Star Curtain

[Ishi Sobti]

Hey guys!

I'm currently working on a production of Orbit, a show based on the idea of travel to the Martian environment and space in general. Part of my design idea is to have a star curtain made out of white cloth, so it is still possible to project on it.

I have contacted many local production companies (I am in Australia) and no one seems to have anything for hire, so I'll have to make my own. Anyone have any suggestions to make a star curtain look realistic and be a free-standing object, while also keeping costs as minimal as possible? I have a very limited budget for lighting, and per my calculations this element cannot exceed $200 AUD. The size would be 3m x 6m.

Originally I was thinking to buy some white led strips and just use a DMX controller to hook it up to the board, however what would be the best way to make this look good/attach the leds to the curtain, while also not ruining the cloth, as I have to project on it.

The other idea I had was to buy some generic white christmas lights and finding a way to control those (without dimming).

Any feedback is greatly appreciated, thanks!

 

[seanandkate]

A white surface will work against the "point source of light" that is one of the huge benefits of a star curtain. Could you get away with renting a conventional black star curtain, and then hanging a 3m x 6m white sharktooth scrim in front of it? The stars will be able to punch through the scrim, you can project on it, and the black of the star curtain will knock down the projection that passes through the scrim. Or (to go completely cheap and dirty) just go with the white scrim and cheap incandescent mini-light strings several feet behind it, with a black traveler behind the star strings.

 

[Ishi Sobti]

A white surface will work against the "point source of light" that is one of the huge benefits of a star curtain. Could you get away with renting a conventional black star curtain, and then hanging a 3m x 6m white sharktooth scrim in front of it? The stars will be able to punch through the scrim, you can project on it, and the black of the star curtain will knock down the projection that passes through the scrim. Or (to go completely cheap and dirty) just go with the white scrim and cheap incandescent mini-light strings several feet behind it, with a black traveler behind the star strings.

Thanks for the feedback! Thats a very fair point about having a black curtain, due to the price constraints might have to go with the cheap and dirty method as hiring here in Australia costs an arm and a leg. Many thanks!

 

[jonliles]

I saw a show once where someone hung cheap crystals (like from your grandma's lamp) on fishing line and a flying baton, then hit the crystals with a couple of tighly focused spots, really great effect. do this far enoug DS of a scrim and you can still project on the scrim if the crystals aren't in the way.

 

[Jeff Flynn]

Try a blue laser star projector (like the ones people use for Christmas decorations) onto a black background. They are available for around $70 from Amazon. We used two of them for our production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang two years ago and they worked great. We used them when Chitty flew away at the end of Act I and at the end of the show.