Flying Effect in 'Wicked'

[ckeaton]

Posted: 5/19/04 at 2:20pm

Does anyone have the inside scoop on Elphaba's flying effect at the end of act 1?

I didn't see wires... and with the fabric behind her, I've got to think it's an elaborately hidden cherry picker...

Confirm/Deny?

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 5/19/04 at 2:44pm

I would surmise that cherry picker is about right - she looks like she's just standing on a platform that raises her into the air and her costume extends to cover it all - not a very good affect if you ask me.

[beartrande]

Posted: 5/19/04 at 2:46pm

It did look quite similar to the effect in Joseph with Joseph's coat flying out behind him. Not as effective as the Witches of Eastwick where they flew out over the audience.

[ckeaton]

Posted: 5/19/04 at 2:53pm

I figured something like that...
Even though it's not the best effect with her just standing there in mid air, I'd love to see the reality behind it.

I wonder what the "special effects" that are credited are? The mirror? "Flying" is credited seperately.

[TheGaIsSilent]

Posted: 5/19/04 at 2:55pm

redhotinnyc is right, I think. There's a curtain thing in front of it that helps the costume cover up her feet.

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 5/19/04 at 2:56pm

i just assumed that there was a pole under the stage that rose up under her costume and inserted, uh, somewhere and um, just lofted her up. i mean that would also explain the look on her face...

[ckeaton]

Posted: 5/19/04 at 2:58pm

Well, after Taye... I can't imagine that being a problem.

[bythesword84]

Posted: 5/19/04 at 3:01pm

In a show that's so elaborate in so many places, I couldn't figure out why the flying scene was so...well, under done. I thought that was very disappointing because after it lifts her up you kind of think she's going to fly out or something and its like, nope they raised her up on the platform thing and that's it. I thought it was a bit of a let down.

[ckeaton]

Posted: 5/19/04 at 3:04pm

Much like the whole show.

Mind you, I still found it entertaining, and very nice to see and hear... but I left feeling like something was... missing. I can't put my finger on it.

[kitkatgirl54]

Posted: 5/19/04 at 3:07pm

yep, it's just a very simple lift with fabric that covers it. we actually used it as an effect in my high school shows, proving how easy and cheap it is to use.

someone was arguing with me the other day saying that wicked had the best special effects on broadway. i saw phantom of the opera for the first time in years the other day and still think that the special effects still beat wicked by far, even after all these years.

[Gypsy2]

Posted: 5/19/04 at 3:11pm

They say it's some kind of arm thing, because when she flies up, unless I'm wrong, her feet /are/ showing. *shrug* Maybe theres a little platform thing to stand on or something, I don't really know. I should have looked when I was back there, damn I feel stupid. But whatever it is, it sure looks damn cool.

[ckeaton]

Posted: 5/19/04 at 3:11pm

SPOILER PERHAPS...


Yeah, think of what they could've done with the staging of Elphie's melting scene from a special effects perspective.

[jgph]

Posted: 5/19/04 at 4:00pm

filthy bitch!

lol
hehe

[JakeB]

Posted: 5/19/04 at 4:01pm

Yeah, I thought the special effects in Wicked were a let down for such an expensive, otherwise lavish show. The SPOILER melting scene, flying scene and flying/bungee jumping monkeys could have been better.

[bythesword84]

Posted: 5/19/04 at 4:07pm

Oh don't get me started on that SPOILER, it irks me so much...

[robbiej]

Posted: 5/19/04 at 4:09pm

I love you all...and I know we all like to be conscious of posting spoiler alerts, but...

HOW COULD THE MELTING BE CONSIDERED A SPOILER AT THIS POINT????

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 5/19/04 at 4:12pm

Robbie - AMEN

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 5/19/04 at 4:15pm

I heard a reviewer mention that she is lifted into the air and flies on the stage, leading me to believe that she actually moves around. Boy was I disappointed when she just hung there for the rest of the song. Idina's voice distracted me, though.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/19/04 at 4:25pm

Is that really what it is??? I fiured she's be zoomin' around the stage, and flyin' out into the audience and stuff... That sucks. She does fly on the broom later in act two, right???

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 5/19/04 at 4:32pm

Honey - the bitch never flies - ever - she's lifted up once at the end of act one in a very lame experiment and then nothing after that...with modern technology what it is, bitch should have hopped on that broom and flown out over the audience...

[TheGaIsSilent]

Posted: 5/19/04 at 4:33pm

The monkeys fly in act two. Does that count?

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 5/19/04 at 4:36pm

they don't really fly - they kinda just bounce up and down on bungees - its a very lame affect.

[TheGaIsSilent]

Posted: 5/19/04 at 4:45pm

In the second half? They're on zip cords.

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 5/19/04 at 4:48pm

its still lame - it doesn't even begin to compare with the flying in the last broadway production of Peter Pan with Cathy Rigby - and that was several years ago now. I just think that with all the money these producers have and the state of technology what it is, the effects in this show could have been SO much better (but then, so could the writing).

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 5/19/04 at 4:59pm

This was an article a while ago about the design effects used in Wicked:

http://entertainmentdesignmag.com/ar/show_business_hocus_pocus/index.htm

http://entertainmentdesignmag.com/ar/show_business_hocus_pocus/index.htm>http://entertainmentdesignmag.com/ar/show_business_hocus_pocus/index.htm