Flying bats in a small venue

[BruceP]

I've just been asked to see if I can put together a "flying bat" effect for a production of Dracula being performed next fall. The venue is a small black box theater with a 14' high ceiling that pipes are hung from for lighting and risers for audience seating rises up roughly half way along one side. I was wondering if anybody might have any suggestions for a way to have one or two bats appear and fly a distance of say 30 feet or so. The kicker would be to keep them hidden from the audience until the effect is needed...

 

[FatherMurphy]

Are you looking for bats that flap their wings, or would an inactive bat do? A bat dummy can be sent down a zip line (or pulled up one), or possibly a child's wind-up toy ornithopter (bird with flapping wings) can be redressed as a bat. Coming and going from boxes with flaps of black duvetyne will keep them hidden until cued. A puppet on a stick or on a fishpole also come to mind as options. Video would be another possible method, but might be too pricey for that short of an effect.

 

[rochem]

1) Put bats in (safe and humane) box

2) Open box



I agree, zip line seems like the best way to do it. But it depends a lot on the path the bats need to follow - can it be a straight line near the grid from point A to point B, or do the bats need to start from the floor/another point and fly around erratically?

 

[BrianWolfe]

A couple of these pulled across a track might be pretty effective:

Halloween FLYING BAT,Wings Flap,Flys B/O Eyes light up on eBay!

 

[rsmentele]

We have 2 bats that like to visit us during performances, affectionately named Bruce Wayne and Robin the Boy Wonder. I know that the owner of the theater would love if you borrowed them for a while, and by borrow I mean keep.... forever.....

 

[elliot47]

We have 2 bats that like to visit us during performances, affectionately named Bruce Wayne and Robin the Boy Wonder. I know that the owner of the theater would love if you borrowed them for a while, and by borrow I mean keep.... forever.....

Haha WIN!!!!!