Lighting snow effect for village hall auditorium

[bagel]

Hi

The start of this year's panto in the village hall (seating 100) will feature a snowy scene with people "skating" around the stage as if on a frozen pond. The director has asked if we can fill the auditorium with "falling snow flakes" to help create a wintry, snowy feel.

 

This looks promising:

It generates exactly the kind of effect we're looking for (although don't know whether it could fill the whole village hall). However, the company seems to have ceased trading a year or so ago anyway.

I've also come across this American company: https://www.laserchristmaslights.com And new for 2017 they have a white laser projector, which ought to produce quite a good effect (although not falling like snowflakes). However, at $275 it's rather out of our price range anyway!

 

I noticed a previous thread a few years back raised in this forum, where it was suggested to mount a mirror ball horizontally. However, it sounds like it could be a bit tricky to get it set up, and I'm not sure it'll produce the right kind of effect anyway. (We do have a mirror ball, but it goes round rather fast - I think it would look more like a blizzard!)

 

Has anyone successfully managed to create the kind of effect we're looking for? Are there any reasonably-priced "off the shelf" options available?

 

Thanks

[sandall]

Try googling Snow KK effect - basically a rotating disc that sits in a profile's colour-frame runner. I have also used GAM Film-effects, which is a moving stainless-steel belt that fits in the gobo slot of a profile (also good for fire effect if you change the focus slightly) - may be harder to find, but available in W London.

[Dave m]

Most mirror balls run quite slow but you can get a cheap Chinese motor off eBay to run really slow

There is always video projection but I'd go with lighting

[Brian]

If you are handy with a bit of diy your best bet is a mirror ball with different sizes of mirror, mounted horizontally.

[James Remo]

Optikinetics Solar 250 with snow wheels?

 

http://www.optifanatics.com/Product.aspx?id=739&t=Optikinetics_6__Abstract_Wheel__Snow_(3_types)

[bigclive]

This video gives an idea of the sideways mirrorball effect.

[Gerry]

I've done it using two horizontly mounte miiror balls running a slightly different speeds, each with it's own MR16 projectors. Cheap and reseanably effective.

Cheers

Gerry

[Junior8]

Tell the director to get real. This will not look or feel like falling snow whatever you do. Mind you if they can get the cast to look as if they are skating I suppose anything is possible.

[Robertdazzler]

get a small mirror ball from Aldi or similar ( about £7) and mount it horizontally by removing a few mirrors from the opposite end to the shaft and drilling a hole. Be careful the ball is very brittle. Mount between 2 uprights and use a geared motor ( Maplin or similar) or a BBQ rotator and a small shaft and bearing at the drilled end. if your motor has plenty of torque a nail directly in the hole will do. An intense narrow spot completes the package. I was faced with your situation some time ago and did just this. The effect is great but it needs a wall or gauze cloth to get the best from it. I was lucky to have a slow running motor/gear box from a colour wheel but you get the idea. Yes it will take some effort but that's what a hobby is all about. I have photos but don't know how to attach them here. If you contact me directly I can arrange.

[bagel]

Try googling Snow KK effect -

 

I've tried that but it doesn't come up with anything relevant - maybe a typo?

[James Remo]

http://emea.rosco.com/sites/default/files/content/resource/2016-10/RoscoUKMotionEffects.pdf

 

Page 15.

[sandall]

"Try googling Snow KK effect -" I've tried that but it doesn't come up with anything relevant - maybe a typo?

Sorry, you're right, google doesn't want to know. It's an "animation wheel", often called "KK" after it's designer's initials. IIRC they came up in a thread a month or two back, possibly for fire or rain. Try your local lighting hire people - my local guy has several of them.

[sunray]

I've done it using two horizontly mounte miiror balls running a slightly different speeds, each with it's own MR16 projectors. Cheap and reseanably effective.Cheers

We wanted this effect right round a 700 seat school hall so used several mirror balls [possibly 6?] with 2 3606 pin spots carefully positioned [to avoid snow going up!] on each. the effect was very good, especially where the balls overlapped.

[bagel]

Thanks all for your responses - very helpful.

The gobo combined with rotating disc looks interesting, but out of our price range; and likewise the projector and snow wheels.

It looks like one or more horizontally-mounted mirror balls is the way to go, combined with one or more pin spots. I'll give that a try.

[ImagineerTom]

Go googling, you can get battery powered BBQ rotisserie systems for £10-15, grab a couple of small (15-20cm) mirror balls from ebay and put 2 or 3 of them on one horizontal rotisserie. Use a couple of pinspots (or those ultra high power led torches that can be focused to a small point) lighting multiple balls at unusual angles and you will end up with a very organic looking projected snowfall effect.