Gauzes

[matt-hayes]

Hi,

 

I am thinking about using a gauze in an upcoming production but have never used it before and would appreciate a little help before I go any furthur.

 

Basically, I need to know:

~Where to get hold of the material and how much to expect to pay for it

~How easy it is to rig and fly

~How receptive it is to changes in front/back lighting

 

I would also like to know if it will act as a barrier to smoke/dry ice to create a very surreal effect in one of the scenes.

 

Thanks

 

Matt

[DSA]

The best answer to your question is to get some of the stuff, and have a play.

 

Quite seriously it is the best way to learn.

 

But it will be quite expensive.

 

For rigging ideas, take a look at some of the threads that are flying about on here, for example - here

 

HTH

David

[Tom Baldwin]

Hi,

 

I am thinking about using a gauze in an upcoming production but have never used it before and would appreciate a little help before I go any furthur.

 

Basically, I need to know:

~Where to get hold of the material and how much to expect to pay for it

~How easy it is to rig and fly

~How receptive it is to changes in front/back lighting

 

I would also like to know if it will act as a barrier to smoke/dry ice to create a very surreal effect in one of the scenes.

 

Thanks

 

Matt

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You could buy online from

Whaleys

or in a more traditional fashion from J C Joel. The Whaley's site will give you some price guide. Other BR'ers probably buy this stuff far more than me and so can recommend other suppliers - any good theatrical supplier should be able to sort you out.

 

Or, if it's just for a single show, hire it from people like Blackout, Acre Jean or Hawthorns, amongst many others - let us know where you are and someone will know a local supplier.

 

Rigging and flying - provided it's been properly prepared (seamed, tapes and ties at the top, chain pocket at the bottom) it's as easy (easier, even, since it's lighter) to work with than ordinary drapes.

 

You can make it work with changes in front and back lighting to quite impressive effect - if you get it right. It will never be 100% transparent, perhaps 80% - 90%. If you want it to become opaque, light it with raking (shining up or down it at an angle nearly parallel to the gauze itself) light, and keep the scene behind it as dark as you can - even consider flying a black in just US of it until the reveal. To make it transparent, light the scene behind it brightly, and keep ALL light off the gauze.

 

It contains smoke very nicely - we used one for our panto with low smoke piped on behind a gauze: in front of the gauze there was negligible smoke, while behind the gauze a wall of smoke was clearly visible.

 

Any more questions, please ask!

 

Tom

[robloxley]

Or McDougall's http://www.mcdougall.co.uk/

[ksm]

Gerriets supplied one to us - white sharkstooth gauze to our specified measurements hemmed for a couple of hundred quid if I remeber rightly - but then of course you've always got a gauze.

 

It does need stretching and you need to make sure that it is always kept taught otherwise the reveals won't work as well.

 

 

But try and get hold of something and have a play....

 

HTH

 

 

K :D