Actor lean effect

[Lchg5265]

Over the last several years I have seen an effect used where an actor is able to "lean" forward over a group of people and quickly return to a standing position. I have looked for images of this prop / device and have had almost no luck. It appears the actor wears a harness and is attached to a bungee type system. Does anyone know if this is something one of the manufacturer sells or pictures of how they work?

[horrorman666]

Studio Tek EFX sells a unit that sounds like what you're describing. I have included a link.


http://www.studiotekfx.com/slingshot.html

[Lchg5265]

Studio Tek EFX sells a unit that sounds like what you're describing. I have included a link.


http://www.studiotekfx.com/slingshot.html

This is actually quite different. Imagine a person being able to lean forward about 30 degrees without having to move their feet. They use something like this at headless horseman in NY and also at Howl O Scream in Tampa within the vampire haunted house.

[Dman]

Lean Effect

It is a magic trick. The actor has a pair of modified shoes/boots that have a groove cut into the heel and that area is metal reinforced. The actor stands on a plate that has two pins that have a head on them that slide into the grooves on the boots and secure the actor to the plate/floor. The actor can now lean way over but the actor needs to practice and strengthen their calf muscles which is the muscle used to return to normal position. I saw them a few years ago at the National Haunt Show and the price from the magician direct was $200.00 plus the boots you were going to use.

Hope this helps.

Dan Augusto
Owner Tombstone Productions

[Lchg5265]

Sorry if I didn't explain it well.

You can see the effect I am looking for at around 1:55 in this video. You can see the two actors from both sides scare with a small swing forward / lean.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsQo5EJm-iM

[zombietoxin]

There was a haunted house in that video?
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[zombietoxin]

You sure they're not on a swing?

[mikeq91]

I know exactly what you're talking about, I remember seeing it at Headless Horseman. It's more of a bungee system, but not the "slingshot" style. Unfortunately I don't really have any info on it. From seeing it, I just assumed they were in some sort of basic harness, attached to a bungee cord that's anchored to the wall, so they can lean out as far as they can but then they almost get sucked back.

[freak 'n' stein]

That definitely looks like the bungee thing from Studio Tek. We built something very similar. Allen posted a diagram a few years ago on building a version of the bungee system. From that we built a flat, elevated platform that the actress stood on and simply anchored a harness and bungee cord straight from the wall. The actress was able to lean over guests really fast. Neat effect cause it was built to look like a marionette on a stage.

[Lchg5265]

That definitely looks like the bungee thing from Studio Tek. We built something very similar. Allen posted a diagram a few years ago on building a version of the bungee system. From that we built a flat, elevated platform that the actress stood on and simply anchored a harness and bungee cord straight from the wall. The actress was able to lean over guests really fast. Neat effect cause it was built to look like a marionette on a stage.

Do you have a drawing or example of this? I am concerned on how to make the effect safely. What type of bungee did you use? Simply surgical tubing?

[imagineer]

Over the last several years I have seen an effect used where an actor is able to "lean" forward over a group of people and quickly return to a standing position. I have looked for images of this prop / device and have had almost no luck. It appears the actor wears a harness and is attached to a bungee type system. Does anyone know if this is something one of the manufacturer sells or pictures of how they work?

This sounds like the lean prop I made for Netherworld. The actor stands on a box or column as a statue. He waits for people to walk by and then tips over them. To the average person it looks like the statue is falling on them. The lean will only lower so far as to not hit the people. The the actor can spring to life and reach for the unsuspecting people.

If you are interested in this, I wrote it in my Black Book (part one).

But the easy description is there is a metal box frame. In it, are 2 large springs. The springs are attached to one metal pole that is inside the box frame and goes up to the actors belt line. This bar is bolted to the box frame to pivot it also has a curved back rest with padding and a belt for he actor.

I hope that helps.

[drfrightner]

Stayed tuned for the Darkness tour 2015 because we are building something like this for our new library scene we plan to build. We plan to make a haunted librarian that glides across the book shelves and can fall down towards the guests over the top of them. It will be actor controlled and the actor will be in a harness so he can safely lean down right over the guests.

It should be fun!

Larry

[John Eibach]

I actually just attended Headless Horseman last night. I believe that the effect you are talking about was used in The Feeding house - and was simply attained using a bungee cord harnessed to the wall. It allowed the actor to lean and follow at an odd angle.

Pretty simple, yet pretty effective.