Smell of The Kill...
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Topic: Smell of The Kill...
Posted By: darfoo
Subject: Smell of The Kill...
Date Posted: 11/02/05 at 11:36pm
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Greetings! My name is Mark True, I am stage managing a production of Smell of The Kill for Burlington Players in Burlington MA. The guns on stage page on this site was invaluable to me as it gave me the information I needed to provide a realistic replica firearm for the show. Unfortunatly, the target of that firearm, a wall mounted clock, doesn't seem as easy to duplicate. Here is the scene: The actress stands downstage left, and aims upstage right toward the top of the door where a clock is hanging. She pulls the trigger and "shoots" the clock. I am trying to figure out a way to make the clock react "realistically" to being shot. I don't want to use squibs or pyrotechnics. Currently we have a pull string that yanks a small circular piece of plastic off the back of the clock and opens a small hole, this does not look great and is barely visible from the audience. Also the clock does not move very well. I am wondering if anyone has done something similar and can suggest some ideas. We open Friday night, the person who was supposed to be doing this effect has kind of provided the rather less than stellar solution we have, and I would like to make something that looks good. Any ideas? Thanks in advance, --Mark |
Replies:
Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 11/03/05 at 4:45am
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What I would suggest Mark, is the clock needs to react to the impact of
the magic bullet, therefore the clock should bounce off the flat rather
than just fall. If you attach a spigot to the back of the clock, as the hanging point, then have an extension spring over the spigot, which places the clock under tension to the flat. Push the clock against the flat surface, as the spigot passes through the hole in the flat & have some one else push a pin [nail] through a hole drilled into the protruding end of the spigot that?s through the flat. Attach a pull string or cord to the pin, when then holds the clock in place & captivates the spigot. When the guns report is heard, pull the pin out, from behind the flat & the clock is propelled forward by the spring tension & hits the floor. I would suggest using a brass threaded bolt, as the spigot, because it is easier to drill the pin hole, than it would be in a steel thread. Use nuts to captivate the clock end of the spring to the spigot. If it is difficult to remove the back of the clock, in order to mount the spigot. Make and attach a false back to the clock. The pull string/cord can be attached to the nail [pin] by bending the head end so it can be tied on. Also just rub on candle wax on the nail & ream or de-bur the drilled hole, to reduce fouling when the pins pulled. I hope you can understand my explanation?  ------------- 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: darfoo
Date Posted: 11/03/05 at 8:10am
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If
I understand you correctly, the "spiggot" should be a shaft that
protrudes from the back of the clock and has a spring around it.
That spring is compressed and will cause the clock to jump off
the wall. What if we don't want the clock to jump off the wall. |
Posted By: MartyW
Date Posted: 11/03/05 at 9:45am
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Dont know the show... Is it a drama or a comedy.. I don't have a "real look" fix up my sleave, but for comedic effect we did a gun shot hits a picture in a comedy where the picture was mounted on a pivot that was connected through the back of the flat to a battery powered drill... when the shot rang out, it spun. Of course that kind of thing is only good for comedies.....
------------- Marty W "Till next we trod the boards.." |
Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 11/03/05 at 11:26am
Well it is just a thought & I think if one shot a clock on the wall, the impact would certainly make it bounce away, rather than just limply drop - in fact it would probably shatter into pieces, but not having had any experience with guns - I would not really know! ------------- 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: Topper
Date Posted: 11/04/05 at 1:27am
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A good, old-fashioned rat-trap (similar to a
mouse-trap, but larger) nailed to the shelf beneath the clock. Set the spring and attach a concealed wire to the release lever. On cue (or "gunshot") yank the wire from offstage to spring the trap. Depending on how heavy your clock is, the action of the trap will be violent enough to rock your clock. If you have the time or budget, the same effect can be used to shatter the clock's crystal, knock out its face, or cause any number of damage to knick-knacks or whatnots on your shelf. ------------- "None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone |
Posted By: Joan54
Date Posted: 11/04/05 at 3:10pm
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Topper...what a great idea....I'm going to use that one...I never thought of a rat trap.....thanks ------------- "behind a thin wall of logic panic is waiting to stampede" |