Creating an explosion with Light

[lxbensh]

Im the LD for a new work at the moment and we have a lovely little scene where a terrorist detonates a bomb in a train station and everyone dies. Any ideas on how to recreate an explosion with lights? Its a black box venue (studio) so most pyro techniques are out othe question. Any ideas?

[LXbydesign]

I had to do the same thing for a show about the london tube bombing.

 

So, along with an allmighty explosion FX from the sound dept., I simply used an Atomic 3000 strobe on blinder mode for a few moments.

 

Did the job!!

[lxbensh]

Cheers

I was thinking about using our atomic, was just curious to see if anyone had done it differently ** laughs out loud **

[J Pearce]

When I had to do this for a WWII piece set in a tube station during a bombing raid I used 2 molefay 4lite blinders and some parcans.

A very quick snap b/o followed by a snap whiteout followed by a snap blackout with a long fade back into the destroyed station worked very nicely. The snap b/o before really helped to make the whiteout a bright blinding shock.

[tom_the_LD]

I agree with Jon - when I've had to do this in the past I've used blinders too and it gives a better effect as they're intended to "blind". If the budget is available, definitely get either 2 x 8lite molefay blinders or a selection of 4lite blinders and do a "flash" of them all together.

[Smiffy]

Hello:

 

My approach would be very similar to the above.

 

Make the leading scene as dark as you can feasibly get away with given the Time of Day, Enviroment requirements, Mood etc (makes the Bright bit all the Brighter, ideally it would almost 'hurt' to see).

 

Strategically positioned Atomics set to Blinder in the vicinity of the Blast zone.

 

as many 4 Light Blinders set back out over the audience, pointing at the audience as you can get, and throw some CTB over them to get close to the Atomics Colour Temp (or a bit of CTO over the Atomic, etc)

 

and some big fans

 

Cue sequence - Ideally as a set of 0.5s Follow On's or faster.

 

1. Strobe

 

2. First row of Blinders

 

3. Second row of Blinders + Fans

 

4. Third Row of Blinders (keep adding rows of blinders as far back as you've hung 'em)

 

X. 1.5s FBO / Restore as required

 

 

Just my thoughts, although probably heading a little towards extravagance, but that's just me ;)

 

Cheers

 

Smiffy

[gareth]

I agree with the suggestion of blinders pointing out towards the punters. But don't underestimate just how much some decent sub-bass adds to an effect like this. You can throw as many Molefeys as you like into the rig, but if the sound element of your explosion is coming out of a couple of poxy little full-range cabs each side of stage it's still going to be pants. Stick a couple of 2x15s underneath your seating rostra to rattle the punters about a bit, however, and it takes it to a whole other level.

[Smiffy]

Couldn't agree more with Gareth. As with all of these things, all departments working with rather than against each other will result in success.

 

Cheers

 

Smiffy

[elvenprince]

I'm assuming the snap B/O before the 'explosion' is very much like the sound effect you often hear in films; where it fades to absolute silence a second before a huge explosion? I hadn't thought that the same effect could work with light, thanks for the idea ;)

When I had to do this for a WWII piece set in a tube station during a bombing raid I used 2 molefay 4lite blinders and some parcans.

A very quick snap b/o followed by a snap whiteout followed by a snap blackout with a long fade back into the destroyed station worked very nicely. The snap b/o before really helped to make the whiteout a bright blinding shock.

[Ashley R]

What I would do is Blinders and atomics coupled with some massive sound Fx implementing some subs as gareth said under the seating if possible.

 

Also what sometimes I like to do is a smoke drop box kind of thing. simply a box with a lid which you can fill with smoke and then let it go. that means when you go into the next scene its quite hazy and smoky from the result of the 'explosion'

[lxbensh]

Cheers lads

Ive got the atomic all booked and trying to source a couple of blinders. Definetly going to borrow your snap B/O before explosion Pearce. The sound designer and myself are working closely and I can say we will have decent subs to get a nice rumble happening, hopefully.

[JDLX]

How about a bright moving head doing a fast iris out from nothing to full; to give the impression of an expanding shockwave of an explosion and then some strobing from several different directions? Audience blinders are always good too.