July 20, 2008
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Drama
November 1999
Toys for ChristmasBy Janet BeasleyAnd all of the techs Were working like crazy And breaking their necks To meet the demands of directors and such They couldn't keep up It was just way too much "I want low flying fog To look really eerie Then I want snow And it should look cheery!" "Then something with black lights And bubbles and haze A laser, some pyro We've got several days!" The tech crew just stood there With mouths opened wide "You're kidding!" said one Then was sent for a ride! How many of us can relate to this scenario of looking for "toys" at the last minute? Probably many of us. When it comes to special effects, last minute is way too late. There is much planning, rehearsal, and tweaking that must take place for most special effects to perform successfully! Being as it is so close to Christmas at this time, this article is not written to give those in charge a license to procrastinate, get creative at the last minute, or decide to change the entire show and then watch the tech crew make it happen overnight. It is to inform you of what "toys" are out there to help enhance your creative Christmas and New Year's productions in the future! We all know that special effects for the holidays can add excitement and help create festive atmospheres. In this article, you will find some ways we have used lighting as special effects, and what other "toys" for Christmas and New Years you may want to consider for your productions. Let's start off with turning some basic lighting into a special effect. Ellipsoidals are great! They are a very versatile. They are a theatrical, stationary, type fixture that allows for many variations in beam shape, texture, and color. Let's say you have a scene in a manger, and would like some "moonlight" peering through the set window. An Ellipsoidal can give you just that! Here's how: By using the shutters of the fixture, you can create a beam that is exactly the shape of the set window. It should shine through the set window from behind, and onto the floor. Use an L117 color gel for that "moonlight" color. If you want texture, insert a gobo that is cut out in slats resembling a boarded window, or a window with shutters. Be sure to ad haze or smoke to the air so that the beams of light show up for added texture. If you want to create a focal point to the manger scene's end, you may want to give the 'light up manger cradle' a try. The following skit was a dance/mime done to an instrumental version of Silent Night. We simply built a wooden manger cradle that represented where the Baby Jesus was lying. We used only one performing character. The performer danced/mimed being an onlooker at the manger, and having Joseph ask her if she would like to hold the Baby Jesus. She mimed picking up the Baby Jesus from the cradle, and then danced happily with Him in her arms. She then returned to the cradle, and mimed laying Him back down inside. As she exited the stage, in a cloud of smoke, a pin spot hit the cradle, shining from behind the audience. As the smoke began to clear, we slowly dimmed the pin spot, and at the same time we brought up a small 15 watt light that had been mounted in the bottom of the cradle under the sheet. By the time the music ended and the smoke had cleared, all that was left as the focal point was the glowing manger. There wasn't a dry eye in the place! Looking for something completely different? Why not use black lights in your production? There are a couple of ways that black lights can be used. They can present a really cool effect when used as the only lighting on your subjects, or they can be used to enhance certain type scenes. The all black light productions are probably the most impressive of the two. The key factor to a successful one of these, is making sure there is nothing but black in, on, and around your performers! Black backdrops, drapes, covers, and costumes should be made with a dull type sheen. Shiny black fabrics will show unwanted reflections, which will ruin the "floating" effect of the highlighted performers. Costume and props must contain the correct pigment for the glow effect to happen. Fluorescent color fabrics usually contain the necessary pigments. When it comes to paint, not all white paint works under black light, so make sure it is a fluorescent white paint. The room itself must be completely dark, or viewers eyes will adjust to the low lighting, making it possible for them to see the motion and outlines of hidden performers even though they are in all black. To enhance a nighttime scene, you can use black lights to help give it a midnight appearance. Let's say you have painted backdrops, flats, or sets that are done in perspective giving you the illusion of a small village in the distance. If any of the buildings have windows, you can simply use a translucent paint on a selected few. Use the black light in addition to your normal low light on the sets, and it will give the effect of lights being on inside the rooms. Something else you may want to try, is the effect of hologram glasses. Everybody loves the 3D glasses, and hologram glasses will take the viewing audience one step further! Hologram glasses can be custom ordered. You can get them where you will use stars, angels, etc. To see the effect, you must use a light such as a string of mini lights. (Any color is fine, but white seems to give the best result.) Decorate the inside of your venue by stringing these from front to back, in curtain formation, or just outlining the stage; be creative on the placement of the mini lights. Don't turn them on until the glasses have been handed out. Let's say you save "Angels We Have Heard On High" for your last song. As the intro for the music begins, have several people available to hand out the glasses. Invite viewers to dawn their new pair of specs. Once everyone has their glasses on, bring in the choir, start to sing, turn on the mini lights, and the viewers will "flip" when they see the angels surrounding each individual mini light! Last but not least for this special "toy" article, the dilemma of making it snow on your performers and/or your viewers. There are several ways to make wintertime happen indoors. We are going to focus on probably the simplest way to make it snow! Snow machines have been designed to create a realistic effect with virtually no clean-up, and no more slipping performers on soap flakes and shredded plastic. Snow machines use a fluid that makes a type of soap suds bubble that slowly wafts through the air. When used in moderation, the dispersed solution (snow) falls on a surface, and the bubble clusters simply disappear and leave no residue. Because it is a liquid base, lighting can really give an added punch to this type snow when used in a production. You may want to add to the winter action by blowing a fan gently out across your viewing audience when the snow starts, to give them that blustery cold day feeling. Snow machines are really fun to have running while the audience is being seated. If you have a balcony, you are in good shape! You can place the snow machine on the balcony, and let the snow fall on the new comers as they enter your winter wonderland. We suggest you have music playing to help deter from the hum of the snow machine. We certainly hope we have sparked your creativity for future productions! If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact us. We carry a full line of production supplies, and are available as technical directors, as well as special effects - lighting - and audio consultants, designers, and instructors. As always, and most importantly; keep it fun! From MULTI-TECH Productions by D&J, Inc. to you; Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! · |
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