For a long time I've wanted to add a section to my company website (we manufacture scrims) where people could obtain free patterns for sihouettes. My thinking is that there are several show scenes where its impractical to bring the object or person onstage, but a scene could be played in silhouette.
Horses are a primary example of this. Many folks can't bring a live horse on stage. This first time this came up was when I was helping someone with putting the Headless Horseman on stage on a horse, where a horse couldn't be used. I came up with a horse that when played in silhouette could have the actor appear to sit on. The horse, moved its head and a foot, when the actor or stagehand puppeted it.
Here are some of the examples I've seen that a silhouette pattern could be used or ones I've done for shows: Horses (several shows), Carriage with Horses(Cinderella), People (Peter Pan), Scenery (Bagdad for Alladin, London Skyline for several shows), Donkey (for Christmas shows), Growing Christmas Tree (Nutcraker).
To use the pattern, someone would print it out, enlarge it to whatever size was desired, lay it onto plywood or cardboard and cut it out then assemble.
My question is: Is there interest in this? Does it solve problems for people?
The patterns would be scaleable so someone could make them larger or smaller. They could also be used for shadow projections where they would be dynamically possible to shrink or grow. They could also be used for custom gobo patterns. Several would move.
If we did it, we might have the patterns free for typical use, or a suggested voluntary donation or program mention so we'd be funded to make more of them. The site would also allow suggestions for future patterns.
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The theater scrim people
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