MOBILE BAND PROJECT, HARDRIVE PRODUCTIONS

UNREALIZED CONCEPT PITCH, 2016

During the summer of 2016 I was approached by Hardrive Productions about developing a “mobile marching band”. Incorporating stilts, jump stilts & other outside-of-the-box heightened forms of movement, the finished project was to be used as a possible 3rd party performance proposal for a major theme park in Orlando, FL.

Although the project was ultimately abandoned, it was an exciting exercise in concept development, research & design.

CHARACTER: DRUM MAJOR

With the stepping off point being the idealized classic hometown “Americana” marching band - I did take further inspiration from the environment of the proposed performance space for the project.

Spanish Revival architectural details in warm earth tones pushed me to see this cast of characters as more of a traveling “Gypsy Troupe” or “Band of Merry Men”. It introduced the stepping off point for a sudo Renaissance/Elizabethan aesthetic.

Because one of the requested devices for the mobile band were jump stilts (which I imagine would be rather difficult to navigate while playing an instrument), I envisioned a conductor/leader of the group type character as a Drum Major.

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CHARACTER: PERCUSSION

My favourite variation of my trio of performers is the percussion costume. Although the majority of my research was turning up knee high boots & pumpkin style pantaloon pants - the articulated stilt performer had to be in a style of “straight-leg pants” to mask the actual stilt. I was fascinated by the intricate leather work & lacing I was coming across in my research (in doublets, sleeves, shoulder attachments etc.) and decided that would be the direction for my exaggerated pant.

Further exploration into historical leather pants brought me to investigate early takes on athletic wear & sports gear - like the mid century football pants which was my main stepping off point.

CHARACTER: BRASS

With the obvious thought that using a “knee driven segway” and playing the sousaphone at the same time would prove to be a bit difficult/dangerous - a proposal was to have instruments or casings strapped to the performer & that the group would come to a “parade stop” while performing.

Is this the most ridiculous/impractical thing I have ever designed? Yes.