At work, we've been trying to make a skybow, an effort somewhat hampered by lack of wind and entirely hampered by lack of free-spinning swivel things, segment rotation for the decoupling of.
However, today was filming day, so we had to go with what we had. Nicki and I were, therefore, standing in the cold at Roundhay Park, and stuff me but the thing actually worked. Still not right, but the combination of late afternoon sun glinting off the ribbon, the arc path it cut into the blue sky, and the way it descended periodically to kiss its own shadow... well, it was beautiful.
Of course, by the time the crew finished the previous item and joined us, the wind had dropped and the sun was settling into haze, no longer providing the spec(tac)ular highlights I so adored. Fifteen minutes later, when the presenters had (with admirable alacrity, I note) learned how to fly the thing, it was dark so far as the cameras were concerned.
Blast. Nobody's fault, just one of those things that happens - and one of those things you won't be seeing on your screens in the near future, sadly.
However, if anybody reading this (in the US, perhaps?) can send me some Sampo ball-bearing game fishing swivels, I'd be very interested to hear from you. The Skybow will fly again.
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