Water reflection effect

[solex]

Hello,

 

I'm currently trying to make a water reflection effect and wondered if any one had made one that looked any good. were trying the obvious things like light bouncing off tin foil etc but is there a good solution you have found?

 

Thank you in advance

 

Solex

[J Pearce]

Have a look here.

 

There must be a few topics knocking around, but thats the most recent.

[GridGirl]

I've had the best results by getting a big tray, putting bits of broken mirror (or a whole big mirror, if you're superstitious!) in the bottom of it, filling the tray to about 5-6cm deep with water and then bouncing light (blue is best!) off it. I think I used 4 or 5 MR16s with Lee 132 taped over them. It takes some experimentation with getting distances and angles right, and having the tray away from where the audience can get at it is good! Also, if you get a small fan and point that at the water so it ripples you'll get a nice movement effect. I used this effect on a production of The Fall of the House of Usher and it worked well. Of course, the usual safety things like not having cables near the water, actors tripping over the tray and the rest all apply!

[Nicktaylor]

Surely you can just hire in a linear ripple or a pat 252 type effect? Both give good results and dont need water! B-)

[boardingbob]

Absolutely you can, and they give a fine effect, but actual reflections bounced through real water are the nuts. Clearly not suitable for many shows, but worth the effort when they are. Last time we did Twelfth Night we went for it and used a deep metal catering tray and a couple of low parcans, fans etc for localised reflections on Orsino's face and the wall behind him. Looked rather splendid...

[Ynot]

I'm currently trying to make a water reflection effect

Depending on what type of effect you want, I have 3 of the Chauvet water ripple projector effects in our stock, available for hire. PM me if you want more details.

 

Tony

[Grahame]

I've used the live water approach before, but it's always a big hassle finding somewhere to put the tray where performers won't fall over it. What I usually use nowadays is a smallish frame with some old silver slash stretched over it and a small fan clipped onto it. For the deluxe version you can make it into a shallow box and line the bottom with more crumpled-up slash, which also prevents light spill out the back. The end result is not quite as good as real water but it's pretty close, and is way better looking than ripple tanks or projectors, and a lot more convenient to use.

Can also be handy for a flame effect if placed with the slash running vertically. Gold slash and an amber gel in the spot gives a lovely flickery glow.