Exploding bird

[twalker1998]

In our production of Shrek, we had one tree on SL with a hole in it where the nest was. Two techs could hide behind the tree and control the bird. We had one PVC pipe with a balloon on the end and another stuffed full of blue feathers. We removed the stuffing from a blue stuffed bird and put it on top of the balloon. We also had a wire hanger attached to the head of the bird to make it move along with the music. When the bird needed to expand, one tech would blow into the PVC pipe with the balloon, making it look bigger. When it was time for the bird to explode, the other tech would blow into the PVC pipe with the feathers, making them "explode." At the same time that this happened, the first tech would pull the bird back through the hole to make it disappear. Very easy to set up and operate each night, and it always got a lot of laughs from the audience.

 

[om4eccv]

We didn't have the bird grow or expand, but it did have wings and a mouth that moved via strings and springs. It sat in a nest on a tree branch next, to a curtain/leg, and we had a tech operate them behind the curtain.

The branch was also a steel pipe, ending up below the nest. Behind the curtain, there was a ball valve attached to a CO2 quick change cartridge (it threaded right into the steel pipe). As soon as the cartridge is screwed down, it's punctured, and pressurizes everything up to the valve.

When it came time to pop, the bird flipped backwards behind the nest and out of sight, the ball valve was opened, the CO2 made feathers fly up, and a balloon SFX was played through a nearby speaker. It was an excellent effect, didn't fail, and we didn't have to worry about air compressors.