Burning down the house (well hopefully not)!

[jonh]

Hi All,

I need some help with some very low tech stage pyrotechnics. I need to have a smallish cauldron on stage that is burning, and then which flares up when an actress throws something into it. The flare up also needs to last for a fixed amount of time. Any suggestions? I am particularly looking for some old school ideas as the theatre is really just a hall (in an Indian temple In Singapore - long story) and thus I have limited technology available. As an aside my day job is a science teacher so I have access to a fairly wide selection of chemicals, so if anyone knows what sorts of things are used for fire-eating or the like I would love to give it a try. Cheers. Jon.

[soundlight]

This is probably a huge leap across TOS bounds, and the thread may or may not be closed and/or deleted in short order.

Pyro on stage is something that ONLY professional pyrotechnicians should do, and no one else. If you don't know how to do it, there's a much bigger chance of doing it wrong. Leave pyro to the professionals, folks.

[jonh]

A fair point well taken. I fully agree. However my main problem out here in Singapore is a lack of people to bounce ideas off, so at the moment I am just looking for some ideas.

[derekleffew]

The users of ControlBooth, in a effort to police themselves, have evolved the following: No discussion of "how-to" of rigging, pyrotechnics, human flight, stunt falls, weapons and electrical will be permitted. Our stock answer to these questions is always "Consult a qualified professional."

In the proper application, the Le Maitre Le Flame units can look remarkably realistic.

Le Maitre Le Flame simulated flame effect

[sk8rsdad]

+1 to what soundlight said.

Alternatives to pyro exist. One common practice is a pencil fogger and some lighting.

[jonh]

Both ideas are good. I was actually considering a lighting effect as an option. Thanks.

[fredthe]

Using lighting effects will also avoid any issues with Singapore regulations on the use of pyro. I don't know the laws, but just because you can do it in your classroom doesn't mean you can do it in your "theater".

The flame effect Derek linked to is basically a couple of flame-shaped pieces of silk, with a fan and a light under them. Combining that with the pencil fogger, and perhaps an appropriate sound effect for the flare-up might be a way to go.

(An an aside, I was talking to my daughter's chemistry teacher. Post 9/11, there are many things he can no longer do in his class )

[Studio]

Unless you have proper licenses and training the best you can do is a fan some fabric and a light.

[jamesarnold140]

Why not two fans and two sets of "flames"? I had to build a free standing firepit for a center stage piece this spring.Since the LeMaitre units were all 120v for the size needed I had to change fans to 12v from the discount suppliers,and buy extra replacement fabric. Using the controls from a broken remote toy car I was able to rig up a fairly decent looking "fire" that flared with a wave of the actor's hand.Be sure to use "sealed" batteries onstage,somehow "car" batteries always leak something nasty.

[jonh]

Thanks for some really good ideas. You will probably all be pleased to know that the pyro's have been vetoed. I would like to say that I will use electrics instead (and may still do) but the old Indian temple we are using has questionable electricity and the moment there is an interesting debate going on as to whether the lighting technicians will burn the place down with their lights. So if you see any reports of expat. burns down National Heritage Site, it was not me!