Exploding Shop Window

[soundmonkey]

Ok so my dance teacher has got me roped into helping with this video for the police. It's about gang crime, terrorism, things like that and they want part of it to be a shot of someone blowing up a shop window.

 

1. How do I get a piece of glass big enough for a shop window without it being a massive pain in the bum?!... I know it's gonna have to be sugar glass. And I know that breakaway effects make large sheets of this however the video is being shot in the north west so transporting the sugar glass isn't really going to be a feasable option. Are there any other places further north which make things like this?

 

2. How on earth can I make it look like it's a bomb causing the explosion and at the same time still have it safe enough for someone to be seen in the background (as if they've just set the bomb off)??

 

At the minute I don't know what the budget for the project is going to be so just throw any ideas you have at me! I'm completely stumped!

[smalljoshua]

As far as a safe "explosion" how about a microdet to shatter the sugar glass an air "canon", such as the style used by Mythbusters to fire a range of projectiles but instead, just using the air force to blow out the window?

 

Obviously, risk assessment is the key and ensuring safe distance from any explosive charge is important.

 

Josh

[the kid]

There is that plastic alternative to sugar glass, when it breaks it is more like rubber crystals.

 

I'm with Josh, a air cannon, is prob going to be best. and of course, as many cameras as you can to film it. Depends as well on how the "charge" is placed, like is it a pipe bomb, or a car bomb.

[Brian]

Do the whole thing in the edit. It's way easier than a live visual FX.

[paulears]

Particles in After Effects is your friend here, I suspect. It's certainly time consuming to do it properly, and rendering time with high particles is going to be long, but the practicalities and cost of doing the real thing are huge. I'm not even sure sugar glass can be used for huge sheets like shop windows - the weight of itself is too much for it to self-support. Plastic sheet if thin enough to shatter may also be unmanageable - and expensive!

[Jivemaster]

Remember it's all done in the edit!

 

Get your local windscreen suppliers to save you sone broken glass cubes then propel these towards a protected camera or group of cameras, some running at high speed

 

You'll need several takes but the whole shot will not last more than two seconds.

[Wingwalker]

The air cannons as mentioned above are called "woofers" and depending on the type you use can store / release gas pressure upto 800psi. Not the kind of thing you want to play with unless you are experienced in doing so or are under supervision. One of your best people to talk to is "Any Effects" www.anyeffects.com they have the experience and technical know how to do this kind of effect safely and to a budget.

 

David.

[soundmonkey]

Thanks for all your help guys!!

 

After all that I went to a production meeting today and they've decided not to have anything exploding at all.. We're just gonna do the before and after shots!

[soundmonkey]

sorry to dig up this old thread again but I just remembered someone mentioning broken up windscreen on this.. For the same project as I mentioned earlier they're now thinking of doing it as more of a before and after shot. Would it be ok to use broken up windscreens in the set for the after shot or would I be safer using broken bits of sugar glass?

[Jivemaster]

Of course sugar glass is safer but there is a cost implication too! If you can handle and clear a load of windscreen glass safely it's probably free. A typical windscreen fitter should be able to find you 50kilos of glass for free in a few days.

[adam2]

Might it be possible to obtain video footage of a real window being blown up by real explosives ?

And add this seamlessly to the video that you have filmed.

[Just Some Bloke]

It's all down to the risk assessment. If you can achieve something without risk to anyone's health or safety then you can do it. Real glass with the proper precautions in place will be absolutely fine. It's a bit like asking if it's OK to make a cup of tea because you might scald yourself with hot water from the kettle.