Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: snow machines?

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   Here's what we did to make a 'snow machine' that was simple and portable and easily made from set bulidling 'leftovers'.

- Use two 2 by 2's each what ever length you need to span.
 ( Ours was about 3' in length and hung above a window to give the impression of snow outside)
- staple a piece of vinyl between the two boards.
- put slits in the vinyl
- slitsshould be diaganol going in a direction between the boards.
- support the 2 by 2's with a  2 L frames
- have the 2 by 2's about 12 inches apart
- hang with a pulley system with a rope that goes to where an ASM can reach it and pull it on cue.  Gentle consistent pulls on the rope make the snow gently fall out of the slits in the vinyl
- for snow we bought 'dry' snow from a place.  Snow cost about $50.00 for a large box but the snow went a long way.
- on the floor below where the snow fell we had a large cardboard box which caught most of the snow so we could recycle.

Sorry if this doesn't make sense.  I'm not god at describing stuff like this.  I can put you in touch with the guy who made it (he's my hubby) who could describe the process much better than I have done.

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Playwright Celebrity Joined: 4/01/06 Location: Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 126	Posted: 12/26/06 at 11:14pm
	Here's what we did to make a 'snow machine' that was simple and portable and easily made from set bulidling 'leftovers'. - Use two 2 by 2's each what ever length you need to span. ( Ours was about 3' in length and hung above a window to give the impression of snow outside) - staple a piece of vinyl between the two boards. - put slits in the vinyl - slitsshould be diaganol going in a direction between the boards. - support the 2 by 2's with a 2 L frames - have the 2 by 2's about 12 inches apart - hang with a pulley system with a rope that goes to where an ASM can reach it and pull it on cue. Gentle consistent pulls on the rope make the snow gently fall out of the slits in the vinyl - for snow we bought 'dry' snow from a place. Snow cost about $50.00 for a large box but the snow went a long way. - on the floor below where the snow fell we had a large cardboard box which caught most of the snow so we could recycle. Sorry if this doesn't make sense. I'm not god at describing stuff like this. I can put you in touch with the guy who made it (he's my hubby) who could describe the process much better than I have done.
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Techiemama Player Joined: 1/02/07 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 1/02/07 at 8:29am
	We used a snow machine for Wizard of Oz, and we attached it to a fly bar with a tube shaped box with insulation around it. It did make noise, but not as much with the music loud and baffle on it. The effect on our little poppies going to sleep in the snow was beautiful.
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toomuchdama Walk-On Joined: 3/14/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 3/17/07 at 10:27am
	When we did "Fiddler", during Far from the Home I Love, we made it snow. I built a trough out of furring strips and cardboard that was about twelve feet long, six inches wide and six inches deep. I attatched a dowel to the side about eight feet long. I cut holes in the bottom about one inch in diameter and filled it with dry synthetic snow. This contraption was suspended about a foot above the curtain and operated from a step ladder just off stage to the one side. By gently adgitating the box at the begining of the song, a light snowfall was acheived. At the end of the song when Tevye tells his daughter to stay warm, a full on blizzard was raging overhead. It was quite a nice effect and received many comments after the show. The best part was that a quick pass or two with a dustmop and the "snow" was collected backstage and recycled for future performances. No sticky mess to deal with and very economical.
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Set Design and Construction
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Topic: snow machines?( Topic Closed)
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