Live Design: Probably the first thing to clear up on the performer flight systems for Spider Man: Turn Off The Dark is this: Spider-Man can’t actually fly. “Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man refers to himself as a ‘webslinger,’ which is not the same as flying—he can jump very high and very far, and he can swing on a web line from location to location, but unlike a lot of other superheroes (and supervillians, for that matter) he does not possess the power of flight,” says Scott Fisher, principal of Fisher Technical Services (FTSI) of Las Vegas, NV, who were contacted to provide the performer flight systems for the show.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Fisher Technical Services Flies High With Spider-Man
Live Design: Probably the first thing to clear up on the performer flight systems for Spider Man: Turn Off The Dark is this: Spider-Man can’t actually fly. “Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man refers to himself as a ‘webslinger,’ which is not the same as flying—he can jump very high and very far, and he can swing on a web line from location to location, but unlike a lot of other superheroes (and supervillians, for that matter) he does not possess the power of flight,” says Scott Fisher, principal of Fisher Technical Services (FTSI) of Las Vegas, NV, who were contacted to provide the performer flight systems for the show.
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Reading this article gave me a grasp of how absolutely immense the control system is for flying in Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark. I find it neat that the same people who worked on flying and rigging for the movie worked on the Broadway performance as well, adapting the system to work safely in an enclosed venue such as a proscenium theatre. I think it's amazing that they are able to pre-vis all of the computer-controlled movement in the show and model all motion before doing it in real life. Also, looking through the image gallery was impressive to see how large the main winches are, and how complex the control systems are that run the flight cues in the show. I noticed the large number of camera feeds watching the stage and flight equipment. I am not surprised that they include lots of safety systems and backups to make sure the performers stay safe. There are probably load meters on every single flight line, all constantly being monitored for tensional overload. I think it's neat that FTSI re-created scenes in their shop to rehearse flight sequences off stage. All of FSTI's equipment and rental must have cost a fortune but it's worth it for a show that is centered around the flight effects so much.
I find it hysterical that one of the reasons Spider-Man got so much press at its beginnings was because the producers were pushing for previews and Opening when the technical teams were shouting from the wings, "We're NOT ready!" and people started getting hurt precisely because of the automation.
Now, nearly a year later, it's been almost completely rewritten, its original artistic team's been replaced and practically the only thing that's STILL IN the production is Spider-Man himself - and Fisher Tech.
This article makes me think if we are going to see this type of rigging done more and more in theater with people flying over people’s heads or just complex things done over stage. I know that Fisher Technical Services has the equipment but I don’t know if the need is out there to do this type of thing. I know that it is really cool to see these type of effects on stage but I know that is very expansive to do these type of effects and also the time to program them is a lot and when you are in a theater that is a large pressing thing. I hope to see more of this type of thing to come and may be to see it on local stages in Pittsburgh.
It's interesting to note that most of the technology for this type of rigging had already been developed before the show got off the ground, and just making it logistically feasible was the biggest challenge to the riggers. I think that really speaks to the breadth and depth of knowledge that these guys have and how well they are able to use the technology at their disposal to create the effects needed for the show. It'll be interesting to see if more shows try to use more complicated rigging such as this, as Robert has said, and I think the real challenge will be seeing if this technology hits the road and starts being something that is used in touring shows, but perhaps we'll see that at some point down the line
Until recently. Foy were the only people I knew who flew people like this but it seems Fischer is giving them some competition. A difference is that when a local place gets a foy rig it comes with Foy guy. I am not sure Fischer is doing the same thing. When I saw this show last spring some the most impressing thing about the flying effects was the way they fit in the space. The house at the Foxwoods Theatre is a big cube which had a lot of space for Spidey to fly . The trick to me is the swing out. A spider man moving slow was always near to the balcony but a quick swing out would send the actor into the 3rd row. My question is, How did they test this. Surely not by trial and error. I wonder how they did the prediction software based on speed and pendulum and momentum. The flying effects were indeed the highlight of that show.
I cynically agree with Jacob! here, a year ago people were getting hurt and now we're applauding this technology. While it's no doubt an impressive feat of engineering and design, there was a bumpy road to getting there and I think glossing over that fact is a disservice to the industry. I just saw Spider-Man this weekend and took notice of one of the main points of the article, using the lines and connection points for various tasks throughout the show. This, however, often meant that lines were shifting back and forth, flying over the audience's heads, etc., giving away large moments before they happened. You knew Spidey was going to jump from the upper balcony because you saw the connection points head up that way a few minutes before. However, in a show with such a flawed storyline, expectations about the visual effects seem a lesser evil.
I'm getting a sense of how much the set was designed at a scale larger-than-life. This approach is evident in the scenery, the hydraulics, the heights, the rigging, the control systems... not to mention the projections, particularly the scale of the "Sinister 6 Taking Manahattan." There is a slight but deliberate overlapping of the images which creates an unsettling effect - perfect for the villians. I like what Cooper says about the inter activeness of the theater, how it becomes "a moving target." Albeit, I feel like the scenery and media upstage the small, real-scale actors more often than not.
I actually laughed when I came across the line that rehearsals and previews went "flawlessly." Has everyone forgotten all the people who were hurt? People whose legal cases are probably still in litigation. Articles like this show just how short public memory is. Yes it is great we have impressive live aerial technology now, but lets not forget the people who put themselves on the line to get us to this point. I saw this show when it was back in previews and I thought the big moments were telegraphed early, as Brian said, but not by the rigging system but by the apprehension of the actors. There were times when you could literally see one of them brace themselves physically and mentally for a stunt. This was right after the accidents and they were scared. To belittle the contribution and sacrifice on the actors as this author does unbelievably callous to their position.
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