Lighting effect for rain
by Jim McNally
on
Oct 27, 2009 at 10:49:11 pm
A local theatre company is looking to create a rain effect on stage. Any suggestions for how this might be achieved? Is there a device that moves gobos back and forth?
Jim McNally
The Commercial Factory
www.commercialfactory.com
Re: Lighting effect for rain by john sharaf on Oct 27, 2009 at 10:52:16 pm
Take a large tray, like that used in a photo darkroom, break a mirror on the bottom and fill with water. Aim a spotlight into the tray and point the bounce to the set and disturb the water with your finger or stick. This is a low tech method of creating a rain effect.
Re: Lighting effect for rain by Todd Terry on Oct 28, 2009 at 4:33:12 am
Not to suggest something completely insane... but has anyone given any thought as to whether the effect could be done practically? As in, with real rain?
Many moons ago in my wanabe-actor days I had the honor or playing the Rev. T. Lawrence Shannon in a really great production of Tennessee Williams' "Night of the Iguana."
At one point in the show it rains, and the production designer had installed some kind of misters or sprinkers that lightly rained onto the set. It was really just barely a drizzle, but with hard backlighting it looked like a million bucks from the audience. It looked (and sounded) real, beacause it was.
Sometimes those over-the-top and unexpected effects on stage can be really great (the Phantom's chandelier, the barricade in Les Miz). They can really transport the audience if done well.
In that same production of "Iguana" we had a real beach with several tons of sand, with waves constantly lapping the beach as it sloped down into several hundred gallons of water. Even though there were swimming pool heaters in it, very cold water, as I can attest to, having had to get it in every night of the run of the show. The important acting lesson I learned? If you have to get soaking wet on stage under theatrical lighting and your costume includes white linen pants... do not wear black underwear. Learned that one the hard way.
T2
__________________________________
Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com
Re: Lighting effect for rain by Dennis Size on Oct 28, 2009 at 6:33:53 am
Rosco makes some great annimation effects accessories for Source 4 lekos that'll do the trick.
You cold also use a simple gobo rotator, in conjunction with a stationary gobo.
My personal favorite is either a PANI Projector with a rain effects loop or a GAM Great American Scene Machine with a rain loop (or disc).
