Wait Until Dark- Burning Cigarette in Ashtray

[thatactorguy]

So the director of this show wants to have smoke coming off of the cigarette that's "burning" in the ashtray after Sam puts it in there and leaves. I'm lighting the show, but got roped into doing special fx as well. The cigarette is fake. Here's my initial thought: on top of the cabinet hiding the safe (where the ashtray is), I drill a small hole in the neighborhood of 1/4-3/8". The ashtray has a hole the same size. Underneath is some sort of smoke device. I'm thinking perhaps an incense stick, with the smoke running up to the hole via tubing, but don't know if the smoke will reach that far. My second thought is using a smoke generator from a model boat or train set. Anyone have thoughts on this? There is plenty of room backstage, so no chance of fire. The closest seat in the house is about eight feet away, the farthest is about 35 feet. I'm afraid a fog machine would put out a) too much smoke and b) the wrong type. It should look wispy, not poofy...

 

[FACTplayers]

The first thing I would do before spending hours crafting something is check to see if you will actually see the smoke from the house when the lights are down. My initial thought is that you won't be able to see it at all.

How long does the cig need to produce smoke? A constant stream of whispy smoke will be difficult to do, but not impossible.

 

[Van]

I'll try to post this link HERE
Ok if it doesn't work because of the way I copied it... Go to Grainger.com. Do a search for 'Smoke'. there will be an HVACR, central equipment, smoke emitters category. Tak a look there. Last year I had to do a charred Lasagna fow Jack goes Boating. we used the little emitters that looked like matches. I'm sure you could rig a remote ignited to light the cartridge type with a either a model rocket ignitor, or a piece of Nichrome wire. use this cartridge in conjunction with your idea about drilling a small hole and I think you've got a workable SPFX.

 

[thatactorguy]

The first thing I would do before spending hours crafting something is check to see if you will actually see the smoke from the house when the lights are down. My initial thought is that you won't be able to see it at all.

How long does the cig need to produce smoke? A constant stream of whispy smoke will be difficult to do, but not impossible.

In my initial experiment in my house, I had an incense stick in a corner, and the room was extremely well lit. I could see the smoke fine, not to mention the lovely scent coming from that corner of the room

In the script, it's roughly a page from when he puts down the cigarette until Mike discovers it and puts it out, so I'm thinking a minute, two at tops...

 

[thatactorguy]

I'll try to post this link HERE
Ok if it doesn't work because of the way I copied it... Go to Grainger.com. Do a search for 'Smoke'. there will be an HVACR, central equipment, smoke emitters category. Tak a look there. Last year I had to do a charred Lasagna fow Jack goes Boating. we used the little emitters that looked like matches. I'm sure you could rig a remote ignited to light the cartridge type with a either a model rocket ignitor, or a piece of Nichrome wire. use this cartridge in conjunction with your idea about drilling a small hole and I think you've got a workable SPFX.

Your link worked wonderfully! The one you specifically referenced has 45 second burn, but underneath in the "customers also bought" section, there was one with a 75 second burn for $5 more. At ten to a package, this is definitely worth looking into...

 

[FatherMurphy]

There is plenty of room backstage, so no chance of fire. The closest seat in the house is about eight feet away, the farthest is about 35 feet.

If you're mounting a burning device into a piece of wooden furniture or scenery, there will be a chance of fire. You might want to check with the local AHJ or Fire Marshall regarding the effect. In my area, some of the recent Fire Marshalls have required an off-duty fireman standing fire watch (at overtime pay rate, billed to the theater) for any show involving even a single lighted candle on stage.

Granted, the risk is low, and the AHJ may not care, but it's a good base to cover as you plan the effect. The model railroad smoke generator might be the best non-burning option if the AHJ turns out to be strict.

 

[FACTplayers]

I would run a narrow, flexible pipe up to where the cig will be set and PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE (sorry for the CAPS) until you get the desired effect. Without actually lighting something like an incense stick or a firework punk, I think this will give you the best result.

Get a fan to pump the for through the pipe so it will be a constant stream of smoke which is similar to a real cig. Then, when the actor puts it out, simply have him close the top of the pipe, thus stopping the smoke.

 

[thatactorguy]

If you're mounting a burning device into a piece of wooden furniture or scenery, there will be a chance of fire.

If whatever device I settle upon is something that does, in fact, burn, it will definitely have a non-flammable housing around and under it...

Granted, the risk is low, and the AHJ may not care, but it's a good base to cover as you plan the effect. The model railroad smoke generator might be the best non-burning option if the AHJ turns out to be strict.

I agree, always best to err on the side of safety! I've pretty well settled on either the smoke cartridge that Van suggested, or stay with the RR smoke generator. I'm going to pick up some of both and work with them to determine which is better suited to the task. I have a bid on four #5 Suethe smoke generators that run on 6v (DC, from what I've read on them), and there's a Grainger store an hour from home, half an hour from where I work. The generators are in Florida, but we fortunately have our wonderful US Mail- seriously, I mean no sarcasm; I'm a Rural Carrier- to send them up to Kentucky, should I win the bid...

 

[thatactorguy]

Get a fan to pump the for through the pipe so it will be a constant stream of smoke which is similar to a real cig. Then, when the actor puts it out, simply have him close the top of the pipe, thus stopping the smoke.

Funny that you mentioned the fan, because I was actually thinking about having a small cooling fan rigged up, with possibly some sort of ESC to help control the output of the smoke! Another option is to play with the distance between the fan and smoke device. Greater distance=less output. I'm not going to be running the device, however, so I'm also doing my best to play by the K.I.S.S. rule...