Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Growing and shrinking screen

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SweeneyBob
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Topic: Growing and shrinking screen
Posted: 7/24/09 at 6:14am

I am currently working on a two-person production of Alice in Wonderland in which 1 woman plays Alice and 1 man plays all the other characters. Now, the script calls for a Victorian dressing screen that makes up the backdrop. We have decided that in order to give the effect of Alice shrinking and growing, we will make the screen grow and shrink. So when Alice gets big, the screen will get smaller and vice versa. Now, my question for you is how can I build such a screen? Any ideas?

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vickifrank
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Posted: 7/24/09 at 3:51pm

You could do that with projection. If I'm understanding this correctly, the dressing screen shows Alice in sihouette. That gives you two options, one is a direct projection of live action on the screen. The other requires a shadow that shrinks and grows. As you move Alice (or cutout of Alice or 'puppet Alice) farther from the screen and closer to the projector, she grows bigger. If Alice is moved closer to the screen and farther from the projector she shrinks.

_____________

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

The theater scrim people

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SweeneyBob
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Posted: 7/24/09 at 3:58pm

That might be cool too. What I was actually referring to is a structure that moves up and down.

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vickifrank
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Posted: 7/25/09 at 9:23am

You could also project the screen (including frame) either live action or shadow to cause it to shrink and grow.

_____________

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

The theater scrim people

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SweeneyBob
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Posted: 7/26/09 at 4:57am

You've suggested that twice. I don't want to and can not use a projector.

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Gaafa
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Posted: 8/01/09 at 10:36pm

If uostage space area is the problem, for you not usin rear projection? You can bounce the image off a mirror, which can give upto a 1:15 image increase.

This can be done cheaply, using the Linnebach project, which is ease to knock up your self. :- LiLinnebach lantern - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia nnebach lantern - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

from an old floodlight or a black box with a light scource, can be very effective.

Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

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Musicman315
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Posted: 8/11/09 at 12:38pm

You could just move the screen straight back when Alice grows to give the illusion that the screen is shrinking.... the further back you move the screen, the smaller it will look to the audience.

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kries13
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Posted: 8/12/09 at 3:45pm

If you can't use a projection do you have a fly system? Could you do this with a back drop that can grow or shrink dependant upon what you needed at what time in the show.

Or could you do the same thing with a small personalized screen that had a track system built into it. Kind of like a Roman Shade only expanding up from the bottom instead of retracting to the top. If that makes sense?

kries
I art therefore I am.
www.artisrelative.com

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

Author	Message
SweeneyBob Player Joined: 9/14/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 20	Topic: Growing and shrinking screen Posted: 7/24/09 at 6:14am
	I am currently working on a two-person production of Alice in Wonderland in which 1 woman plays Alice and 1 man plays all the other characters. Now, the script calls for a Victorian dressing screen that makes up the backdrop. We have decided that in order to give the effect of Alice shrinking and growing, we will make the screen grow and shrink. So when Alice gets big, the screen will get smaller and vice versa. Now, my question for you is how can I build such a screen? Any ideas?

	IP Logged

vickifrank Celebrity Joined: 9/21/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 332	Posted: 7/24/09 at 3:51pm
	You could do that with projection. If I'm understanding this correctly, the dressing screen shows Alice in sihouette. That gives you two options, one is a direct projection of live action on the screen. The other requires a shadow that shrinks and grows. As you move Alice (or cutout of Alice or 'puppet Alice) farther from the screen and closer to the projector, she grows bigger. If Alice is moved closer to the screen and farther from the projector she shrinks.
	_____________ http://www.studio-productions-inc.com 1-800-359-2964 The theater scrim people
	IP Logged

SweeneyBob Player Joined: 9/14/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 20	Posted: 7/24/09 at 3:58pm
	That might be cool too. What I was actually referring to is a structure that moves up and down.
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vickifrank Celebrity Joined: 9/21/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 332	Posted: 7/25/09 at 9:23am
	You could also project the screen (including frame) either live action or shadow to cause it to shrink and grow.
	_____________ http://www.studio-productions-inc.com 1-800-359-2964 The theater scrim people
	IP Logged

SweeneyBob Player Joined: 9/14/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 20	Posted: 7/26/09 at 4:57am
	You've suggested that twice. I don't want to and can not use a projector.
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Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 8/01/09 at 10:36pm
	If uostage space area is the problem, for you not usin rear projection? You can bounce the image off a mirror, which can give upto a 1:15 image increase. This can be done cheaply, using the Linnebach project, which is ease to knock up your self. :- LiLinnebach lantern - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia nnebach lantern - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia from an old floodlight or a black box with a light scource, can be very effective.
	Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house}
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Musicman315 Walk-On Joined: 8/11/09 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 8/11/09 at 12:38pm
	You could just move the screen straight back when Alice grows to give the illusion that the screen is shrinking.... the further back you move the screen, the smaller it will look to the audience.
	IP Logged

kries13 Player Joined: 8/12/09 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 18	Posted: 8/12/09 at 3:45pm
	If you can't use a projection do you have a fly system? Could you do this with a back drop that can grow or shrink dependant upon what you needed at what time in the show. Or could you do the same thing with a small personalized screen that had a track system built into it. Kind of like a Roman Shade only expanding up from the bottom instead of retracting to the top. If that makes sense?
	kries I art therefore I am. www.artisrelative.com
	IP Logged

Topic: Growing and shrinking screen( Topic Closed)