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Looking to see if a plant prop is possible

Demetrius HillDemetrius Hill ✭
in Suggestions and FAQ
I'm currently in the process of writing a screenplay surrounding a plant. The thing I want to know is if its possible to construct. I was looking for the plant to be very large and long. Similar to the corpse flower or the giant yellow pod flower used in the film Jumanji. I was looking to have it move as well. I currently have no idea or knowledge on how to make this work. I wanted to know if this prop is possible before i go ahead and green light my screenplay. If anyone wants to help me out or knows any prop makers it'd be greatly appreciated. Thanks! 

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    Chris EllerbyChris Ellerby Admin
    Hi Demetrius,

    Something like that should be possible.  The big is how much movement (and what typer of movement) do you need? 

    Depending on your budget you could go as simple as a hand puppet operated by a performer under a raised deck or hiding behind the plant, a marionette style puppet operated from wires, a rod puppet, or a cable operated puppet.  And those are just quick options.   I usually start with the simplest option to se if it can pull off the effect you are after.

    /Chris
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    Demetrius HillDemetrius Hill ✭
    The movement was going to play a large role. I was looking for the plant to bloom open similar to the one on Jumanji. As far as the size I was looking for it to be 3 and a half feet tall. Maybe a rod puppet would be the best way to operate it off screen. I'm not a prop maker myself really, how much would that go for (Budget wise)? 
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    Chris EllerbyChris Ellerby Admin
    For the opening and closing of the flower you could use cable control, and possibly operate the body of the flower using rods or wires.

    AS far as the cost, it's just not possible to estimate such a thing without more detailed requirements (design, movement, script requirements, etc.).  It could be anything from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. 

    /Chris
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    Demetrius HillDemetrius Hill ✭
    If i drew and out and constructed a few sketches covering the design, desired moment, size and script requirements would you happen to know anyone who may be able to help me out with making it? 
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    Chris EllerbyChris Ellerby Admin
    It's possible you could find someone here on the forums (we have a Job Listings category), otherwise you could try reaching out to other communities with artists that might have the skills to create what you are looking for.   The more information you can provide them with (script, story boards, sketches, detailed description of everything it needs to do) the more likely you will be to find the right person.

    Best of luck!  And please feel free to share your project here once you have this plant created. I would love to see it.

    /Chris
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