Scrim oragami...argh!

We're in preparation for our high school musical, Seussical, and one of our wonderfully dedicated but misguided parent volunteers had been given instructions by our scenic designer to cut up an old black border curtain we had that was no longer flame retardant (we had since replaced all of our soft goods with new curtains). No big deal, right? Apparently, he (scenic designer and art teacher) had left the scene shop for a bit, and when he came back, found out that the volunteer had mistakingly cut up our black scrim.

I had planned to use the scrim for the show and hadn't gotten it hung yet, so that's issue number one. However, since we'll be able to purchase a new scrim now, I'm wondering whether I should go black or white. While black would seem to hide stage changes/reveals better, white would have value in being used as almost a second cyc further DS and could be a good projection surface or better colored. I'll definitely be spec'ing seamless with a chain pocket regardless.

Thoughts? Edited to add: we do have a seamless white cyc already.

I think you should have a Black, White and a Grey Scrim. but if you can't get them all...... Geez, I really like using White scrims. one really cool effect I've seen and used is lighting a cyc but having a scrim just in front of it. you can "layer" clouds and do all sorts of neat-o effects.

Interesting. Unlike Van I find I use my black scrim more often. I use it so I can make the cyc go away when I want it to seem dark.

I like black but heavily influenced by lighting dance and the ability to transition by lighting cue from black backdrop to sky drop (separate behind black scrim). Having to draw a curtain is not elegant or fast (as in 3 count of bump).

Ah volunteers! Your choice will, as always, totally depend on personal preference. Think of the shows that you've done in the past ten years and assess which scrim would have been more useful if you had it on hand. Past need is usually a fair indication of future need. I have a black scrim and I like it because what it does, nothing else really does as well...

I just saw a museum "introduction" film - the Galena and U. S. Grant Museum - and it was a video projection on black sharkstooth of actors portraying the Grants. It was "advertised" as holographic, which it wasn't obviously, but it was very clever. Just reminds me that black - velour or scrim or other - can be lit and be a useful tool. I'd suspect that while maybe not as effective, Van's clouds on black scrim would work.

+1 for black.