Author Topic: Please Help (Pyro or other options for Oz Fireball)  (Read 5981 times)

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Allinthemind

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Please Help (Pyro or other options for Oz Fireball)
« on: Jun 23, 2008, 03:25 pm »
 ??? Im an A level student and quite new to stage management, and at our school we are going to put on a production of "The Wizard of Oz". The problem is there is one part where the Wicked Witch of the West is supposed to throw a fire ball at the Scarecrow, but none of us have any idea in how to do this. We cant use real fire  (no matter how much some people wanted to) as it is a school, and health and safety gets in the way. We have thought of just being clever with lighting, and this didnt work very well either. Does any one out there have any ideas on how to do this considering we dont have a huge budget. Any one that can come up with an idea would be an absolute saviour.

EDIT - Fixed title for easier browsing from board index.  -PSMK
« Last Edit: Jun 23, 2008, 09:32 pm by PSMKay »
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sarahbear42

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Re: Please Help
« Reply #1 on: Jun 23, 2008, 06:56 pm »
Wrap something in red/orange tissue paper with streamers, etc? Make it just big enough that she could hide it up her sleeve, etc.

MatthewShiner

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Re: Please Help
« Reply #2 on: Jun 23, 2008, 08:10 pm »
Would a flash paper effect be possible?

Otherwise - - - I was thinking something that lit up with red fabric - making it a bit more stylized.  It really depends on the style of the design of the production to find out how you can stylize the effect.
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Allinthemind

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Re: Please Help (Pyro or other options for Oz Fireball)
« Reply #3 on: Jun 28, 2008, 08:30 am »
Flash paper is a brilliant idea. Thanks. :)
Naboo: This is black magic. This is hardcore. Don't mess with the occult.
Vince Noir: I thought it was good for you.
Naboo: What?
Vince Noir: Well, you know, good for your digestive system.
Naboo: That's Yakult!
Vince Noir: Oh, yeah...

kiwitechgirl

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Re: Please Help (Pyro or other options for Oz Fireball)
« Reply #4 on: Jun 28, 2008, 08:56 am »
You can get hand-held battery powered electronic flash guns which use flash paper and flash cotton to throw a fire effect across the stage - we used one for exactly the same effect in the Wizard of Oz; it vanishes (goes out by itself) 3 or 4 metres from the point of origin.  Le Maitre make them - link: http://www.lemaitreltd.com/productInformation.aspx?UKeyCategory=12&UKeyProduct=63.  We followed it up with a GoldenStar pyro (so it looked like the fireball had hit the stage and then exploded), but if you're in a school you can forget about pyro unless you have a competent and preferably qualified adult to deal with it.  The flash gun effect is pretty good on its own anyway.

BethanyP

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Re: Please Help (Pyro or other options for Oz Fireball)
« Reply #5 on: Jul 08, 2008, 02:42 pm »
We just did Wizard of OZ this past school year, and we used a single strobe flash I believe, and our lighting designer put a flickering orange light on the scarecrow. We buried the flash unit in the straw of the broom and wired a button on the handle. Of course, the witch had a different broom for the rest of the scenes.
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