Object falling from the grid

[NewTheatre_PSM]

I am working on a show and I need to have a gel frame fall from the grid.

The set up is a gun is fired up into the grid and it hits something making a gel frame fall.

 

I was thinking some sort of drop box or a clip that can be released.

 

The theatre space I am in is quite small and we have a limited budget.

So I am basically looking for the quick and dirty way of doing this.

 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[paulears]

Morning! We did the drop box topic here, and here and here.

 

It's not obvious to new members that the search box on every page looks just for Blue Room topics - and not Google, which you've probably already tried.

 

I suspect that dropping it from a bar or unused track would be much better, mainly because it appears in view more quickly, and could be easier to reset between shows. Obvious things such as sharp corners come to mind, but a light weight card type frame might be nicer to people underneath than a metal one. As those other topics mention, you can go for solenoid high tech operation, or a bit of fishing line and a pin! I suspect I'd go low tech, myself.

[DrummerJonny]

I would DEFINATELY advise using a cardboard mock up of a gel frame. those things have a habit of falling sideways when the air catches their flat edges. very unpredictable.

[j_b]

Is this for the purposes of 'humour'?

 

In which case, would a stuffed bird / rubber chicken be a suitable alternative, and without being the unpredictable thing that a falling gel frame can be, and without the sharp edges.

 

I did a show once with a pistol shot in the air scene, and the falling rubber chicken got some good laughs - we just lobbed it high from the wings in such a way that it appeared to fall vertically when viewed from the audience, nothing fancy needed at all.

[bjkered]

Is this for the purposes of 'humour'?

 

In which case, would a stuffed bird / rubber chicken be a suitable alternative, and without being the unpredictable thing that a falling gel frame can be, and without the sharp edges.

 

I did a show once with a pistol shot in the air scene, and the falling rubber chicken got some good laughs - we just lobbed it high from the wings in such a way that it appeared to fall vertically when viewed from the audience, nothing fancy needed at all.

 

 

Agree and this works well if Humour is the Theme not every one Knows what a GEL frame is

[ablett]

I agree with all of the above, I nearly got killed from a gelframe falling towards my head. at that height the are just a falling blade...

[sleah]

Does it have to be a gel frame? Even a cardboard mock-up may want to float off on it's own, and could still have someone's eye out :)

 

What about a cardboard mock-up lantern? At least it will drop straight down :) Flat things in free fall are just soooo unpredicatable -_-