bucket for x amount of distance and height. Little bit of math involved and engineering of the “cannons”

Really dumb it down hire the basket ball team to come in and just throw them from off stage and tell them to hit their mark and whala.

 

[RonHebbard]

https://www.rammount.com/part/RAM-B-224-1U
I’m sure there are rated cups out there.
@Amiers I'm sure there are rated cups out there too. Cups rated for Double H and Double I are amongst my personal fav's.
I once met a petite 5 foot lady whose cups were rated at 32 Double I. Maureen definitely had my attention. 'nough said.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard

 

[macsound]

I don’t think he has the space for a hoop let along 6-8.

Limited space idea would be some sort of suction cup with a locking release.

https://www.rammount.com/part/RAM-B-224-1U

Of course not designed for over head lifting and yada yada safety things. This is just an example as I’m sure there are rated cups out there.

Then just need some sort of automation to release the lock.

Another method would just shoot them from off stage from 5g buckets with X amount of air pressure per bucket for x amount of distance and height. Little bit of math involved and engineering of the “cannons”

Really dumb it down hire the basket ball team to come in and just throw them from off stage and tell them to hit their mark and whala.

Also, not sure suction cups would work because basket balls aren't smooth.

 

[Amiers]

Maybe. I don’t I’ve never tried to suction cup a basketball lol. The things we talk about.

 

[macsound]

There's a great podcast called Robot or Not. Originally it was just talking about automated things and two guys talking about things like a roomba and if it was a robot or not.
Now they talk about like what is a bagel, what is a sport, what is actual new york pizza.
Each episode is only like 8 minutes but incredibly entertaining because of the random crap they talk about.

 

[jneveaux]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Going with a homemade, manual kabuki-type rig. Using R-clips tied to a control line running throudh eye bolts on a board clamped to an empty batten. Clips are snapped into rings fastened to one edge of a canvas sling (the other edge is permanently attached to the board. When control line is pulled, clips are pulled from the rings and the front edge of the sling falls and releases the balls cradled within it. Works on the ground!

 

[sk8rsdad]

Simple is good. It may not work as in the video though since the sling may induce some spin in the basketball. YMMV.

 

[jneveaux]

Simple is good. It may not work as in the video though since the sling may induce some spin in the basketball. YMMV.

Thanks for the heads' up.

 

[Amiers]

Send videos. We always like to see a finished product.

 

[Ben Stiegler]

Are there any plays about bowling? ... just asking