Cigarette or Beer fragrance for smoke machines

[lewisreid01]

Hi,

 

I am working on a production that is set in a pub, and would like to have the auditorium smell of cigarettes or beer. I cannot use real cigarettes, but have seen Smoke fluid fragrances before. I have searched for a fragrance that smells of cigarettes or beer but cannot find anything. I am wondering if anyone could link me to one of these fragrances, or knows of any alternative routes I could take to get this smell.

 

Thanks a lot

Lewis

[Lauracollins93]

Hi Lewis,

 

When we want scents we have used these guys from the US before https://www.scentevents.com/

They are scent bead packs you can put on the back of a fan or smoke machine and work really well!

[MarkPAman]

Would this do the job?http://www.blue-room.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif

[sandall]

Would this do the job?http://www.blue-room.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif

Combined with a beer-soaked piece of carpet & a fan?

[natjones]

Another American company: I've used these on immersive productions before https://demeterfragr...lassic-a-z.html . They used to do a home fragrance spray, which we would spritz onto items, but other people have used the colognes. I don't know how they would work with effects smoke, but it might be another way of achieving the smell that you want.

[Gerry]

Don't know what most of your audience would think but both my wife and myself whould strongly object to the auditorium smelling of cigarette smoke.

We'd probably walk out and demand our money back.

Cheers

Gerry

[Shez]

I'd also be wary of introducing such a fragrance in to a venue unless you're ABSOLUTELY sure that it won't linger after your show leaves.

[lonemorf]

Notwithstanding the comments above, BSTE have got a fantastic range of scents and fragrances - I use the christmas tree one at this time of the year, and it is nigh on perfect.

http://www.back-stage-technologies.co.uk/sale/sfx%20consumables/aromas%20and%20fragrances/Fragrance%20List.pdf

HTH

 

[Ynot]

I'd also be wary of adding ANYTHING to smoke machine fluids. Despite what some manufacturers may say, they're NOT really viable as an additive. the whole point of specific fluids for specific machines is that they are creaed to work best with the heaters and dispersal machinery. Adding something else can very easily screw that balance and potentially clog the machine.

[ImagineerTom]

Special fx psychology lesson.

 

You can either spoon feed audiences information; or you can create an absence of information that makes their own brain / imagination fill in all the blanks with something way more effective than anything you could create (see movies Jaws or Alien for examples of how little actual terror is on screen yet you’d swear blind you have seen horrific things) and this works for all the senses.

 

If you have a visible smokey haze in the room and empty beer glasses lying around and NO smells (so make sure the cleaners aren’t using smelly polish and air fresheners) your audience will mentally fill in the smell and feel like they can smell those authentic aromas even though you don’t have them.

 

If you use artificial smoke smells etc you will have huge problems with consistency, control and dozens of complaints about the artificial smell.

 

Use psychology, trigger every other sense and they will remember the smell....

[Junior8]

It's a daft idea. Forget it.

[themadhippy]

whats the budget? I can, at the right price, nip over and smoke a few fags and sink sevral pints (at your cost) just before doors, I'll even throw in the ambience of pork scratching farts for free (scratchings are an added expense,chargeable to the client)

[sunray]

<br />I'd also be wary of adding ANYTHING to smoke machine fluids. Despite what some manufacturers may say, they're NOT really viable as an additive. the whole point of specific fluids for specific machines is that they are creaed to work best with the heaters and dispersal machinery. Adding something else can very easily screw that balance and potentially clog the machine.<br />

Having spent a year at a company who did a lot of repair work for Martin, one of the biggest problems with smoke their machines was replacing heaters that had been clogged with the wrong fluid. Moral is to only use products approved by the manufacturer.

[theatretechie]

Hi Lewis,

 

Don't be put off by any negative comments, I believe they are all valid to make you think. personally I have used effects like this and its a great idea and is adding another dimension to your production. But for sure experimentation of how much/how strong an effect is needed would be worth playing with.

 

There was a brilliant company called Dale Air in the UK, which I believe is now https://aromaprime.com/ At least their location, range and machines match the old Dale Air information.

They used to supply the Imperial War Museum with Mustard Gas, Cannon Ball smoke and Dragons Breath for the WW1 trench experience. I found them when I was lighting Journey's End at RADA during my Uni days. The affect was amazing in the setting.

 

After that I used them again for the Weir. When we had a Peat Fire smell for the old countryside pub it was set in. Again it worked really well.

 

I've even had Grass and Flower aromas in Big Tops and Arenas which, again, works well.

 

Using smoke machines with a fragrance would give you the secondary effect of Smoke to lose and the hiss of a smoke machine. Many aroma machines have no noise or visible output.

 

I wish you all the best with this project. Its a lot of fun finding and exploring that extra dimension for your audience.

[kerry davies]

There will always be two schools of thought and my vote is always the suspension of disbelief one Imagineer Tom and Junior subscribe to. In certain re-enactment scenarios there is no substitute for the smell of real gunpowder etc as technician suggests but in a theatre the audience come ready prepared for that psych trickery Tom mentions.

 

Word of warning; there are reasons we don't actually carry out much of what we portray and her indoors would walk out with the smell of beer and fags. Some people have very strong reactions to emotions and smell is the most evocative of the senses.

 

Anywho, if you have soft fabrics can you afford the amount of Febreze required to make cushions and drapes remotely tolerable afterwards?