Falling Flowers

[scottbramall]

Hi all.

Need some help. Ive been asked to make flowers fall as part of a production. They will need to fall for about 10 seconds. The director has given me a rough design of what it will look like and told me its a common thing thats made in theatre.

 

Heres the design:

http://www.scottsdisco.co.uk/lpsfc.JPG

 

This is then suspended from the lighting rig and another rope is attached to it.

The idea is that when you want the flowers to fall you pull the rope shaking the whole thing allowing flowers to fall

 

My concerns with this is flowers falling out during the performance before the scene where they are supposed to fall.

 

Any ideas will be appreciated.

 

Thanks

Scott Bramall

 

Longley Park Sixth form College

[gareth]

Technical Manager

Aw, bless! :D Anyway ......

 

What you've drawn is called a snow bag, and is a very common solution for making things drop from the flies. It's been discussed on the BR before - try a Google search (top-right of each page), and also a trawl around the internet in general - I'm sure you'll find loads of useful stuff.

[SceneMaster]

What sort of flowers? Is it a petal shower or whole flower + stem? I recently had to create a petal shower effect, thankfully someone on the production team already had most of the bits.

 

Basically we used was a long flat black (fireproofed) cardboard box containing petals which we held closed with solenoid attached to the outside of the box and zip tie with a hole in it attached to the box lid. The arm of the solenoid went though the hole in the zip tie, To fire it effect we sent the solenoid a voltage which made the arm retract and the lid swung open releasing the petals. The arm of the solenoid also had a little lock pin which stopped it from coming open by accident if knocked.

 

It was fairly easy and we rigged it so I could be lowed for refilling between shows.

[scottbramall]

It is only going to release petals.

 

To fire it effect we sent the solenoid a voltage which made the arm retract and the lid swung open releasing the petals. The arm of the solenoid also had a little lock pin which stopped it from coming open by accident if knocked.

 

Did all the petals fall at once with this effect?

 

Thanks

Scott

[gareth]

the lid swung open releasing the petals.

Did all the petals fall at once with this effect?

With all due respect, Scott, what do you think? The bottom of a box swings open releasing the contents - do they all fall out at once?

 

If you want an instantaneous release, use a drop box like Scenemaster described. If you want a gradual release, use a snow bag as described in your original post. (In fact, given that that's apparently what your designer has already specified for you to use for this effect, I'm not sure why you're not just going ahead and buildling the effect as per the instructions you've been given ...)

[w/robe]

If you want an instantaneous release, use a drop box like Scenemaster described. If you want a gradual release, use a snow bag as described in your original post. (In fact, given that that's apparently what your designer has already specified for you to use for this effect, I'm not sure why you're not just going ahead and building the effect as per the instructions you've been given ...)

 

For instantaneous release you can also have a container fixed upright in the grid so that it can pivot and a piece of rope tied to the bottom of the container going through a pulley above the container, or even if you have access to the grid a person standing with a bucket. Neither of these solutions may be as much fun as playing with solenoids but they will work every time.

 

If you are using a drop bag then start with a few small slits (they are far too long on your picture) spaced occasionally down the fabric, it is very easy to cut a few more once you have tried it.

[Grahame]

With a snow bag, you should also cut the slits on one half of the fabric only. This allows you to fly the bag with the slits 'above' the load until needed - that way you don't get any premature droppage. Just fly in the top bar past the bottom one and the load gently rolls onto the slits and starts to fall with a bit of gentle jiggling on the fly rope.

 

I've done exactly this with a whole bunch of paper poppies (the ones you get for Remembrance Sunday); worked a treat.

[Guest lightnix]

Or you can do it the way they do balloon drops...

 

Take a gauze of suitable size and suspend it from the corners so it sags. Having filled it with petals, you then slowly pick it up via a fifth point, attached to the centre of the gauze. This causes the petals to spill out over the edge of the gauze, the rate being controlled by the speed at which you lift the centre.

[Roderick]

Another hint on the slits in the bag, put the slits in at a slight angle, probably about 30degrees. It greatly improves to efficiency of the movement.

[scottbramall]

Hi all

 

Thanks for all your help. Its appreciated.

 

Heres the final design that im going to start making tomorrow.

 

http://www.scottsdisco.co.uk/finaldesign.JPG

 

Cheers for your help

 

Scott

[Ynot]

Heres the final design that im going to start making tomorrow.

Except that's not how I se a snow-bag .....

You're ok up to the point where you have fixed timber frame across the upstage to downstage sides - ie top & bottom of your diag.

 

The idea with a snow bag is that it's attached to two seperate lines, and drops into a 'U' when raised, with the snow/flowers in the un-slit part. The line attached to (in your pic) right hand length is then lowered in/shaken to let the material thru the slits/holes.

 

Your diag shows something that's going to take up a heck of a lot of room and may not do the job properly.

[gareth]

Ynot's right - you're almost there, but you shouldn't have timber framing along the short edges.

[andy_s]

absolutely - think of "bag", not "shelf". the edge above the half without slits stays fixed - I'd usually make this the downstage edge, but I've no idea if there is any particular reason for this, I think it's just how I saw it done first - and the (upstage) edge with the slits is lowered and raised rythmically to release the petals / snow / whatever. make it a bit longer than necessary, but don't take the slits right up to the ends. Don't sew or otherwise fix the ends, as this will stop it working smoothly.

[Ynot]

absolutely - think of "bag", not "shelf". the edge above the half without slits stays fixed - I'd usually make this the downstage edge, but I've no idea if there is any particular reason for this,

That's how I've always used these (and seen them used) on the odd occasion I've had the need.

I would say that having the slits upstage is likely a better option as the petals/snow would naturally fall upstage better, rather than downstage (and possibly OFF stage) so is likely just a minor practical option.

[T*ny]

Make it from black wool serge and it is self masking. Especially if the slits are upstage so that any bits of snow/petals which get stuck on their way out are out of sight.