Raptor for Hire by Bruce Campana
A small child plays in a
forested glade. 20 yards away, a 14-foot prehistoric reptile hides in the bushes, waiting. It is a velociraptor, an enormous female. The child looks down at a dandelion. Sensing the moment, the velociraptor lunges forward, closing the distance in seconds. The child looks up just as the creature arrives. He puts up both arms … and hugs her. Velma the Velociraptor wiggles her eight-foot cantilevered tail and they dance together, but only until the rest of the kids show up. Then everyone wants to pat her on the head, or reach into her mouth to see how sharp those teeth really are. Such is the life of a velociraptor. But it isn't all kids' parties. "We probably do more adult events," says Ben Campana. He and and his twin brother, Josh, comprise the brains – and brawn – behind Velma and their company, Raptor4Rent. They've been invited to adult birthdays, weddings, a marriage proposal, been featured in a real estate ad, posed with the Premier, and walked in the Victoria Day and Pride Parades. They were even hired by a political party that wanted to point out their feelings about the current electoral system. What does it take to be a dinosaur? "A strong back," says Josh. "I can do 30 to 40 minutes, then it really starts to hurt." He is 6'2", and Ben is almost as tall, with broader shoulders. Both boys have rowed competitively. A look inside shows why raptor pilots have to be strong. Dinosaurs may be extinct, but the current version is high tech. The frame is stainless steel, with a textured outer fabric that forms the skin. The head moves with controls similar to a bicycle. Velma "sees" with a video camera hidden in her chest, which is connected to an HD monitor visible to the raptor pilot inside. Also inside are the sound controls, volume adjustment, a battery and a fan. All of that weighs about 60 pounds. Why the fan? "It gets really hot in there," says Ben. Josh agrees. "It actually takes two or three people for an event," he says. "You need an outside crew ('wranglers') to clear obstacles and make sure it's safe for the pilot. Sometimes it's hard to see where to walk. We use two-way radios to help the pilot." What's the most fun about being a velociraptor? "Probably the parades," says Ben. "Tons of kids, and they go crazy over her. We interact with them as much as we can. We pose for pictures, lean down to get our nose rubbed, and make sure we run over to the kids in wheelchairs. Sometimes they're scared at first, then this big grin breaks out." "Adults love her too," adds Josh. "I think it's something about
conquering that natural fear of a giant predator. People like to pet her like a large, carnivorous, friendly dog. Or they just hug her. But everyone smiles and laughs and reaches out. It's pretty nice to know that your work makes people happy." "It can be tough on your back, but sometimes this is the best job ever."
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