White scrim vs Black scrim

[jagwirez]

I don't see many articles at all talking about white vs black scrims. We have a full 45ft white scrim in our church, which we have used once since the new building opened a few years ago. We have a black-box, theater style stage. We use haze a good bit, and for that reason, I don't use the cyc a whole lot as the white washed the haze completely out. For that same reason, the white scrim does the same thing.

I am interested in possibly getting a black scrim to replace the white one. I am hoping that this can allow us to use the cyc and also have a black background when not lit. And also to hide the band when they are not lit. Does anyone have any input on this and some adv vs disadv for both. Thanks a lot, you guys are great help.

 

[rochem]

I've worked a lot with both black and white scrim, and they each have their own advantages and disadvantages. Black scrim is great for disappearing effects, such as making an actor appear out of nowhere or shifting the focus of a scene with only light. It also works really well when used in conjunction with a white cyc. If you light the cyc as normal, then drop a black scrim downstage of it, the scrim will help to deaded the harshness of the light and give it so much more dimensionality. Also, when you black out the cyc, it will fade to black because of the scrim, rather than leaving a large white drape hanging upstage.

White scrim is really good for projecting on and using it as a scenic element to take color and texture. If you're using it for a reveal-type effect, white scrim will not disappear as "cleanly" as black scrim, but it will give your scene a nice diffused look, which may or may not be what you want. I've worked with white scrim as a scenic element before, and it looks amazing. Build a wall out of white scrim and paint it (correctly), and when lit correctly, you can do amazing reveals which really wow the audience without moving a single piece of scenery.

I'd say if you have the opportunity to get a black scrim, go for it! Black scrim is (in my opinion) a more useful "all-purpose" drape than white scrim, as it can be used in a variety of ways. But I wouldn't "replace" your white scrim just because you get a new black one. Definitely keep the white scrim around, as there are lots of times when it can come in handy.