Ghosts on stage

[dizzidido4]

Hello.

 

I am researching as part of my college project ways in which ghosts have been created on stage. I am a lighting student and have already chosen how I am going to achieve this effect however I was just wondering how other people may have done this.

 

So have you had to light a scene with a ghost in it before?

 

If so how did you achieve this?

 

What kind of venue/ staging was it being performed in/on?

 

Was it successful?

 

Thankyou for your time

[adam_cookson]

Google for Victorian Stage Effects, peppers ghosts, Ghosts on Stage etc

 

Tell us the way you are going to achieve this then we know that you have thought about it and not going to copy the ideas posted on here.

 

Cheers

AC

[dizzidido4]

Google for Victorian Stage Effects, peppers ghosts, Ghosts on Stage etc

 

Tell us the way you are going to achieve this then we know that you have thought about it and not going to copy the ideas posted on here.

 

Cheers

AC

 

Never looked at it that way. I am using shadows so the ghost is never seen on stage just a shadow cast from the wings/ doors etc..

 

I have already researched (and used) peppers ghost but my ideas are going to be transferred into 3 different venues 1 being in the round so with that in mind and with the given equipment I have its not the best option.

 

I have done a fair bit of research into used 'ghost methods' just wanted a person to person mini question and answer as I will be holding a presentation on this and the more varied my researh the better.

 

Thanks again

[Krais]

As an LD for an amateur group this is something I have needed to do on several occassions. With a "typical" school hall and minimal budget we do what we can with the limitations.

 

One way we have done this effect in a well lit stage is using 2 followspots, converting a simple costume into a realistic ghost by focusing tightly on the actor and then pulsing both followspots. Obviously requires a bit of practice to get the timing right, but it actually worked really well!

 

Another simple way of creating a ghost is through the use of UV lights and actors painted suitably with UV paint. I've never managed to get this to work well in anything other than total darkness.

 

Hope that helps. I'm hoping some other great suggestions will be posted to this topic!

[ferret219]

We did this one in Syeeny Todd a few years back. Put up a couple of UV Cannons on the rig, the 'ghosts' wore white clothes and used UV face paint. The overall effect was verry good although the Cannons took a while to warm up.

[AV Ian]

I did a ghost for Julius Ceasar 2 years back.

We filmed the ghost 'actor' on stage during rehearsals, then projected at full size this video onto a white gauze back drop during the scene. With a bit of smoke wafting up through the floor and some low level lighting it gave a real difference between the actors on stage and the projected ghost.

It did take the actors a little while to get used to acting to a projected image, but the overall effect was good.

[cedd]

Yes, the "projector onto gauze" method worked really well for our production of Jekyll and Hyde. We were also able to do a tranformation between Jekyll and Hyde by having the actor behind the gauze with the projection onto the front. Quick change in lighting and one could morph into the other, bit like Pepper's Ghost.

Robe Digital Spots were the order of the day for that one - quite a big stage so 2 were edge blended to give full coverage.

Needs somebody pretty handy with video editing software and an actor who can cope with talking to an image.

 

Similair trick with gauze was used in "A Christmas Carol" for the appearance of Marley in the door knocker - the door had a gauze panel within it, painted to blend with the rest of the door. Marley sat behind the door and when lit, appeared within the painted door knocker. You should have seen the audience jump!

[dizzidido4]

Thankyou to all responses

Got my presentation on tuesday so wish me luck

:D