# Spidora



## Rahnefan (May 1, 2009)

Anyone here ever use a Spidora in your haunt (with live actress)? How did it go? Any cautions or comments?


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## joker (Sep 25, 2007)

Rahnefan said:


> Anyone here ever use a Spidora in your haunt (with live actress)? How did it go? Any cautions or comments?


I had to google it.









I've not seen that version yet, but I think some on here have done the 1/2 person with some success.

The key is going to be making the sides and back of the box match up as well as the lighting. Keeping guests at a distance would also be crucial I'd think.


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## Rahnefan (May 1, 2009)

Man do I have to study that pic before I see the legs.


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## joker (Sep 25, 2007)

Rahnefan said:


> Man do I have to study that pic before I see the legs.


Yeah I didn't even see them till you said something...lol.

I'd think some larger more rigid legs maybe on a crank mechanism like a Flying Crank Ghost would really update that illusion.


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## oneshot (Aug 22, 2008)

Rahnefan said:


> Man do I have to study that pic before I see the legs.


I thought you were talking about the actresses legs, I got really mad thinking I was stupid for not being able to see them, then I realized I was just stupid for not realizing what you were talking about...

But, that is one cool idea...


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## Rahnefan (May 1, 2009)

I'd already be working on one, but the plans I've seen cost $25+ and I'm too much a noob to get it from just looking at it. Love love love the concept though. Man, the story I'd spin on this one. It kept me awake the other night.


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## DarkLore (Jan 25, 2009)

Rahnefan said:


> I'd already be working on one, but the plans I've seen cost $25+ and I'm too much a noob to get it from just looking at it. Love love love the concept though. Man, the story I'd spin on this one. It kept me awake the other night.


Research how the half man props are created, it would be similar. Here's my guess -

1. Construct an open box (facing you) with inside panels that are smooth, but a top panel that has board striations (lines) in it (when viewed from the inside).

At a 45 degree angle from the front bottom, to the upper back....install a mirror with a hole in it. To do this, I'd attempt a large plexi with window tinting or some other reflective surface on it. Reinforce with plywood underneath. The hole is for the Spidora actor to stick her head out.










Lay a web down over the mirrorred surface. I'm guessing that if the web is attached flat against the mirror, you won't see a reflection of the webbing. So it would look something like this...










Overlayed onto the view of the photo...










What do you think...am I close?


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## DarkLore (Jan 25, 2009)

Notice...the light would probably have to be at the front of the box, so it doesn't reflect onto the mirror and give away the illusion. The actor wears a turtleneck shirt, with alot of hair fanned out. This isn't to make her look like a spider, it's to prevent the actor's face reflecting onto the mirror. I'm presuming those stupid looking legs are in the back because it somehow makes it reflect or not reflect in a better way for the viewer.


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## Rahnefan (May 1, 2009)

The side of the mirror facing forward is reflecting the rest of the box? Seems like the illusion would only work if you are facing dead-on toward it. Looks good to me though...


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## Rahnefan (May 1, 2009)

You sure put that together quickly! Good job.


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## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

You sure about all that DarkLore? Seems to me that you'd get a reflection of the spider and actress's head in the mirror at that angle...


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## DarkLore (Jan 25, 2009)

Mr_Chicken said:


> You sure about all that DarkLore? Seems to me that you'd get a reflection of the spider and actress's head in the mirror at that angle...


Nope...not sure. That's why I called it a guess. But I don't think you'd see the reflection from the face or the web if you handle it correctly. The web should be thin. The face, surrounded with a black velvet, fake fur, or something similar that doesn't reflect light well.

I didn't google to see plans, etc. I based my guess only on the photo posted. It appears that there are many ways to do it. Most of the ways I see look like they are done by creating a cabinet for the girl to sit or lay in. Often using stairs with side walls...which I suspect is a cheap way to create a diagonal and yet conceal a box or seated person.

This link, visible via googling Spidora...confirms that most use a cabinet and a mirror to conceal the body. Maybe in some designs, the mirror doesn't cover the full scene. Personally...I think some modification of my theory would work better than concealing a cabinet. You could easily set it up so the person is sitting in a chair.

Secrets of the Sideshows

here are some other links....

http://www.halloweenexpress.com/spidora-illusion-plans-p-5780.html#

http://halloweenmagicshows.com/jbphalloweenshows_016.htm


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## Revenant (Mar 17, 2007)

I believe you have that mirror bass-ackwards, DL... the web is obviously not lying on the mirror, as there is hair and ends of web-string hanging down below the web. And there *would* be a reflection of the web and the girl. Look at the slat patterns in the reflection... just to the left of the base of the "S". The mirror reflects the floor and makes it look like the back wall, the same way you'd do the mirror in the "head on a table" gag. The mirror is laminated onto the plywood she's leaning forward on and the leading edge of the mirror is concealed by a horizontal line of web.... look at the webbing just above the horizontal spoke and notice that the plane of the web angles back a little differently at that line. The the box is built with parquet sides so that the angle edge of the mirror blends with the slat-lines and makes the reflected slats look contiguous with the real ones above.


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## Aquayne (Sep 1, 2008)

You might find this interresting. the wed would be suspended infront of the mirror so it would not be in the reflection.


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## Rahnefan (May 1, 2009)

I don't think they are using any mirror in DL's second link. Are they?


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## Aquayne (Sep 1, 2008)

look at the first knot to the left of the "S". You can see the edge of the mirror.


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## Aquayne (Sep 1, 2008)

Revenant said:


> I believe you have that mirror bass-ackwards, DL... the web is obviously not lying on the mirror, as there is hair and ends of web-string hanging down below the web. And there *would* be a reflection of the web and the girl. Look at the slat patterns in the reflection... just to the left of the base of the "S". The mirror reflects the floor and makes it look like the back wall, the same way you'd do the mirror in the "head on a table" gag. The mirror is laminated onto the plywood she's leaning forward on and the leading edge of the mirror is concealed by a horizontal line of web.... look at the webbing just above the horizontal spoke and notice that the plane of the web angles back a little differently at that line. The the box is built with parquet sides so that the angle edge of the mirror blends with the slat-lines and makes the reflected slats look contiguous with the real ones above.


This is exactly correct. The web is perpendicular to the mirror.


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## Aquayne (Sep 1, 2008)

Rahnefan said:


> I don't think they are using any mirror in DL's second link. Are they?


Look at the steps just below her head. They are slightly darker bacause it is the reflection of the top of the steps below the mirror.


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## Rahnefan (May 1, 2009)

I see now, thanks...and the vine is concealing one edge too.


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## DarkLore (Jan 25, 2009)

So, we've got something more like this?...










And no, Rev. I don't think they are using mirrors in that link. I think she's just hiding behind fake steps.


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