Design Mirrors!!

[shwae]

Hey,

Does anyone have any tips for lighting with very large mirrors on stage? Not theatre mirrors, but real 4x10 mirrors (3 of them) that would be against the upstage wall of the set. I am working in a space with a grid that is about 11' high, so it will certainly be a challenge. Any tips/thoughts on how to light without blinding the audience would be amazing!

Audience is sitting 3/4 round. I basically have source four 50 degrees and 6 inch frenels to work with. I am thinking about side arming them above the grid to get as much of an angle as I can and just do the best I can to not look like toplight, and not light directly into the mirrors.

Thank You

 

[mstaylor]

Downstage shouldn't be a problem as long as you shutter off the mirrors. Upstage is going to need to be tops and high sides. Can you spray the mirrors down to kick some of the glare off it?

 

[David Ashton]

If you stick with the stanrd method of having your lights at 45 degrees then you should have few prblems, it's only when you have shallow angle front lights that you have problems, if the reflection of each light which hits a mirror hits the floor then you wont blind your audience. Angling the mirrors down slightly will help to stop the audience looking at themselves. Spraying the mirrors with hair laquer takes away the glare but still looks real to the audience.

 

[Cashwalker]

The only time a mirror should be on stage, is if the show directly calls for it. Then we use a picture-frame style mirror.

When we tried hair spray, it dried to a micro-pebble-glass texture, like on bathroom glass, just not as bumpy.. it just looked all distorted. The actress needing to use the mirror (as called for in the script) couldn't see enough in order to perform her action.

Best solution we've had - we try not to clean the mirror too much - dust will deflect the light enough to not blind, but still be a functional mirror. I build on stage.. a layer of dust is inevitable.

 

[gafftaper]

When we tried hair spray, it dried to a micro-pebble-glass texture, like on bathroom glass, just not as bumpy.. it just looked all distorted. The actress needing to use the mirror (as called for in the script) couldn't see enough in order to perform her action.

Then the actor should learn how to "act". This is one of those realism traps. If your production is determined to be that realistic about the mirrors then you have to also accept it will create problems in other ways that may not be easily controled. Try repositioning lights as suggested above. No direct front light, shutter off the mirrors and use high sides and top light upstage. If that doesn't work or can't be done in your space then you are stuck unless the director (or whomever is demanding the mirrors) is willing to let you hairspray the mirrors or preferably get rid of that large of wall of real mirrors in the first place.

 

[derekleffew]

The only time a mirror should be on stage, is if the show directly calls for it. Then we use a picture-frame style mirror. ...

Umm, "Let's do the whole combination facing downstage, away from the mirrors."

A CHORUS LINE - The National Theatre

or

About Us : Cosmetic Mirror : Shatterproof Mirrors : Glassless Mirror Manufacturers, Inc.

shwae, just remember: Angle of Reflection=Angle of Incidence and you'll be fine.

 

[len]

Seems to me there has to be a spray or something to cut down on reflection. Any way you can angle them down so they don't pick up any light?
Or maybe replace them with mylar film that has a mirror finish but isn't nearly as reflective?

 

[derekleffew]

Seems to me there has to be a spray or something to cut down on reflection. ...

You mean like a dulling spray?

Krylon: Products: Dulling Spray
but it doesn't really do so good on mirrors. In other instances, hairspray works just as well.

 

[Robert]

It might be worth it to explore covering the mirrors with window screen. I would look at a synthetic screen. I think it comes in black and 4 feet wide. Might soften the mirror reflection while allowiing the actor to view unobstructed.

 

[shwae]

Thanks for the tips everyone!

I have also heard hairspray before, but the angling of the mirrors sounds like a really good idea.

The director is 100% certain to use the mirrors, so I am going to do my best!!

Did I mention I only have 24 dimmers? And need some specials?

It is going to be interesting!!

 

[calkew5]

shwae, just remember: Angle of Reflection=Angle of Incidence and you'll be fine.[/QUOTE]

It's true. Remember that hitting the mirror with a beam of light isn't a problem unless the beam reflects off of the mirror and into someone's face. In that situation, the audience member is essentially looking straight into your 500w (or more) instrument, which is terrible for them. But this only applies to the seats that can see the front of the lighting instrument in the mirror. Everyone else just sees, you guessed it, a nicely lit but unoffensive mirror.

 

[calkew5]

That means that in a lot of cases, no one in the audience can see the hot spot of the instrument in the mirror, so you might be all right. Experiment, experiment, experiment...