# How was this done?



## Anonymous067 (Jan 29, 2010)

alright...I'm sure this is pushing the rules on CB but I need to ask anyhow...

how was this lift performed so quickly?
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3g4ekwTd6Ig[/media]
skip to 2:48 ish

(and before anybody jumps on this, NO this has nothing to do with my other thread about quickly flying out curtains. I have NO intentions whatsoever of ever flying a person, considering I'm not qualified to by any means. Just wanted to say that before anybody picked up on that.)


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## cprted (Jan 29, 2010)

A purpose built hydraulic lift.


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## CSCTech (Jan 29, 2010)

I love Wicked, amazing show.

Alright, the back of the stage is very dark so its just black and the focus is on the front of the stage where the two are talking. In the back is a customized forklift with a small paltform to stand on in the front with a lock and once the actor hits the button on the back of it the lock will close around her and the forklift will go up. Your view is distracted with the guards rushing in, as they are, she runs to the back, steps on the platform, hits the button with her back and up it goes. There are black sheets around the closing to match her costume, and the black sheets attached to the side of the closure and anchored to the side of the stage. So all you see is the actor floating. And wish fans and smoke it looks great.


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## Anonymous067 (Jan 29, 2010)

Something tells me the actors probably aren't allowed to touch any buttons, but I could be wrong.


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## cprted (Jan 29, 2010)

Blah067 said:


> Something tells me the actors probably aren't allowed to touch any buttons, but I could be wrong.


As with all effects like this, there is a deadman switch that the actor has to press or the effect doesn't happen.


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## Anonymous067 (Jan 29, 2010)

I misread the reply, I thought it said "an actor" not "the actor".

What is the definition or reason for titling the switch a "deadman switch"?


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## Van (Jan 29, 2010)

A Deadman switch is a safety device that will Lock out any mechanical action of a device if continuious activation of said switch is not maintained. I Think the original conotation was on Steam Locamotives. The throttle / speed control was made so that if the Engineer did not keep the lever pushed it would spring closed and stop the train. eg If the engineer died at his post the train would stop and thus keep collisions from happening. Check the Wikki.


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## GreyWyvern (Jan 29, 2010)

Blah067 said:


> What is the definition or reason for titling the switch a "deadman switch"?



See Deadman Switch in the Wiki.


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## LightStud (Jan 29, 2010)

"Here's a pencil and a pad of paper. When you hear a word you don't understand, write it down and we'll discuss it later."


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## Anonymous067 (Jan 29, 2010)

LightStud said:


> "Here's a pencil and a pad of paper. When you hear a word you don't understand, write it down and we'll discuss it later."



sorry. .


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## cprted (Jan 29, 2010)

LightStud said:


> "Here's a pencil and a pad of paper. When you hear a word you don't understand, write it down and we'll discuss it later."


I think Blah's question was completely relevant to the thread.


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## MarshallPope (Jan 29, 2010)

Something kind of interesting, HERE is an audio clip on Youtube I found a while back of a mistake doing this effect. The actress playing Elphie backed into the lift and, I believe, bumped the switch with her elbow or something and the gate closed on her. They stopped the show for a few minutes and then restarted the scene, omitting the lift.


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## Les (Jan 29, 2010)

cprted said:


> I think Blah's question was completely relevant to the thread.



I thought so too. Especially with the term "deadman's trigger" circulating in the power tool world. The trigger can be locked in the 'ON' position so even a dead man could operate it. The way I see it though, especially in the case of things like angle grinders and such, that you could easily become a dead man if you use it!


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## masterelectrician2112 (Jan 29, 2010)

That is so cool! So as I understand it, when she presses a button, black walls close around her and the lift goes up?


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## MarshallPope (Jan 29, 2010)

Here is a video from the Chicago show showing how it is done.

Video Library - cbs2chicago.com


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## len (Jan 29, 2010)

Van said:


> A Deadman switch is a safety device that will Lock out any mechanical action of a device if continuious activation of said switch is not maintained. I Think the original conotation was on Steam Locamotives. The throttle / speed control was made so that if the Engineer did not keep the lever pushed it would spring closed and stop the train. eg If the engineer died at his post the train would stop and thus keep collisions from happening. Check the Wikki.



Yep, deadman switches were built into the floor of the locomotive. The engineer had to stand on it in order to get the train to move. Typically, there were two, one on each side of the cab, so you could operate from either side.


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## cprted (Jan 29, 2010)

len said:


> Yep, deadman switches were built into the floor of the locomotive. The engineer had to stand on it in order to get the train to move. Typically, there were two, one on each side of the cab, so you could operate from either side.


There were never deadman pedals on steam locomotives ... they appeared for the first time (in North America anyway) in the 60s or 70s. There would only ever be one as there are only controls on the engineer's side of the cab.

Bascially the deadman alerter sets off a sound at random intervals (every 30 secs-2 mins) and you have 10 seconds to press it or your train slowly comes to a stop.


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## cprted (Jan 29, 2010)

masterelectrician2112 said:


> That is so cool! So as I understand it, when she presses a button, black walls close around her and the lift goes up?


Almost. The deadman doesn't activate the effect, the deaman allows the effect to be activated by a technician.


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## len (Jan 30, 2010)

cprted said:


> There were never deadman pedals on steam locomotives ... they appeared for the first time (in North America anyway) in the 60s or 70s. There would only ever be one as there are only controls on the engineer's side of the cab.
> 
> Bascially the deadman alerter sets off a sound at random intervals (every 30 secs-2 mins) and you have 10 seconds to press it or your train slowly comes to a stop.



I've seen pedals on both sides in some switch engines (diesels that just moved freight cars around a yard) but never went very far. They were probably special ordered by the C&O. Amazing what you remember when you're being chased by gumshoes.

Sorry, didn't mean to sidetrack the discussion.


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## CSCTech (Jan 30, 2010)

MarshallPope said:


> Something kind of interesting, HERE is an audio clip on Youtube I found a while back of a mistake doing this effect. The actress playing Elphie backed into the lift and, I believe, bumped the switch with her elbow or something and the gate closed on her. They stopped the show for a few minutes and then restarted the scene, omitting the lift.



Ouch :X I never heard of that. She sounded great afterwards!


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## masterelectrician2112 (Jan 30, 2010)

MarshallPope said:


> Here is a video from the Chicago show showing how it is done.


 
Wow! That's amazing!


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