Walking with Dinosaurs – the Arena Spectacular, based on the award-winning BBC television series, has been a sell-out phenomenon all over the globe since its launch in 2007, and has been seen by audiences of many millions.
Ten species are represented in the show from the entire 200 million year reign of the dinosaurs. All the dinosaurs were originally “hatched” in a Melbourne Docklands workshop big enough to house a Boeing 747. Stage Technologies automation specialists worked closely with animatronic experts at Global Creatures to breathe life into the enormous flying prehistoric bird, Ornithocheirus, believed to be the largest creature ever to have flown on the Earth. The 3-metre (10ft) long bird, with a 12-metre (40ft) wing-span, was brought to life using BigTow winches mounted in a symmetrical grid above the arena floor. The fully-articulated model appeared to fly as the winches caused the wings to flap and raised or lowered the creature through 15 metres of space.
The backdrop for the flight consisted of aerial footage taken from a helicopter along the coastline of Australia and the automation special effects produced needed to be just as realistic and believable. For example, the body of the Ornithocheirus could be angled up and down during flight to create the appearance of diving to catch fish or climbing back into the air. Servo motors within the body allowed the neck to raise, lower and twist as the Ornithocheirus ‘hunted’ and the metre-long jaws snapped shut as it grabbed its prey. The eyelids even blinked!
Equipment included:
