# Addams Family Uncle Fester Flies



## hamlett22 (Dec 13, 2015)

HI

We are producing 'The Addams Family' and I want to fly Uncle Fester in a stable position so that he can interact with the moon.

Check out this video from the touring company;

Start 5:20 minutes into it.

He he obviously sitting on something but I wonder how it was done.

My first impression is that perhaps he he is strapped to a hardboard attached to his back with maybe a bicycle seat under his bum and perhaps a pipe attached to the hardboard and seat, juts out horizontally upstage and then turns 90 degrees and runs up into the grid. I'm just guessing here because there is nothing visible above him running upwards.

But he starts off stage right and then moves center so a pipe attached to a 'harness' running up into the flies would have to pendulate left to right as well as move up and down, presumably on a baton.

Mmm, then there's the 'flexible' legs illusion. Got to be dummy stand in legs but then where is the rest of his lower body? it's a good illusion and I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on how to recreate that.

Looking forward to your input.

Chad


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## MarshallPope (Dec 13, 2015)

At least in the tour, that gag was done with Fester attatched to a bicycle seat-harness thing on a pipe back t oa wagon (iirc) and he was manipulated by several blacked-out stagehands


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## hamlett22 (Dec 14, 2015)

MarshallPope said:


> At least in the tour, that gag was done with Fester attatched to a bicycle seat-harness thing on a pipe back t oa wagon (iirc) and he was manipulated by several blacked-out stagehands


I see. That sounds easier than what I suggested. Any pics or descriptions about that? His legs must have been puppeteer-ed then.
Chad


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## What Rigger? (Dec 17, 2015)

Hi Chad,

I appreciate you wanting to know how the effect was accomplished, and to be honest, this is the first time I'd seen it. The thing to keep in mind, as we always tell folks around here, is that flying effects must be undertaken with professional flying companies (Foy, Hall Associates, ZFX, etc...) and you should not under any circumstance attempt it on your own- especially based off of speculation arising from really bad video on the internet.

If you are looking for more information on particulars of hiring a flying company, feel free to let us know, or message me.

Now, that all being said, I'm pretty sure he's not on wire rope in this production at all.


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## hamlett22 (Dec 17, 2015)

What Rigger? said:


> Hi Chad,
> 
> I appreciate you wanting to know how the effect was accomplished, and to be honest, this is the first time I'd seen it. The thing to keep in mind, as we always tell folks around here, is that flying effects must be undertaken with professional flying companies (Foy, Hall Associates, ZFX, etc...) and you should not under any circumstance attempt it on your own- especially based off of speculation arising from really bad video on the internet.
> 
> ...


Agreed, it looks like he is lifted either sitting or standing with his lower body hidden. Perhaps a fulcrum setup on a wagon.
I never fly without the 'right-stuff', be it personnel and equipment. Thanks for the heads up.
Chad


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## bdkdesigns (Dec 17, 2015)

We just did the entire sequence in blacklight and our Fester just stepped up on some black rehearsal cubes and it worked. For our legs, we called up some department stores asking if they had any old mannequins that they were planning on disposing of. Then we had a lot of blacked out actors helping in the moment. We ended up doing all sorts of objects that would fly by in the song that were all blacklight reactive.


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## hamlett22 (Jan 6, 2016)

bdkdesigns said:


> We just did the entire sequence in blacklight and our Fester just stepped up on some black rehearsal cubes and it worked. For our legs, we called up some department stores asking if they had any old mannequins that they were planning on disposing of. Then we had a lot of blacked out actors helping in the moment. We ended up doing all sorts of objects that would fly by in the song that were all blacklight reactive.


that sound like fun. Was it effective? Would you happy to have any pictures to share?


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## chawalang (Jan 6, 2016)

This effect can also be achieved by the use of a camera jib. Since this scene was lite in a mute fashion, another way of saying dim, the jib can be set up upstage with deck hands dressed in ninja outfits operating it. A seat can then be used for the performer to sit on in place of where the camera would be and it would have to be weighted properly to the actor. I would also have the base of the jib weighted down as well. A tour I was on did this for a similar effect and it worked really well.


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