stage effects
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Printed Date: 6/08/25 at 4:49am
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Topic: stage effects
Posted By: joey61062
Subject: stage effects
Date Posted: 7/01/05 at 5:02pm
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I'm looking to find a way to produce a flight effect in a
very small theater with no fly system - HELP!!! ------------- joey andrade |
Replies:
Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 7/02/05 at 2:46am
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Can you give more info! The ?flight? of what? A set piece, cold &/or warm prop? G?donya Joey! ------------- 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} |
Posted By: joey61062
Date Posted: 7/07/05 at 2:12pm
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looking to make an actor fly (or at least APPEAR to
fly!) on and offstage ------------- joey andrade |
Posted By: joey61062
Date Posted: 7/07/05 at 2:14pm
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I'm also looking to find some ideas for creating a
projected ghostly face on a door (this is for 'A Christmas Carol' where Scrooge sees Marley's face on the door knocker and again on the portraits in his room - the portraits I can probably get away without but I really want a good looking effect for the knocker ------------- joey andrade |
Posted By: Topper
Date Posted: 7/07/05 at 2:37pm
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Couple ideas that come to mind.
For a very simple flying effect one can used a mirrored ball (like those found in discos or nightclubs). As the stage darkens, a special light shines on the BACK of the ball as it spins, reflecting what effectively looks like a field of stars. Actors either move in the OPPOSITE direction of the rotating stars, or (if dialogue is to be performed) stand in one place and mime a floating posture, letting the moving background create the illusion of flight. Another cheap effect (no fly system or rigging) is to construct a "Teeter Board." This is an old magician's trick and might not be feasible due to your set design. Simply put: a sturdy beam (wood or metal) with a tiny seat attached (like those used on riding lawn-mowers) is snaked through the upstage curtain (or scenery) directly BEHIND the performer. This apparatus is painted flat black and is concealed from audience view by the performer's body. The middle of the beam rests on a fulcrum (securely attached to the floor please!) located BEHIND the scenery or curtain. The end of the beam projects an equal amount backstage. Depending on the weight or size of your actor, it might take two or more stagehands to operate. On cue, the backstage crew maneuver the Teeter Board into position behind the actor onstage. The actor will surreptitiously back up and sit on the mounted seat as the backstage crew holds it in position. Once aboard, the backstage crew place their weight on the opposite end of the beam, GINGERLY LIFTING the onstage actor off his feet. Once the actor onstage gets his balance, he can move his arms and legs about freely, remaining perched on the seat. If the beam is mounted with a pivot head to the fulcrum, the backstage crew can also move the actor laterally, as well as up and down. Combined with the lighting effect described above -- or independently -- the flying effect is quite startling. ------------- "None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone |
Posted By: Linda S
Date Posted: 7/07/05 at 3:54pm
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I have seen the Marley effect done with a light rubber inset to the door or picture frame. The actor presses his face into the rubber. I did something a little different last year when I did Christmas Carol. Scrooge's 3 story house was center stage. I used a projected image of Marley on the house. The wind blew, the lights faded and there was Marley's face 15 feet tall. It always got a reaction. It was simple and inexpensive. L. |
Posted By: Topper
Date Posted: 7/07/05 at 4:23pm
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Another alternative would be -- instead of rubber --
use an inset of scrim fabric or muslin on which the door knocker has been painted or (preferably) silk-screen printed. A simple light change, bringing up a special behind the door where the Marley actor is hiding, will substitute his face for the knocker's. The same technique can be used for the portraits. ------------- "None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone |
Posted By: Shatcher
Date Posted: 7/07/05 at 5:22pm
| I did a production of Christams carol years ago. for the flight, Marley and the ghost just stood on tip toes with arms outstreched. a light from below them and a little wind from a high powered fan in front really sell the effect. |
Posted By: casey05
Date Posted: 7/08/05 at 7:29am
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For the flight effect, you could use a backdrop for your set. However,
rather than having the backdrop the standard height, get a backdrop
double the height. Use the bottom half to depict the scene before the
flight scene, and the top half to depict the sky above. The backdrop
can be mounted on double rollers (one at top and one at bottom). Have
the "ground" part of the drop preset, with the top sky part of drop
rolled around the top roller. When the actors "fly", the rollers can be
moved by stagehands, so that the ground part rolls down to the bottom
and the sky rolls into place. |
Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 7/08/05 at 10:47pm
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You could use back projection. A cantilever effect using a palette hoist fork lift, the same as Illusionist use masked by a tab curtain. UV effect or as suggested a Tumbler type continuos back drop, which are not overly difficult to produce, depending on your space & resources. ------------- 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} |
Posted By: joey61062
Date Posted: 7/11/05 at 4:32pm
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thank you all for the great ideas!! I belive I'll be using
combinations of all these ideas for the most striking effects!!  ------------- joey andrade |
Posted By: casey05
Date Posted: 7/15/05 at 4:23am
| I just thought of something now, and wish I had of suggested it before. Both are variations of the same idea. One would be for your backdrop to be painted on scrim material, and have fairy lights light up behind and lights on the backcloth to go down. Otherwise, your backdrop could be painted in glow in the dark stars, and these to appear when the lights on the backcloth go down. |