How to make Louvre/Hexcell?

[TStum]

I am doing a production where we are seating audience on our proscenium stage in a thrust configuration and the actors, well act, in between the rows of seats on stage. Needless to say, it causing many issues, the largest of which is getting a nice side angle without blinding the front few rows of audience. I was looking into solutions and stumbled across the City Theatrical egg crate louver. Surprise surprise, I only have about $70 left in my budget which would allow me to buy 1 1/2 of these... Was wondering if anyone had any ideas how to make a handful of these. Fairly flexible in frame size and have a variety of instruments available for use. Looking at making between 12 and 16 and have about 3 weeks before tech. Current plan, spend a lot of time with an x-acto and some blackwrap... ​

Better ideas?​

 

[derekleffew]

Not sure if it would take the heat, but I'd experiment with plastic grate intended for fluorescent drop ceiling fixtures. Paint it flat black, cut to the size of a color frame, and attach with bailing wire.

Egg Crate Light Panel, 2' x 4' # 1199233A by Plaskolite Incorporated

Ask at your favorite home improvement center or lighting contractor supply for "egg crate light panel".

 

[kiwitechgirl]

Not sure if it would take the heat, but I'd experiment with plastic grate intended for fluorescent drop ceiling fixtures. Paint it flat black, cut to the size of a color frame, and attach with bailing wire.

It deals with heat better than starcloths....I did a show where we had half-circle set pieces with parcans inside, with the grating Derek mentioned on the top, about two feet above the tops of the cans (which were pointing almost straight up). Prior to opening night, we needed to paint the stage so the LD piled the starcloth legs up on top of the grating to get them out of the way, then went to do some plotting tweaks while we painted. He forgot about the starcloths and brought the parcans up...result was burnt starcloths, but the grating was unharmed.