Paper Stage Snow
- Thread starterLPdan
- Start date
Honestly that's a good question. I have never purchased this before, but was surprised at how few suppliers I was able to find, as well as the cost (especially with shipping). The RoseBrand also seems to only come in a 25lb package, so perhaps even sources where it could be purchased in a smaller amount would be helpful.
Malabaristo
Well-Known Member
...and have a system for recapturing that doesn't involve sweeping it up off the floor and adding a lot of dust & other debris to the mix. It's usually much better to consider it a one-time-use product.
Keep in mind you're also paying for safety in the form of fire-retardancy with the Rose Brand product. If you find another cheaper product, you'll have to pay close attention to make sure you're not adding any unnecessary hazards to your show. Dropped snow has a habit of ending up in all sorts of unexpected places.
IMO, paper doesn't make for a great effect aside from that it's also not flame retardant and it will end up on and in your light fixtures.
I typically order snow from Limelight Productions. Plastic flakes. IIRC, they're a little cheaper than from Rose Brand, and you can purchase by the pound if you don't need as much. Looking back a few years since my last purchase, we paid $125 for 30lbs + $35 shipping. For a week's worth of Nutcracker Ballet, that supply lasted for 3 seasons, I believe. I would estimate we burned more on stagehands pooching the bag in rehearsal and accidentally dumping the load rather than through the actual effect.
Don't recapture your snow. Every time you do that you'll add dust/glitter/debris that gets swept up with it that you'll be dropping on your performers. It's not healthy nor is it polite to do that to your performers. If your snow bag is perforated correctly you shouldn't be burning your snow flake supply at a rate that would even make that necessary.
I typically order snow from Limelight Productions. Plastic flakes. IIRC, they're a little cheaper than from Rose Brand, and you can purchase by the pound if you don't need as much. Looking back a few years since my last purchase, we paid $125 for 30lbs + $35 shipping. For a week's worth of Nutcracker Ballet, that supply lasted for 3 seasons, I believe. I would estimate we burned more on stagehands pooching the bag in rehearsal and accidentally dumping the load rather than through the actual effect.
Don't recapture your snow. Every time you do that you'll add dust/glitter/debris that gets swept up with it that you'll be dropping on your performers. It's not healthy nor is it polite to do that to your performers. If your snow bag is perforated correctly you shouldn't be burning your snow flake supply at a rate that would even make that necessary.
macsound
Well-Known Member
I tend to get my paper shaped and colored products from Artistry in Motion. They have different types including one that dissolves with water to minimize vacuuming.
