(I don't know if this makes a difference in the way glass will look on
stage, but our
theatre is a very small black box with the set built in a way to mimick
proscenium staging. It's just more "up close", so to speak. Seems to me, glare from glassy surfaces would be worse in that kind of arrangement)
Maybe I'm making this harder than it really is? It seems to me that gels would end up being as costly as
mylar, because from what I can tell we'll need about ten sheets of the #00
gel to
cover all of the frames in the doors.
I think I have to agree with you about the making it harder than it really is. Our mainstage is also a modified black box and there isn't a seat that is further than 20 - 25 feet from the
stage, so I know where you're comming from is the realism dept. Cost wise I'd suggest using 1/8" plexi. it will give you a more "stable" surface than most any kind of stretched plastic. if the door is slammed a lot or there is the potential for impact against it then I would be sure to use 1/4", for super high stress situations go for poly-carbonate it's more expensive but man can it take the stress. Acrylic sheeting can be installed just like glass. Polycarbonate can actually be stapled through and it won't crack shatter or deform.
Now if you're bound and determined to go the Ultra cheap - low tech solution , Hop on over to Home depot, Lowes, Ace Hardware or whatever politically correct hardware supply store you use and
purchase some "
Frost King" window weather treament. It comes in sized sheets and it comes with
snot tape, < for those of you who are non cinema that's a doulbled sided really gellish tape that looks a lot like snot when all balled up> simply tape it in place then use a hair dryer to shrink to fit. Use a hair dryer not a heat gun ! a Heat gun will burn right through it ! . The biggest draw back to the sheet
goods is, as I said, stability. It will wiggle with every single step someone takes when they are near it. I would suggest using the old hairspray trick on the surface as well to help cut some of the glare. Don't use "
Dulling Spray" there is a medium out there called
Dulling Spray and it doesn't work well on plastic surfaces. it leaves an oily residue and if perchance you touch it or and actor brushes against it, the
effect it ruined and it's extremely difficult to remove, especially from a flexible surface like strectched plastic.
Wow long story short < too late > I think your right it's going to be a lot more expensive to do it with gell than it would be if you try one of these other ideas. Happy glazing !