Making her a ghost... hmm...

[bull]

Ok, So I'm about to start my designs for a production for Blithe Spirit, and I have my Lighting concept down, only I am also doing some of the SFX work, and I can't decide how I want to make Elvira appear and dissappear... has anybody seen a really cool way of doing this. I am working in a Black Box Theatre for this one, the audience will be as close as 5-10 feet.

 

[Bobby]

Not sure if you could use fog in your auditorium, but you might able to have a ground fog and have the ghost walk though it.
You could put a blue light in it for an eerie effect..
Just thinking, hope it helps!

 

[bull]

hmm... a ground haze might be nice... there is one scene that i think i could use that in where it wouldn't have to dissipate ridiculously fast.

 

[cdub260]

Blythe Spirit was the first show I ever worked as a tech, 20+ years ago back in 1989.

 

[Jackalope]

Blythe Spirit was the first show I ever worked as a tech, 20+ years ago back in 1989.

Interesting, it was the my first college production in 84', They stuck me on the flys and I think my only cues were taking out the main drape at the top and bringing it in and out at Intermission... I remember that the show seemed to go on forever

 

[bull]

My director is determined on making me act, whether I want too or not, So I am currently Charles in Blithe Spirit, as well as the Lighting Designer/Electrician. Soooo... I have canceled all plans I had for the next two months...

 

[levi]

oh that sucks. my director was going to make me act for our spring play. i told him that if i had to act there would be no set and id just not do any tech. haha. he let me do what i wanted

 

[bull]

I don't get a choice at all... my final exam consisted of knowing 10 monologues, and doing lighting for 40 individual events... I don't really mind though.

 

[llecount]

The theatre dept on our campus just did Blythe last semester. In addition to some pale/whitish makeup, we followed Elvira around with a follow spot. Turns out a 575HMI lamp with no color and R119 diffusion made her look 'ghostly' while she was on stage. Throw in a little low lying for whenever she enters the set, and I don't think that would look too bad. Maybe not the best answer, but it's something to think about and try.

 

[draco17315]

We did Heaven Can Wait a few years back and we did a Peppers Ghost Effect. Now our audiance was in a regular sized High school auditorium, but this is a very effective SFX if done properly. We built it right into the set we used. There are alot of different designs for this on Google. Good Luck

 

[bull]

Yea, I'm a lot more limited now, we are doing this in a black box theatre setting as a "theatre in the round" so I have audience members on all four sides of the stage, so i might do some low lying fog, but a follow spot cant happen, might try peppers ghost effect, but will probably just do a congo blue wash... maybe... (its one of my fav rosco colors)

 

[billn]

How do the actors enter/exit the stage, with audience on all four sides? It sounds like a real problem, except for makeup/costume.

 

[bull]

We have changed it to a Thrust style stage instead of theatre in the round. We have about a 16 foot section of stage with out audience at 12 o'clock, and then a 10 foot section of audience at 3 o'clock, a 16 ft. section of audience at 6 o'clock, and another 10 ft. section of audience at 9 o'clock. It's interesting, i'll post pics monday.