Show-effect hardware producing a saber-cut illusion.
A special effects system to provide the effect or illusion of a surface of a set (such as a ceiling, sidewall, floor, or the like) being penetrated and cut by a physical prop (e.g., a tool or weapon). In some preferred embodiments, the physical prop takes on the appearance of a glowing or hot elongated rod similar to the blade of an energy sword or light saber as found in entertainment media. The system is configured to provide the illusion, in these cases, that a circular groove or slot is being formed as the hot blade burns through the material of the surface of the set/scene. Additional effects add to the believability of this illusion including the up and down sawing movement of the physical prob through the slot, appearance of smoke with shadows near the cutting regions, and bright sparkling lighting at leading edge of slot.
BACKGROUND 1. Field of the Description (1) The present description relates, in general, to special effects and display systems designed to provide effects in a repeatable manner. More particularly, the present description relates to a special effects system adapted to provide the effect of a physical or three-dimensional (3D) prop, such as an energy sword or light saber, cutting through a ceiling, with the special effect or illusion viewable by an observer in a known location or in a viewing space nearby to the set or space defined in part by the ceiling. 2. Relevant Background (2) In theme and amusement parks and other settings, there are many situations where it is desirable to provide a special effect or illusion to entertain and excite visitors or observers. Further, each of these special effects or illusions needs to be provided over-and-over or in a repeated manner over the day and, often, the time between presenting the special effect or illusion is relatively short (e.g., a minute or less). These design requirements can present design challenges to those in the special effects industry beyond simply generating an effect successfully and in a manner that is believable to the observer. For example, theme and amusement park rides and attractions often include special effects that need to be produced with high quality to be believed and enjoyed by ride and attraction participants and in a quickly repeatable manner to support the flow of participants through such rides and
1. A system for providing a surface cutting special effect, comprising: a physical set with a surface defining a space that is adjacent to a viewing space, wherein the surface comprises a plurality of panels each with a projection surface facing the space; a viewing window provided in the surface in place of one of the panels; a disk with a first surface facing toward the space and with a second surface facing away from the space, wherein the disk is positioned to be parallel to a plane containing the panels; a slot extending through the disk from the first surface to the second surface; a motor with an output coupled to a center portion of the disk on the second surface of the disk, wherein the motor is operable to rotate the disk about its center from a first position with a portion of the disk free of the slot being positioned over the viewing window to a second position with a portion of the disk containing the slot being positioned over the viewing window; and a pivoting physical prop assembly with a drive mechanism mounted to the second surface of the disk, with a support arm coupled at a first end to the drive mechanism, and with a physical prop coupled to a second end of the support arm, wherein the physical prop has an elongated body, wherein the support arm is driven during operations of the drive mechanism to pivot through a travel path that causes the body of the physical prop to move in and out of the slot to extend from the first surface a predefined distance. ||
11. A system for providing a surface cutting special effect, comprising: a ceiling with a lower surface facing a space and with a hole provided therethrough; a disk positioned parallel to an upper surface of the ceiling and with a first surface facing toward the space and with a second surface facing away from the space; a semicircular slot extending through the disk from the first surface to the second surface; a motor with an output coupled to the second surface of the disk, wherein the motor is operable to rotate the disk about its center from a first position with a solid portion of the disk being positioned over the hole to a second position with a portion of the disk containing the slot being positioned over the hole; and a prop assembly with an elongated prop positionable in the slot near a leading edge of the slot and a drive mechanism, wherein the drive mechanism is mounted to the second surface of the disk and wherein during operations of the drive mechanism the prop is driven in a reciprocating manner to extend between a first position with an end of the prop in or near the slot and a second position with the end of the prop spaced apart some distance from the first surface of the disk. ||
19. A method of generating a ceiling cutting special effect, comprising: projecting video onto a ceiling surface and a projection surface of a rotatable disk exposed via a viewing window in the ceiling surface, wherein the video includes static images that are media mapped to predefined portions of the ceiling surface and the projection surface; rotating the rotatable disk from a first position to a second position during the projecting, wherein the rotatable disk comprises a semicircular slot and wherein a first portion of the rotatable disk is located over the viewing window with the rotatable disk in the first position and second portion of the rotatable disk containing the semicircular slot is located over the viewing window with the rotatable disk in the second position; and during the rotating, moving an elongated body with a reciprocating motion through the slot near a leading edge of the slot to alternate over time from having an end a first distance from the projection surface of the rotatable disk and having the end a second distance, differing from the first distance, from the projection surface.