Author Topic: FX: Smoking Hair  (Read 6126 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Amandanellb

  • New to Town
  • **
  • Posts: 26
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: EMC
  • Current Gig: Much Ado About Nothing and The Liar - PSM - Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park
  • Experience: Professional
FX: Smoking Hair
« on: Mar 24, 2011, 01:17 pm »
I am SMing a production of Money Matters. It is set in 1894 and is about a couple who married for money. This is the second time this show will be performed at our theatre. I was not involved in the first production. Our theatre is in the round, and our audience is almost literally on top of us. In the show, the wife spends most of her time on stage trying to kill her husband. In one scene, she manages to get him to electrocute himself. In the last production, they wigged the husband after the electrocution and affixed the metal cup of a tea light candle to the crown of the wig, before he went on, they cut the tip of a cigarette off into the cup so that he smoked when he walked on stage (which scares me for multiple reasons). It was one of the best laughs in the show. We would like him to smoke again, blocking and lines makes it almost imperative, however, due to the amount of hair presently on our Husbands head, we cannot wig him. I am looking for ANY idea’s that are relatively inexpensive and safe. My team has exhausted our brains thinking about it.  THX!

missliz

  • Superstar!
  • *****
  • Posts: 569
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
    • Personal Site
  • Affiliations: AEA
  • Experience: Professional
Re: FX: Smoking Hair
« Reply #1 on: Mar 24, 2011, 01:32 pm »
Wow! I wonder if you could use the same rigging (hidden cup on his head) and use smoke drops? I've never used them onstage, just for photography, but they look great.
I personally would like to bring a tortoise onto the stage, turn it into a racehorse, then into a hat, a song, a dragon and a fountain of water. One can dare anything in the theatre and it is the place where one dares the least. -Ionesco

Amandanellb

  • New to Town
  • **
  • Posts: 26
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: EMC
  • Current Gig: Much Ado About Nothing and The Liar - PSM - Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park
  • Experience: Professional
Re: FX: Smoking Hair
« Reply #2 on: Mar 24, 2011, 01:35 pm »
Hmm... smoke drops? I have never heard of those... where does one find them?

missliz

  • Superstar!
  • *****
  • Posts: 569
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
    • Personal Site
  • Affiliations: AEA
  • Experience: Professional
Re: FX: Smoking Hair
« Reply #3 on: Mar 25, 2011, 01:33 am »
I've seen them in photography supply places. Basically, they make very thick smoke for a few mins so that it photographs easily. You should be able to find it online if nowhere else.
I personally would like to bring a tortoise onto the stage, turn it into a racehorse, then into a hat, a song, a dragon and a fountain of water. One can dare anything in the theatre and it is the place where one dares the least. -Ionesco

avkid

  • Permanent Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 259
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
    • Philip LaDue
  • Affiliations: RFL, IATSE
  • Current Gig: Carpenter/Flyman at Count Basie Center For The Arts
  • Experience: Professional
Re: FX: Smoking Hair
« Reply #4 on: Mar 25, 2011, 01:34 am »
Are they similar to the stuff used with model trains?
Philip LaDue
IATSE Local #21 Newark, NJ

MatthewShiner

  • Forum Moderators
  • *****
  • Posts: 2478
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: AEA, SMA
  • Current Gig: Freelance Stage Manager; Faculty for UMKC
  • Experience: Professional
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Anything posted here as in my own personal opinion, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of my employer - whomever they be at a given moment in time.

ScooterSM

  • Permanent Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 345
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: SMA
  • Experience: Professional
Re: FX: Smoking Hair
« Reply #6 on: Mar 25, 2011, 12:24 pm »
Smoke drops are great, but they are HIGHLY toxic, so I would recommend extreme caution using on someone's body...
“I've never been paid a lot, but the theatre has kept me, and for that I shall be eternally grateful.” Tony Church

Amandanellb

  • New to Town
  • **
  • Posts: 26
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: EMC
  • Current Gig: Much Ado About Nothing and The Liar - PSM - Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park
  • Experience: Professional
Re: FX: Smoking Hair
« Reply #7 on: Mar 25, 2011, 02:06 pm »
Thanks everyone! I appreciate the help... I read on that website that they are highly corrosive, but if I can find a safe way to use them, I think this is far better than anything we have come up with so far... I will definitely let you all know the outcome!

maximillionx

  • Permanent Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 270
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Experience: Professional
Re: FX: Smoking Hair
« Reply #8 on: Mar 25, 2011, 03:26 pm »
If you're protecting against corrosion, could you try dry ice? I imagine the protection would be adequate enough, not to mention corrosive and toxic seems much more dangerous than a small frost burn.
Either way, be safe and let us know what you come up with.  Sounds like a great gag.

Amandanellb

  • New to Town
  • **
  • Posts: 26
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: EMC
  • Current Gig: Much Ado About Nothing and The Liar - PSM - Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park
  • Experience: Professional
Re: FX: Smoking Hair
« Reply #9 on: Aug 25, 2011, 03:29 pm »
Hey Everyone...

Sorry it took so long to write back. We ended up attaching a small Styrofoam cup with a punctured lid to a headband and using dry ice. After we put that on him, we would cover it with a wig that had been cut to look more like his hair, so it was not seen. It was perfect! I wish I had a picture that I could upload to show you. The audience loved it! There was lights/sound, fog, a burnt shirt, smoking hair and smoking wires in his hands. All in all the effect was a total success... I am very proud of my crew. :)
« Last Edit: Aug 25, 2011, 03:46 pm by Amandanellb »

 

riotous