Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: snow effect

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DnoMan
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Topic: snow effect
Posted: 9/03/07 at 4:06pm

We are doing "Barefoot in the Park" and want to do a snow effect at the end of a scene. I have been told about a technique that involves sidelighting bubbles from a bubble machine onto the backdrop of the theatre. Has anyone any info on this technique that may be helpful?

Thanks

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Gaafa
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Posted: 9/04/07 at 7:40pm

never heard of it but I suppose that would work.
It would probably take a bit of trail & balancing with the general wash lighting. Also depending on the type of lantern used, you may have to diffuse with brushed silk gel &/or tweek the focus a bit. Also experiment with bouncing the light off mirrors may help to get a larger coverage area.
I think the biggest problem is containing the bubbles, as they have a mind of thier own. They tend to stray, at the whim of drafts & thermals, before they pop or disapate.

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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Kathy S
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Posted: 9/04/07 at 10:33pm

Doesn't snow typically float down and bubbles typically float up?

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biggertigger
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Posted: 9/04/07 at 11:32pm

This is the only thing I can find (besides the large stage ones) that would create snow for a small area. This model is on Ebay and I was too tired to google it. But hope this one will give you some ideas.

http://cgi.ebay.com/CHAUVET-SM75-SM-75-SNOW-MACHINE-SNOW-EFFECT_W0QQitemZ220144883940QQihZ012QQcategoryZ132997QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

The two greatest days in a theater persons life, the day you start a new show and the day the damn thing closes.

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Gaafa
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Posted: 9/05/07 at 4:12am

Fair dinkum KathyS your a dinkydie gem!
Trust a woman to bring in logic to the equation Embarrassed

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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Topper
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Posted: 9/05/07 at 9:25am

Originally posted by Kathy S

Doesn't snow typically float down and bubbles typically float up?

An interesting question and the same thought crossed my mind when I read the post. "Bubbles? Instead of snow?"

But I was thinking of air bubbles, which when expelled underwater will float towards the surface. Air, of course, is lighter than water.

However, soap bubbles, bubblegum bubbles, and balloons released into our atmosphere are heavier than the air around them and will succumb to gravity, falling (however gently) to the ground. Unless, of course, they are filled with a lighter-than-air gas, such as helium.

So, technically, a bubble-maker of some kind will produce a snow-like falling effect, but why should anybody go to that kind of trouble when one can simply toss a handful of soap flakes from a ladder and achieve the same thing?

"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone

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Gaafa
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Posted: 9/05/07 at 10:47pm

What I can remember of bubble machines, they basicly the same princple. of the circular piece of wire with soapy water & lot of blowing, untill your light headed.
The difference being the wire is now plastic & a pump powered by 2 batteries.
Heaps of them pour out of the machine, while the fluid & batteries lasts.
Topper is right they should fall straight to the deck, but the skin buuble of the bubble being what it is they are pushed about & tend to upwards, caused by air movement & thermal pressure & what have you. They will tend to fill a room uo in short order, untill they pop. On a stage because of the lights & aor movement they swirl around upwards dissapate before they fall - But as a snow effect?
The bubbles would be hard to control & contain.

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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Gaafa
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Posted: 9/06/07 at 12:14am

Originally posted by Kathy S

Doesn't snow typically float down and bubbles typically float up?

Kathy I think your post should be nominated as a candidatefor the Annual 'Gaffer Tape Awards'. Wink

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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Kathy S
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Posted: 9/06/07 at 12:32am

Joe, Luvvie,

Thank you thank you thank you! You are too kind! Who are the other nominees and is there a trophy involved? Mmmwah!

Kathy

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Gaafa
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Posted: 9/06/07 at 2:11am

as you would realise the nominations are scribled on bits of paper & put in a hat & are drawn out, not unlike a secret balot!
So they will be posted here, by the powers that be? In order to protect thier anonimity?
However the award is not the most important thing to worry about, it is the acceptance speach & of course - the DRESS! Dead

But as for the trophy I would image it a ball of Gaffer tape, spay painted individuly painted gold, silver & bronze. Mounted on a pice of ply board as a plynth, but the one that is for the 'vestibule of fame award' is Black!
So start practising 'that' speach & think about the dress Duckie! Star

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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Lights and Sound
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Producing Theater :Lights and Sound

Topic: snow effect( Topic Closed)
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