Props, Scenery, Costumes and Makeup: How to make a tree grow?

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How to make a tree grow?

Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Props, Scenery, Costumes and Makeup
Forum Discription: For how-to's and where-can-I-find
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3740
Printed Date: 8/08/25 at 4:38am
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Topic: How to make a tree grow?

Posted By: Karin
Subject: How to make a tree grow?
Date Posted: 1/15/09 at 7:51pm

In the opening scene of Cinderella "Her tears fell down upon the earth and made the tree grow." How do I show a tree growing.... I have no trap doors on the stage. Any creative minds out there who would care to share their thoughts....... Thanks for your help!!!

Replies:

Posted By: vickifrank
Date Posted: 1/16/09 at 8:43am

Just did an easy form of the tree growing for a customer for Nutcracker. (Remember that the nutcracker tree is a Christmas Tree). We used Chameleon Scrim material in Green cut to a Triangle shape. Initially most of the material is folded on the ground underneath the small hanging portion, which has a fishing line tied to the top. As the tree grows the line is pulled simultaneously lifting and unfolding the portion on the ground, so the full tree is created to be 20 times the little tree. This would work best for a conifer or a tree with a conical shape. The tree could be printed (costs less for printed scenery on Chameleon than people think) or painted on the scrim material. Part of the reason that Chameleon Scrim was used was because it--unlike most other fabrics--was light enough to use this way.

Another way is to project a movie sequence of the tree growing in a scrim. This can be front of rear projection with this type of scrim.

Third way is to shadow project from a small cut out. As the cutout is moved closer to the light source, and away from scrim, it 'grows' bigger.

Final way is a reveal effect. You place the little tree behind the printed or painted scrim and reveal it by lighting it and not the scrim. Then you switch the lights to light the scrim not the little prop tree. The scrim has the tree printed or painted on it full size. So 4'x 3' tree becomes 20' x 15' tree grown up.

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http://www.studio-productions-inc.com
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The theater scrim people

Posted By: Nyria
Date Posted: 1/16/09 at 6:09pm

I don't think you really need to have the tree 'grow' do you? I mean if you have a tree there already the audeince will understand. Or you could have just a spotlight on Cinderella and then when the tree grows you could have all the lights come up.

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NYRIA