# Swings from battens



## cirwin (Aug 27, 2013)

Just a quick disclaimer, I am NOT looking to do this anytime in the near future...just asking how it is done.

I have seen plenty of shows with swings that fly in and actors actually use on stage. My question is, how does one keep the batten from moving while the swing is being used?


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## DuckJordan (Aug 27, 2013)

Generally speaking they are tied off to other points when flown in. Not something you'd be able to do generally in an educational setting. at least not safely. No one in there right mind would tell you how to rig this up over the internet at least no one who would know what they are talking about. I also have a strong guess that its not done off of a batten as there would be extra weight added when being used as well as the mechanics of a live force acting upon the batten itself. 

I've seen a flying rig that was "flown" in that was actually was a stick of truss above the stage and anchored to the deck as well as our mid stage on either side. the clip for the flyer was motored in using foy effects systems. If you do decide to do this for a show contact one of the companies that does this regularly such as Flying by Foy or other such companies this is not something to do in house.


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## MPowers (Aug 27, 2013)

The easiest way is to spotline the swing. No batten involved. Second way is to have D2, ZFX et. al. do it for you. Notice how I'm avoiding answering the question? I'm afraid I can't/won't say how it might be done on an open forum. Even though you say you have no intention of attempting it yourself, there is too high a possibility of someone without sufficient knowledge to do it safely, attempting to try it at home, from a description posted here. Can it be done safely? Well, in a manner of speaking. But so can handling rattle snakes and transporting Nitro glycerin over a bumppy road. But I'm sure not going to try to explain how those are done either. Hope this helps a bit and I hope I haven't put you off too much. If you really need to know, I suggest you contact a rigger or flying company to assist you on site.


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## kicknargel (Aug 27, 2013)

I think without crossing a line, for curiosity's sake I can say that there would be some type of anchored, guyed, rigid structure overhead just out of sightlines and the swing is independently rigged from this. This gets the pivot point of the swing action at trim height rather than grid height.

Also, someone will have had to do some pretty careful analysis of a section drawing.


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## 2mojo2 (Aug 31, 2013)

I was asked to do this sort of thing for the playground scene in West Side Story.
I assured the Director that it would cost more than our entire budget for the show to do this correctly.


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## Ech725 (Sep 3, 2013)

I also had a director ask for a swing once. The ATD and I brainstormed over how to do it. We ruled out hanging it on a batten due to safety concerns. We initially thought that we could dead hang a swing chair. We later found out that we had no access to the grid (rental space) and really no room in between the battens. We did come up with another plan of giving the appearance of a swing. We were going to roll out a wagon with a swing that rock back and forth. Chains would fly in (making sure no load was put on the batten) to help with the effect. Ultimately, it was scratched for a simple rocking chair. We were happy because it meant a lot less work as our plate was full to begin with.


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## BillConnerFASTC (Sep 3, 2013)

I did this once by not having to have the main valance and using that line set and having a pair of "eyes" mounted to the proscenium arch, one for each rope of the swing. (No fire safety curtain.) I think only simple way to do it. Trying to restrain a batten or just the lines that support a swing (or even a single tarzan rope or tire swinig) at mid trim requires advanced rigging training and skills.


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## derekleffew (Sep 3, 2013)

_Sugar Babies_, Live on Stage!, 
starring Ann Miller and Andy Rooney.


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