Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Scrim Advice

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msthtr
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Joined: 5/17/05
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Topic: Scrim Advice
Posted: 5/17/05 at 4:05pm

Our company will need to order a scrim for our upcoming production. We have decided to use shadow play in a particular scene. Somehow this project has fallen upon the most technically impaired person in our company.... ME! Don't get me wrong, I know what technical things I like, I just couldn't give you an educated guess as to how to get the effect. So after my ranting, my questions are these... Does anyone know a reputable company to order from? And is there a certain weight or thickness I should be looking for?
Any help/ advice that can be given will be greatly appreciated.

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Linda S
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Joined: 4/16/05
Location: United States
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Posts: 312

Posted: 5/18/05 at 8:49am

Hi,

I know how you feel. Lots of time this stuff falls on my too. Is there a local lighting company in your area? I am in are a fairly small city and there are two places that rent and sell lighting equipment. They are both wonderful and always happy to help. I would go to a place like that with your questions. They will be able to show you samples and even explain how everything works. I just got help figuring out how to get the exact right special effect I needed with equipment I already had. They didn't just tell me, they showed me. Actually, they talked me out of buying something I didn't need. So, I left with 6 rolls of gaffers tape! I will use it eventually.

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dougb
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Joined: 3/30/04
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Posts: 148

Posted: 5/18/05 at 10:26am

Pacific Northwest Theater Associates in Seattle (www.pnta.com) - 800.622.7850 has a wonderful curtain department. They are very good over the phone - even when you don't buy from them. They spent a lot of time on the phone helping me cut down a donated curtain.

Doug

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Gaafa
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Joined: 3/21/04
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1181

Posted: 5/20/05 at 1:13am

With shadow effects, this will depend upon the amount of space upstage of the cloth available & a lot of experimenting.

I have used scrims on occasions for this, however in most cases I use the Cyclorama or the cyc?s reflector cloth.

I have used scrims effectively, as they are primarily a lighting transposition cloths, & to gain the dual effect of a silhouette from upstage, with a ?Z? [floor] position lamp & being able to have the upstage scene appear & disappear, by swapping from upstage lighting, to only having downstage light from the ?Y? [30 degree] & defusing the cloth, assisted by the ?X?[overhead] position lamps.

As for the material & depending upon the size of the space, if it is only a small venue, shadecloth is the cheapest way to go. You can get this in 3.6 metre [12 foot] width rolls, that would do most community venues. They are available in black & white. White would suit your requirements if you get upto the 90% shade type.

Being woven plastic, it will bounce a sheen from the lamps, which might be a problem only with downstage lighting.

Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

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Shatcher
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Joined: 2/21/05
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 251

Posted: 5/20/05 at 3:39pm

I would look for a black sharkstooth scrim. Any theatrical supllier should be able to order it for you (myself included) You will need to know the finished size needed and how are you going to hang it. (does it tie to a pipe?)

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PropMaster123
Walk-On
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Joined: 5/15/05
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 0

Posted: 5/21/05 at 11:31am

If you only want shadow play then a cyc curtain would be a little more cost effective, but if you want an "Removeable wall" like a scrim has the capabillities to be, then it's your best bet. They don't run very cheap though, our theater's was $2,500 at least. Just some advice.

Cracko Jacko!
-West Side Story

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Gaafa
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Joined: 3/21/04
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1181

Posted: 5/22/05 at 12:53am

There are a number of materials available in various sharktooth weave, depending upon the density required, it is based on how many teeth per inch, this establishes it?s ability to be transparent.

Also I believe Bobbinet is a good stage material, because crease & fold marks will come out, in a very short hanging period.

Comparing the price of a scrim or cyc purchase from a supplier, this will depend on how many gold bricks you have. Most scrims &/or cyc?s start upwards from $1500 AUD, for the average community teatre, [4 x 7 metre] where by shade cloth is about $ 100 AUD, which is a cheaper option by at least 90%.

You can use canvas repair kit eyelet?s, for hanging to the batten, you can use reusable plastic ties to make up the tail pocket to hold the tail batten in.

Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

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Dustmac
Lead
Lead

Joined: 5/25/05
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 42

Posted: 5/25/05 at 5:54pm

We used a scrim during a production of "Turn of the Screw" which was a cool effect. If you need some information on it, you are welcome to call our theater at (901)476-3439 and we can tell you what we did.

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Author	Message
msthtr Walk-On Joined: 5/17/05 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Topic: Scrim Advice Posted: 5/17/05 at 4:05pm
	Our company will need to order a scrim for our upcoming production. We have decided to use shadow play in a particular scene. Somehow this project has fallen upon the most technically impaired person in our company.... ME! Don't get me wrong, I know what technical things I like, I just couldn't give you an educated guess as to how to get the effect. So after my ranting, my questions are these... Does anyone know a reputable company to order from? And is there a certain weight or thickness I should be looking for? Any help/ advice that can be given will be greatly appreciated.

	IP Logged

Linda S Celebrity Joined: 4/16/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 312	Posted: 5/18/05 at 8:49am
	Hi, I know how you feel. Lots of time this stuff falls on my too. Is there a local lighting company in your area? I am in are a fairly small city and there are two places that rent and sell lighting equipment. They are both wonderful and always happy to help. I would go to a place like that with your questions. They will be able to show you samples and even explain how everything works. I just got help figuring out how to get the exact right special effect I needed with equipment I already had. They didn't just tell me, they showed me. Actually, they talked me out of buying something I didn't need. So, I left with 6 rolls of gaffers tape! I will use it eventually. L.
	IP Logged

dougb Celebrity Joined: 3/30/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 148	Posted: 5/18/05 at 10:26am
	Pacific Northwest Theater Associates in Seattle (www.pnta.com) - 800.622.7850 has a wonderful curtain department. They are very good over the phone - even when you don't buy from them. They spent a lot of time on the phone helping me cut down a donated curtain. Doug
	IP Logged

Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 5/20/05 at 1:13am
	With shadow effects, this will depend upon the amount of space upstage of the cloth available & a lot of experimenting. I have used scrims on occasions for this, however in most cases I use the Cyclorama or the cyc?s reflector cloth. I have used scrims effectively, as they are primarily a lighting transposition cloths, & to gain the dual effect of a silhouette from upstage, with a ?Z? [floor] position lamp & being able to have the upstage scene appear & disappear, by swapping from upstage lighting, to only having downstage light from the ?Y? [30 degree] & defusing the cloth, assisted by the ?X?[overhead] position lamps. As for the material & depending upon the size of the space, if it is only a small venue, shadecloth is the cheapest way to go. You can get this in 3.6 metre [12 foot] width rolls, that would do most community venues. They are available in black & white. White would suit your requirements if you get upto the 90% shade type. Being woven plastic, it will bounce a sheen from the lamps, which might be a problem only with downstage lighting.
	Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house}
	IP Logged

Shatcher Celebrity Joined: 2/21/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 251	Posted: 5/20/05 at 3:39pm
	I would look for a black sharkstooth scrim. Any theatrical supllier should be able to order it for you (myself included) You will need to know the finished size needed and how are you going to hang it. (does it tie to a pipe?)
	IP Logged

PropMaster123 Walk-On Joined: 5/15/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 5/21/05 at 11:31am
	If you only want shadow play then a cyc curtain would be a little more cost effective, but if you want an "Removeable wall" like a scrim has the capabillities to be, then it's your best bet. They don't run very cheap though, our theater's was $2,500 at least. Just some advice.
	Cracko Jacko! -West Side Story
	IP Logged

Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 5/22/05 at 12:53am
	There are a number of materials available in various sharktooth weave, depending upon the density required, it is based on how many teeth per inch, this establishes it?s ability to be transparent. Also I believe Bobbinet is a good stage material, because crease & fold marks will come out, in a very short hanging period. Comparing the price of a scrim or cyc purchase from a supplier, this will depend on how many gold bricks you have. Most scrims &/or cyc?s start upwards from $1500 AUD, for the average community teatre, [4 x 7 metre] where by shade cloth is about $ 100 AUD, which is a cheaper option by at least 90%. You can use canvas repair kit eyelet?s, for hanging to the batten, you can use reusable plastic ties to make up the tail pocket to hold the tail batten in.
	Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house}
	IP Logged

Dustmac Lead Joined: 5/25/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 42	Posted: 5/25/05 at 5:54pm
	We used a scrim during a production of "Turn of the Screw" which was a cool effect. If you need some information on it, you are welcome to call our theater at (901)476-3439 and we can tell you what we did.
	IP Logged

Topic: Scrim Advice( Topic Closed)