In a change to its usual duties a Niftylift Height Rider 28 (HR28) Hybrid was recently used to help Superman 'fly' as part of the Milton Keynes International Festival 2016.
The project, which was the brainchild of internationally renowned UK artist Richard DeDomenici, involved the remaking of certain scenes from the 1986 film 'Superman IV: The Quest for Peace', which were originally filmed in Milton Keynes, doubling as Metropolis.
The HR28 Hybrid was used to 'assist' Superman to fly down over the Metropolis United Nations buildings (Milton Keynes Train Station) during a key scene. The scene was originally filmed using a large crane, but the now 30 years older flooring is no longer able to support such a weight and the HR28 was selected due to its considerably lower overall weight (lower point load) and its impressive working outreach. This allowed the scene to be recreated easily, with the only compromise being Superman's safety harness while he was in the basket.
The filming day was a great success and cast members young and old, made up of actors and fans from Milton Keynes and further afield, had a thoroughly enjoyable time recreating those iconic scenes from the original.
The finished piece, 'Superman IV: The Quest for Peace: Redux', shows the original scenes alongside the Milton Keynes filmed footage and was screened at a special premier for participants and the general public as part of the International Festival's celebrations.
For those interested, it can also be viewed on Richard DeDomenici's YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/8Pz1LKtzkys
As a Milton Keynes based company and a patron of the International Festival, Niftylift was very pleased to help Superman fly once more over 'Metropolis' and will be ready, should he ever need its assistance again!