Inhaler prop

[Stagebob]

Anyone have an idea as to what can be used as an inhaler prop? I need a prop that gives the sound effect of an inhaler being used by actor. Need to hear the gas release, but cannot find any compressed gas cans small enough to look like an inhaler. I would prefer that the inhaler is seen in action. The only thing I can think of is somehow putting an air duster can in a pocket and operating it at same time as prop. Any other suggestions would be welcome.

[ImagineerTom]

DO NOT use anything other that something expressly and specifically designed to be inhaled. Air dusters are usually full of highly flammable gas that would probably kill someone using it as an inhaler and certainly pump lots of noxious and flammable gas in to the air.

 

You really can't hear the sound of an inhaler over the sound of the person breathing in at the same time if you're more than 6ft away so an old/dummy one is fine. If you are adamant about getting the sound then speak to a GP about getting a low dose prescription specifically approved for the actor you intend to have using it.

[paulears]

They sell these in America - just propellant - probably available here tooplacebo inhaler

 

[ojc123]

Try trainhaler as a search term.

[andy_s]

am I being particularly dense? I can't see where the OP suggests inhaling the contents of an air duster.

 

Undoubtedly good advice to avoid it, but I don't think that was the proposal.

[paulears]

Does strike me that if you sealed the mouthpiece up, you could drill and escape hole and not inhale anything? So you could use a real one safely?

[ImagineerTom]

am I being particularly dense? I can't see where the OP suggests inhaling the contents of an air duster.

 

Undoubtedly good advice to avoid it, but I don't think that was the proposal.

He doesn’t suggest inhaling it directly but I’m keeping an eye out to future google searches and the misunderstanding / misremembering of them.

Edited July 8, 2019 by ImagineerTom

[kerry davies]

Is this another case for use of the ancient Chinese art of Akh Ting?

Unless it is a radio play or film I can't see the need for realistic sound of puffs of anything from an inhaler. Use an empty one and fake it. Unless your audience is on top of the actor and isn't breathing you aren't likely to hear it anyway.

[Ynot]

I'm with Kerry.

For stage work there's a limit to what you actually need to see/hear from an audience perspective.

And unless the act of inhaling is absolutely crucial to the plot, the audience will forgive an awful lot of faux work simply because they will understand that unless the casting team managed to find an asthmatic actor to play the role, the actor playing the role won't be asthmatic and therefore wouldn't be expected to actually use the inhaler properly...

 

Beware of directors who wail 'I MUST have this effect perfect...' because it quite often doesn't need to be, and often is a lot of wasted time trying to perfect something that is completely missed by the punters.

[GaryNattrass]

I did a training film for GP's many years ago and the correct way to use the real inhaler is not to allow any of it to escape anyway so faking it would be more real than the misuse that most people do by opening their mouth far too early and allow the drug to escape into the atmosphere. Edited July 8, 2019 by GaryNattrass

[Jivemaster]

Simply get a used, empty, inhaler of a usual colour (blue or brown) and follow the advice of the sage of Hay on Wye and his references to Chinese literature.

 

If it's a radio play then the correct sfx should be played on cue and in the tradition of the Radiophonic Workshop will not be made by recording the real thing anyway.

[nuttytechy]

Being asthmatic myself,

 

I can barely just hear the pressurised salbutamol going into my mouth and a few times I've felt a bit weazy I've taken my inhaler and a colleque on the other side of the stage asks if I have taken it as he didn't hear it. If my other crew member couldn't hear it then I doubt the audience will hear it either so like Kerry and Ynot have mentioned, There is really no need to have an actual one or something to create the effect as the audience will not hear it so will not be convinced that said actor is actually inhaling.

 

Now if said actor can act out that they have taken one and inhaled it correctly then it will be far more convincing.

 

[Simon Lewis]

Another asthmatic here...

 

there's about as much air noise as you inhale through the device as there is from the aerosol deploying. The physical action of breathing in sharply (with the shoulders moving back) is far more indicative of what other people see and expect of someone using an inhaler.

That said, the placebo/training inhalers are certainly in use in the UK...!