Frequently Asked Questions...
These are the technical FAQs for the ABTT forum. It condenses some of questions which have been asked on the Green Room Forum and their replies. If you want to expand or amend an answer to a question, or have information on other technical subjects which you want to add to the FAQ then send your contribution to [email protected] or to the Green Room Forum. The ABTT publishes this information in good faith but no responsibility can be attached to the Association or any of its members or employees for its accuracy or for any liability therefrom. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Association.
How can you get the effect of somebody throwing a ball of fire out of their hand?
Posted by Toby Last
Le Maitre sell a small battery - operated unit which can easily be concealed in the palm of a hand. It fires a ball of fire approx 2-3 meters. It is available in two sizes and I think it costs around �30. Their Web Address is: www.lemaitre.co.uk
Posted by RW
You can do this is various ways, one of which uses a special type of string that just takes light totally when lit slightly (careful Blocking required) I can find out more if you mail me to ask.
How do you make stage blood?
Posted by Paul
There are loads around and it depends what type of blood - arterial, lung, rectal etc. Simple and cheap and washable is yellow washing-up liquid (a quid from your cheap shop) plus washable food dye (cochineal). It you want it darker use blue food dye as well. If you want edible/washable use Golden syrup instead of washing-up liquid. Rectal blood etc thicken with black syrup. Sticky but yum yum!
Posted by Colin Winslow
Try this - Recipe for STAGE BLOOD - Large quantities:
1/2 cup cornflour (to thicken to proper consistency.)
1 cup cold water
1 cup red food dye
1 tsp. blue food dye
A few drops of yellow food dye.
1 gallon of water
Mix the cornflour with a cup of cold water. Bring 1 gall. of water almost to the boil and remove from the heat. Slowly pour in the cornflour mixture, stirring all the time. Return to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring continuously. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the red food dye. Then add the blue and yellow food dye until a suitable colour is arrived at.
Various recipes for Stage Blood are in the Appendix to the book THE OBERON GLOSSARY OF THEATRICAL TERMS (Details on the website at http://www.winslow.uk.com) There is an order form for the Oberon Glossary of Theatrical Terms on the website.
Where can you get biscuit ware - china to break on stage?
Posted by Peter Webb
There was a small supply of biscuit china available from the potters based at Ironbridge Gorge near Telford. This source may have dried up now, but was certainly available in February 97. We scored ours with a tile cutter to ensude it broke, but some of it it was a bit previous the script during handling. Once in place, however and as it was static until the close of show it worked fine. Bit like saying that the steering wheel worked perfectly until I tried to turn it, I know, but for what it's worth...........
Posted by Ruth Staines
I used to get biscuit china from the potteries, i.e. around Stoke on Trent. There are many potteries there, and we used to be able to get boxes of biscuit fired rejects, free of charge, for our pantomimes. The plates, cups, saucers teapots etc. were all white, and had to be hand painted before we could use them. They were also pretty hard as I remember, and to ensure that they would break, we scored the underside fairly deeply with a tile cutter or a glass cutter. I have tried phoning several Stoke potteries, but alas they recycle their biscuitware now!
How do you produce a spark between two rods and the spark "climbs" the rods?
Posted by Paul Drage and Matt Savage
DONT DO IT! Its a very hazardous effect - EHT voltages, extensive ozone production and ultraviolet radiation and likely to be illegal these days. If you must do it then look for a much safer way.
One alternative option is a series of arc shaped tubes, each lit from the side with a separate bulb, and some form of sequencing to make it appear as if the "spark" was going up the "electrodes".
Posted by Matt Savage
Perhaps disguised Arcline or Flexiflash tubes?
Posted by Peter Webb
Wouldn't a ropelight do the job a lot simpler? Masked out with textured sharkstooth gauze to match the backdrops, either as a sock for the ropelight, or as "part of the apparatus"? May not be technically correct, but I'm a great believer in the saying, "If you can't hide it, make a feature of it."
How do you make a cobweb effect for set dressing?
Posted by Andrew Chesters
I know of the "drill thrown" type and the aerosol spray type. An alternative has been suggested that is used for shop window dressing. It would appear to be a bit like Kapok or glass fibre in appearance. It can be tease out from a block to form dusty type cobwebs (not the octagonal, DHA gobo regular type).
Posted by Toni Clark
It could be what's called "Angel Hair" that shops sell to cover Christmas trees in (it diffuses the lights) it can be thinned out as much or as little as you like. Normally comes on a card in half metre lengths. Christmas is a good time to try and get some as you don't tend to see it in shops the rest of the year.
Will a cotton/polyester mix (35%/65%) material treated with Flambar PE6 or Flamecheck retain its flame-proofing after washing?
Posted by Rick Armitage
Flamecheck used to do a version with a UV sensitive compound in it so you could test it after washing and literally see if it was still OK.
Posted by Ken Coker
According to my Flint's catalogue : "re-apply after washing."
Where can you get or how could you make a high powered Foam Cannon?
Posted by Darren Frear
Look at the Ataris products.
Posted by Mike Pantrey
It's relatively simple to build a foam machine that produces considerable amounts of foam- the main elements are a fan blowing through a gauze (a bit of experimentation is needed to find the right type) wetted by a spray of foam fluid solution fed by a pump from a tank.
Posted by Dave
Try Terralec - They hire out a really impressive foam generator, - probably just what you need. Their number is 01702 547 571. Terralec
Posted by Dave Petra
We use the MBN F-630 foam generator. It woops the Terralec to hell & costs only a bit more (�2800 inc tax/import etc.)! I bought it on import from Germany. On a full 1000 litre tanks it pumps out about 12 cubic meters in 8 minutes!! It's not exactly small and light. They also do an FC500 cannon and MBN F300 generator. These pump about 120,000 litres and minute each. Generators makes a waterfall of foam - cannons a jet. The FC500 costs pretty much spot on what the terralec does but puts out foam 8 -10 meters!
Does 'Fluoroscein' give a glowing effect?
Posted by Matt Savage
As far as I can remember it is a powder you dissolved in water and it produced a greenish / yellow liquid that luminesced in natural light or looked like it did. We used it in school for tracing fluid paths round equipment and the like.
Posted by Hans van Bemmelen
Fluorescein is indeed poorly soluble in water. Normally, you would use fluorescein sodium. It is available from any laboratory chemicals supplier, not too expensive and you only need a minute amount. It is also used by potholers to trace watercourses in caves (but make sure they don't give you normal dye!). It 'lights up' because it converts the UV component of ambient light into the typical yellow-green. This has NOTHING to do with radioactivity. We recently used it in a Panto based on a space theme. To create an instrument on the bridge we filled a clear plastic tube with water spiked with fluorescein sodium, fitted a blacklight florrie next to it, dropped a narrow gauge hose connected to a bike pump into the tube and then pumped away. Fairly effective and very cheap. We also tried spraying it to get a fire breathing dragon, but that didn't work as the UV sources we were using then were not bright enough.
How do you hang an actor on stage?
Posted by Richard
In order to give the impression that the actor is being hung by the neck you really need a full body harness, this is now the standard for HSE legislation so is easy to get hold of. Just put one of these under their costume, put a fake noose around their neck which you attach with selotape to the line that is actually taking their weight and you are away, the actor needs to make sure they position their weight properly though so they hang right but this can be quite effective. Ensure that their is no possibility of any weight going onto the noose and that wherever you tie the actor off to can take the weight that you are putting on it, remember that a lighting bars loading is usually for an evenly spread load, not for just one point. Be very careful whatever you do and ask if you are unsure of any detail. Also ensure the harness has a supporting point at the back as this is where you need to 'Hang' The person from in order to give the impression of them being hung!!
Posted by Brod Mason
Hi Fli do a handy little kit, with a noose like Knot that you can pass a cable through to attach to the body harness, this loosely/safely holds the rope forming the loop. I think we still have a steel wire with the bottom half dressed in paper rope to look like hemp. It is quite long as we attached it to the grid and swung the actor on to stage.
How can I make a big (2 litre) ice cube that doesn't shatter easily?
Posted by Chris Westling
Here in Texas, I can still get block ice from my local ice house. Have you tried your local iceman?
If you're intent on a Do It Yourself cube here's a possible hint. This is going to sound very strange, but have you tried freezing HOT water? Ask any physics professor-- hot water actually freezes faster than cold water. It's because the boiling water is closer to a state change, something to do with the Delta Point, blah, blah blah. I slept through that lecture in physics class. Regardless, it works, at least in the smaller volume of my ice cube tray. You end up with LESS ice volume though... If you haven't got it yet, try putting boiling water in your Ice Cream tub and then freeze it.
Another good resource may be a local restaurant with a deep freeze. You might also contact high-class caterers to find out how they make the fancy ice sculptures-- since all you want is a block of ice, they may be able to help!
Posted by Mike Pantrey
Try boiling the water before putting it in the freezer. It'll remove any dissolved oxygen in the water, which at the very least will make a clearer ice cube- mind you I haven't tried it on a cube this big!
Posted by Patrick Heesom
Cubes will be stronger if they freeze faster - try starting with crushed ice in the ice-cream tub, top up with water so you have a tub at almost freezing point, then put it in the freezer. Alternatively, could you use some sort of reinforcement - maybe monofil - in the cube?
Posted by Chris Cooper
Try calling Paramount Pictures. Refer to the beautiful ice sculpture they presented for their Fringe party. Congratulate them, ask who their supplier was, then beg!.
How is the use of knives, swords, and other blades in the theatre covered by the Criminal Justice act?
Posted by Andrew Chesters
My understanding is that the stage in a theatre is defined as a workplace and knives etc. are not IN A PUBLIC PLACE. However the auditorium IS a public place and the act applies.
Posted by Andrew Chesters
I have had a dig around in my 'file' of old bits of paper and have found the document from which I got the information on the CJA. It was given to me when I hired some pistols from HOWARD WRIGHTSON (0161 335 0220, more info in the INFO section of this web site). I hope they won't mind me paraphrasing a few lines.
1. The CJA includes a section (Sec 139) covering any article with a blade or point or any article that may be classified as an offensive weapon.
2. It is an offence for any person to have in their possession any of the above articles.
3. It can be interpreted that knives, swords spears etc. all come under the act.
4. The only defence for carrying such weapons shall be that the person had it: a) FOR USE AT WORK; b) For religious reasons; c) As part of a national costume
5. The Act states in sec. 7 that a 'public place' includes any place to which, at the material time, the public have, or are permitted, access, whether on payment or otherwise.
* Interpretation:- A theatre auditorium is by definition a public place, the stage is not.
Therefore rules for the carrying of these weapons should be established.
1. Any production likely to include such articles must be cleared with the local police.
2. It is important to define the boundary between the stage and the auditorium, to enable the auditorium to be classed as a 'public place' and the stage to be classed as a 'working area'.
3. It will now be obvious that for the cast to go through the auditorium brandishing swords directly contravenes the act. I would think that anyone hiring weapons from reputable companies would be able to get advice of this sort as a matter of course, or alternatively, as suggested above, contact your local friendly police.
Posted by Chris Townend
We had a touring Hamlet where that distinction was applied, with an audit entry re-blocked so no audit entry with blades, as an example. The Regent Centre, Christchurch.
Posted by Dorian Kelly
Any opinions on how the distinction between the stage and the auditorium can be defined in theatre in the round? Or in any situation where there is no clearly defines break between the performer and the audience, such as promenade productions etc.?
Posted by Chris Townend
I got the impression from the local police that they were free to interpret it as they liked, which means educating your local police in theatre. I do know that ours would not entertain blades in a street theatre or similar event. It's a question (like fire exits) of talking nicely to the right people, but showing them that you are taking every precaution against losing a blade. We are currently showing an exhibition re local smuggling, and are only able to show weapons because they are in a secure armoured glass cabinet, with lots of screws before it falls apart. Took a bit of talking though.
Where can I borrow a couple of green paramedic jackets?
Posted by Jonathon Hurley
Possibly the easiest way is to have a word with your local ambulance service, explain what they are for, and see if you can 'borrow' them for the time you need them - that way there's no worries of impersonation as the service know they'll get them back, and you get your jackets.
Posted by Chris Hatton
Try contacting St. John Ambulance, http://www.sja.org.uk/ or specifically St. John Supplies, who supply their uniforms and equipment... http://www.stjohnsupplies.co.uk/
Posted by Seargent Mark A Clayton (St John Ambulance Humberside)
Please do not contact St John Supplies. Attempting to purchase Paramedic jackets from them will get you nowhere because they need evidence that you are indeed a paramedic. What on earth do you need them for anyway ? Impersonating a paramedic must surely be illegal. If they are costumes for a show just make do with ordinary yellow jackets !!!!!
Posted by Chris Hatton (SJAB London District + ABTT Member)
There is often the necessity to have realistic costumes for a production and I would hope that anyone associated with the ABTT website would not be using costumes to impersonate professional personell. Many companies (including SJ in the past) are willing to provide equipment and uniforms to theatrical groups in order to enhance their performances... If you don't ask you'll never know.
Posted by Dave
I believe that there is a set-path for obtaining medical type equipment for film, and so I would guess that this would also apply to theatre. I'm pretty sure that a company called 'SP Services' supplied most of the gear for 'Always & Everyone', - try contacting them. They'll certainly have the jackets. 01952 288 999 Wasn't a plot-line in 'casualty' that it is indeed not illegal to impersonate a paramedic, only to administer drugs...... Humnnnnn I wouldn't take the script writers' word for it though.
What is the legal situation on making or using home made pyros?
Posted by Someone who knows
Any act of manufacture or modification to pyrotechnic material is illegal (Explosives Act) unless you are a HSE Licensed factory. All pyrotechnic material (content) in the UK has to be approved, classified and authorised by HSE. If you can produce a Competent Authority Document that HSE issue, you would also have to give evidense of the licensed factory you modified or manufactured the device at. I sympathise and understand your wish to use smaller devices... I suggest you contact one of the manufacturers... You will be suprised just how helpful they all can be.
Posted by Gareth Hughes
Don't touch him or his home-made pyros with a very long barge pole. If he wants to blow himself up in the privacy of his own home, that's fine. But if someone got injured as a result of one of these 'effects' misfiring or malfunctioning, the repercussions would be huge, and both you (if it was you who sanctioned their use) and he would be in heap big trouble.
Posted by Michael Elphick
I cannot share Gareth's outrage at the thought of the use of 'home made' pyros. I have found commercially produced pyros to be unsuitable for most 'dramatic' purposes as they are too large and powerful, and for the rather more subtle effects that I have needed for drama, the only solution has been to make my own. If you are considering the use of commercial pyros in his theatre, I would have thought you could apply the same risk assessment proceedures to the use of home made pyros as you would presumably apply to the use of commercial pyros. Anyway, my personal opinion is that you should not automatically dismiss the use of these pyros.
Posted by John
I have to say that I agree entirely with Gareth. Commercial Pyros are made to certain safety standards that home-made pyros can never hope to meet. These cover things such as being sealed to prevent accidental explosion and tested to ensure an even explosion. Sadly health and safety has to come before effects, even in theatre, If you read your theatres Licence, or your Local Authority Regs then I would expect you would find a section about Pyrotechnics, this usually says that basically you must use approved (ie commercial) pyros with an approved Launching system. If you were to use home-made pyros and you were to be inspected the likelyhood is that you would be told to stop using them. Remember - safety first
Is it safe to put a pyropot in a hairdryer, like the ones you sit under in a hairdresser's, to blow up and produce smoke?
Posted by Dave Whiting
In answer to the question is it safe - I would suspect not unless the pyropot can safely be fired within a few inches of a person's head. Contact the manufacturers they should be able to tell you for sure. I do know of another, much safer way to create a very realistic electrical short circuit using an ordinary flash build and some toy gun caps.
Posted by Rick Armitage
Ask yourself the following questions:
1. Is there sufficient barrier material between the pyro pot and the persons head to stop shrapnel?
2. After firing, is any hot material going to land on clothing or body parts of any actors?
3. Is the bang going to do any damage to the ears of the actor who is sitting close to the pyro?
4. Would I be happy to sit under there and have an explosive go off over my head?
It's difficult to say for certain whether it is safe or not, but if you are in any doubt at all, find another way to do it.
Where can I get the resin used to make shatter glass for stage productions?
Posted by David Miller
Try Breakaway Effects based at Shepperton I think. 01932 562611
Posted by W.M.Chan
There is a resin called "Picco resin" that is use to make more reliable and much longer lasting shatter glass or breakaway items.
Posted by Frenando B. Melenas
Greetings, I work with special FX in Brazil how can I buy Picco resin ( Picco-tex 120 and Picco-lastic 125)
Where can I rent or buy the silk flames that look like real flames?
Posted by Tim Anger, JJ and Mark
Try MTFX Tel: 01425 615723, Fax: 01425 615724
Posted by Hans van Bemmelen
I've looked at a couple of units (Cirque du Soleil, shop windows). They seem to consist of little more than a light source with some bits of silk and a fan in front of it. Probably not difficult to make but will require some experimentation.
How do you make sugar glass?
Posted by David Miller
The recipe for sugar glass is as follows: :
Prepare a supersaturated solution of sugar and water (that is, a solution with as much sugar absorbed by the water as possible) and heat to about 260 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour onto a smooth surface in a thin layer. The solution will harden into a clear transparent solid that may be used as a glass substitute when it is desired to break windows on stage. It has the disadvantage of a low melting point that may cause the sugar glass to soften under stage lighting.
Taken from The Oberon Glossary of Technical Terms by Colin Winslow. Details on the website at http://www.winslow.uk.com. There is an order form for the Oberon Glossary of Theatrical Terms on the website.
Posted by Colin Winslow
The above recipe was taken from one of the old information cards issued by the ABTT (acknowledged in the Glossary.) I have not actually tried it personally, but a prop-maker I was working with some years ago used it to make some breakable wineglasses. It involved a great deal of hassle and experimentation, but it did work.
Posted by Ben Sumner
I have another recipe for sugar glass which I found in "Scene Technology" by Richard Arnold:
3 cups of sugar
one cup of white Karo syrup (I am told this is refined molasses)
2 cups of water
1/4 (quarter) teaspoon of cream of tartar.
Mix well and heat to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pour into a well greased, slightly chilled mould.
The finished product will become sticky to touch unless it is kept cool.
The same source recommends that breakaway bottles can be made from paraffin wax, and varnished, though how easy it is to varnish paraffin wax I couldn't say.
Posted by John Sherrington
There is a series of books written by Thurston James, dealing with building stage props. One of these, "The Prop Builders Guide to Molding and Casting", I think, has a section on making candy glass, as well as the more modern picco resin glass, and how to make breakaway bottles and windows, etc. Good luck.
How do make a standard (British) telephone ring?
Posted by Hans van Bemmelen
Most phones will ring if you apply 60 VAC to them. ('Officially' they need a different voltage and wave form, but this will do.) However, some phones may be a little less sensitive and you may have to feed them as much as 100 VAC (consider safety aspects) or you could bend the ringer lever. I rewired some phones so that the outgoing lead is connected directly to the ringer, via the hook switch. It works very well. Do remember to change the plugs so that the modified phones cannot be plugged into a normal phone outlet. Anyway, on stage you need something more robust than a modular plug. For the Anglo-American Theatre Group in The Hague, the Netherlands, I constructed a console with both a bell transformer for doorbells and a 60 VAC transformer (bought second-hand, part of an office phone system, approx. GBP 5) for the phones, as well as a cue light system. Each of the systems has two circuits. If we need more than that, a phone can masquerade as a doorbell. It took a fair amount of effort to construct the system and accompanying multicore cable system, but it has been worth it. Do make sure you get robust connectors though - the only problems we have had with the system have been due to iffy connections. (Decent connectors may well turn out to be the most expensive components of the whole system.) This console requires the stage manager to ring in the right pattern.
Posted by Dave Whiting
With reference to the various suggestions made by Hans, remember the Low Voltage Directive does apply equally to equipment constructed for use on a stage as well as more general commercial applications.
If you only want a standard exchange line ring and not a special of any kind try contacting your local BT office. They may be able to loan you what is called a Payphones Line Simulator 8A. It does all sorts of line simulations but it will also give you these standard rings.
Posted by Andrew Chesters
Maplin do a kit, I am building it at the present. It is simple to build and will do both UK & US cycles. However it WILL NOT run an old bell phone, I am working on a simple transistor amp to beef up the current but it's still in bits. MPS part No. LT19V cost �19.99UK inc VAT. MPS web http://www.maplin.co.uk
Posted by shane guy
From what I remember you need 50V @25Hz and this is pulsed on for 400ms, off for 200ms, on for 400ms, off for 2s to give the ringing tone.
Posted by Tom Baldwin
Strictly true, but modern electronic ringer phones (i.e. not bells) are happy enough with 50Hz ... so all you need is a transformer and a bell push... and a good sense of timing. Alternatively if you want a bell to ring, and can modify the phone, simply remove one of the bells...
Posted by Hans van Bemmelen
There is some interesting information + suggestions on: http://www.hut.fi/Misc/Electronics/circuits/telephone_ringer.html I've also used 60 V, 50 Hz with some success, you just need a stage manager who can press the button in the right pattern (and yes, we wired the 'phones such that the bell stops when you pick them up!). Hans van Bemmelen Anglo-American Theatre Group The Hague, The Netherlands
What is a suitable substitute for whiskey?
Posted by M.Elphick and Jenny
I have found apple juice to make a convincing whisk(e)y. I think the best was a dilutable baby drink in a small glass bottle (Johnson's?). Watch out for the stuff in cardboard cartons. This is often cloudy green.
You could add food colouring to apple juice to get the right colour
Posted by Colin Winslow
You can use "burnt sugar", it is obtainable from a chemist's in the form of a dark brown caramel solution - you will need to dilute it to get the right colour.
Where can I find wooden barrels and washtubs for a show?
Posted by Judith
Hook Norton Brewery hires them out sometimes. Cannot remember the costs.
Posted by Mike Pantrey
Try theme traders in Cricklewood- I know they had some to hire a couple of years ago
Posted by Gordon
We had to use wooden barrels for a show at university. We went to Lee's brewery the only brewery in the north west still using them. They were very helpful. It is in Middleton, Manchester.
