Technical Design & Practical Effects
Technical Design & Practical Effects
Animatronic / Puppetry
- Build: torso rig with articulated shoulders; detachable 10–11 ft wings with internal spars; feathering over heat‑resistant underlay.
- On‑ground beats (“Crash” & “Confrontation”): full‑scale torso with mobile mantle; radio‑controlled claw flex; cable pull for last mantle spread.
Fire & Explosion Design (Barn)
- Pre‑rig kerosene trays and narrow‑angle gas bars; controlled vent path for roof rupture; pyro coordination for ember shower.
- Safety: wet‑down perimeter; extinguishers & charged lines; SPFX + Fire Safety Officer present; performer minimum clearances.
Environmental Integration
- Fog via low‑lying fluid machines, kept knee‑to‑waist; avoid fan swirl; use real weather when possible.
- Heat shimmer plates to break CG cleanliness; ember comp limited to <2–3 s wide tableau augmentation.
Continuity of Light & Weather
- Night fog maps per beat; breath visible in all exterior nights.
- Snow continuity via shaded patches and hero plow‑lines; finale can be shot in thaw, with snow machine only for early scenes.
Continuity Grid — Light/Weather/Props
| Beat | Porch Bulbs | Snow/Frost | Fog | Hero Props |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Open | n/a | Patchy snow | Knee‑high | Trowel, cloth bag, game cam |
| Day 2 Broadcast | Red/Green (legacy) | Frost AM | None | TV, propane heater |
| Night 5 Search | Off | Residual | Dense | LED headlamps (green), radios |
| Night 6 Tower | Off | Snowmelt | Bands | Breaker panel, flashlight |
| Night 9 Porch | Fluorescent hum | None | Light haze | Thermos, hat |
| Finale | To be replaced | Thaw | Low haze | Flicker relay, Zippo, shotgun |
| Dawn 19 | White/White | Frost return | None | Empty porch |
Safety & SPFX Protocol
- Dry runs without live flame; mark performer paths; confirm safe stop lines.
- Wet‑down radius; extinguishers every 10 m; charged lines; med kit staged.
- SPFX lead and Fire Safety Officer authority to call immediate cut.
- Animal silhouette fire: never on performer; use fire‑resistant shell with external ignition trays; no accelerant on plumage.
Post & Delivery
- Color: ACEScct; trim passes for SDR and HDR; maintain fog texture.
- Sound: 5.1/7.1 stems (DX/FX/AMB/LFE), separate infra bed.
- Archival: 16‑bit TIFF frame grabs for key tableaux; PDF of this encyclopedia.