Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: "Bug" set design question

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GElliott
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Topic: "Bug" set design question
Posted: 8/21/12 at 10:52am

I'm directing Bug, by Tracy Letts. The show calls for a really quick scene change. It goes from normal room to aluminum foil covered walls. Other companies have done partial cover, or only covered the windows. I'm trying to figure out how to cover ALL the walls in a 2 - 3 minute scene change.

We can't close curtains, and we can't spin walls, so the scene change will take place in audience view. The best idea on the table right now is using foam board, gluing the foil to that and velcroing that to the walls.

Anyone else have a genius idea? Thanks very much!

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dboris
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Posted: 8/21/12 at 12:25pm

If it doesn't have to change back quickly you could have rolls of myler attached to the tops of the flats with a simple mechanism to release them to unroll. This would allow for a very quick scene change but takes a while to reset.

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Raging Thespian
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Posted: 8/22/12 at 11:30am

Those are both good suggestions. I'd go with the mylar if it doesn't have to change back. Trying to unstick velcro in a hurry could be a disaster waiting to happen.

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vickifrank
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Posted: 8/24/12 at 10:59am

Think backwards. Have the flats already covered in mylar and never remove that. But have a material that is attached to the back of the flats and thrown over the front to velcro in place.

During a scene change unvelcro the cover material and throw it to the back. This will be easier if you sew a dowel into the bottom.

You want a material that is easy to use...doesn't stretch in any direction and doesn't need side seams. I have some suggestions if you want to take this approach.

_____________

http://www.studio-productions-inc.com
1-800-359-2964

The theater scrim people

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GElliott
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Posted: 8/27/12 at 3:19pm

In thinking about it, I believe you all may be correct with the mylar. I've ordered enough for the walls. It's gonna be LOUD unless I back it with something.

@vickifrank, It's a run down seedy hotel room, so we're going to be going with a plywood paneling treatment. With that in mind, I don't think a cover would work.

By the way, no we don't have to reset the stage after this scene, so resetting is not an issue.

Thanks for the input!

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GElliott
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Posted: 2/03/13 at 11:21pm

BTW, here's what we ended up doing. We went with the mylar sheets spray glued to large panels of black fabric. We attached thes to the top of the flats. At the bottom of the sheets we inserted pvc pipes in a fabric slot. That gave them weight and allowed for easy roll up. Before the show the mylar was simply rolled up on top of the flats. In the quick scene change the fabric was unrolled to reveal the mylar. Because of the pvc we didn't even need to secure them at the bottom. It worked great.

Here's the facebook page with photos from the show. Mylar pics are at the end. Thanks everyone for suggestions.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151121955758507.452993.130171553506&type=3

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Set Design and Construction
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Producing Theater :Set Design and Construction

Author	Message
GElliott Lead Joined: 3/05/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 33	Topic: "Bug" set design question Posted: 8/21/12 at 10:52am
	I'm directing Bug, by Tracy Letts. The show calls for a really quick scene change. It goes from normal room to aluminum foil covered walls. Other companies have done partial cover, or only covered the windows. I'm trying to figure out how to cover ALL the walls in a 2 - 3 minute scene change. We can't close curtains, and we can't spin walls, so the scene change will take place in audience view. The best idea on the table right now is using foam board, gluing the foil to that and velcroing that to the walls. Anyone else have a genius idea? Thanks very much!

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dboris Celebrity Joined: 2/10/04 Online Status: Offline Posts: 124	Posted: 8/21/12 at 12:25pm
	If it doesn't have to change back quickly you could have rolls of myler attached to the tops of the flats with a simple mechanism to release them to unroll. This would allow for a very quick scene change but takes a while to reset.
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Raging Thespian Player Joined: 2/29/12 Location: Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 22	Posted: 8/22/12 at 11:30am
	Those are both good suggestions. I'd go with the mylar if it doesn't have to change back. Trying to unstick velcro in a hurry could be a disaster waiting to happen.
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vickifrank Celebrity Joined: 9/21/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 332	Posted: 8/24/12 at 10:59am
	Think backwards. Have the flats already covered in mylar and never remove that. But have a material that is attached to the back of the flats and thrown over the front to velcro in place. During a scene change unvelcro the cover material and throw it to the back. This will be easier if you sew a dowel into the bottom. You want a material that is easy to use...doesn't stretch in any direction and doesn't need side seams. I have some suggestions if you want to take this approach.
	_____________ http://www.studio-productions-inc.com 1-800-359-2964 The theater scrim people
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GElliott Lead Joined: 3/05/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 33	Posted: 8/27/12 at 3:19pm
	In thinking about it, I believe you all may be correct with the mylar. I've ordered enough for the walls. It's gonna be LOUD unless I back it with something. @vickifrank, It's a run down seedy hotel room, so we're going to be going with a plywood paneling treatment. With that in mind, I don't think a cover would work. By the way, no we don't have to reset the stage after this scene, so resetting is not an issue. Thanks for the input!
	IP Logged

GElliott Lead Joined: 3/05/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 33	Posted: 2/03/13 at 11:21pm
	BTW, here's what we ended up doing. We went with the mylar sheets spray glued to large panels of black fabric. We attached thes to the top of the flats. At the bottom of the sheets we inserted pvc pipes in a fabric slot. That gave them weight and allowed for easy roll up. Before the show the mylar was simply rolled up on top of the flats. In the quick scene change the fabric was unrolled to reveal the mylar. Because of the pvc we didn't even need to secure them at the bottom. It worked great. Here's the facebook page with photos from the show. Mylar pics are at the end. Thanks everyone for suggestions. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151121955758507.452993.130171553506&type=3
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