DSA Posted November 8, 2006 Share Posted November 8, 2006 Hi, This is an area which I am not at all familiar, however we require some new legs and borders for our compact University theatre. We have had some quotes, however are not at all sure whether or not to have pleated or unpleated ones made up. One school of thought is to go pleated, simply because they will then match the existing, however clearly they are more expensive as more fabric is required. So the question is, does it matter? Does one type "absorb" light better? What do professional theatres use, or does it vary everywhere? I'm guessing that matching the existing will be the priority, but am interested in your opinions to see if money can be saved. Many thanks,David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted November 8, 2006 Share Posted November 8, 2006 Legs and borders for stage masking should NOT have any fullness (i.e. be pleated) - there's absolutely no question about that!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSA Posted November 8, 2006 Author Share Posted November 8, 2006 Thanks Gareth, Do you fancy expanding on that with a reason? Forgive my ignorance, but I don't know much about this! David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryson Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 Mine are 50% fullness (not my choice) and I get nothing but complaints. Get them flat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 Do you fancy expanding on that with a reason?Soft masking with any degree of fullness instantly transforms your theatre into a crappy village hall. Trust me, trust Matt, we both know what we're talking about - get them flat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Pearce Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 Flat black serge is my preference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GridGirl Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 Flat is definitely the better option! It just looks so much better....(plus they're way easier to fold if/when you take them down!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 The idea is that masking is just a way of shutting the picture frame down a bit - so they need to be invisible. Nothing at all to catch the light. Fullness is intended to be nicer to look at. So the way the spill light falls on them creates new shadows - if the spill is coloured then you get interesting new colours in the shadows - all exactly what you don't want. I always prefer hard masking - timber frames with the fabric taught and stapled. In fact, you can often get away with much cheaper fabric because it gets ripped and plucked no matter how careful you are. We had a loveley set of black masking covered in black velour - really soaked the light up and looked great until it started to get old. We recovered our secondary masking in blue - you know that conference colour - and they've been in semi-permanently for 6 years - we retro fitted them with pea bulbs as a kind of star portal. When people come in , who've specified black in the rider, only one in the last four years has asked for black instead, once they have seen them. Pleats always look like open tabs - yuk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
w/robe Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 One school of thought is to go pleated, simply because they will then match the existing, however clearly they are more expensive as more fabric is required. They have got to be flat. So take the old ones down, get yourself a sewing machine, some webbing and Radio 4 (it is going to be a boring job) and make them all flat. With the extra fullness you will end up with more legs then you started with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadaca Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 I was scrolling down to say exactly the same as W/robe... but he got there first! ;) In addition I was going to add why not make it a fund raising experience, gather some students, get Auntie Nellie to sponsor you (Children in Need is just round the corner... looking for exciting projects to feature - so publicity as well) and then have a marathon sew in and lovely flat legs just in time for panto. If not then just by flat legs. Pleated legs look like Great Auntie Edie's Curtains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryson Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 So take the old ones down, get yourself a sewing machine, some webbing and Radio 4 (it is going to be a boring job) and make them all flat. With the extra fullness you will end up with more legs then you started with. A plan, indeed. If only I could sew.... ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stutwo Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 When I ordered ours, I got the legs flat and the large drapes for occasional use across the back of the stage 35% fullness. So the backdrop looks nice when it has to, but the legs remain functional both as masking and as general purpose legs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
w/robe Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 A plan, indeed. If only I could sew.... ;) The sewing is the easy bit, if you can drive a car you can use a sewing machine, the tedious part is unpicking the old webbing. Any work experience bods in soon? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roderick Posted November 10, 2006 Share Posted November 10, 2006 I hate masking with fullness, for all the reasons above.And think about it - you can always give a flat drape fullness when you tie it to the bar, but you can't flatten a pleated drape (unless you have a sewing machine and a lot of time :huh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzette Posted November 11, 2006 Share Posted November 11, 2006 Flat / Unpleated - don't really think you need any more replies do you?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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