Lamp for Moon Over Buffalo
Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Props, Scenery, Costumes and Makeup
Forum Discription: For how-to's and where-can-I-find
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3893
Printed Date: 8/08/25 at 5:08am
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Topic: Lamp for Moon Over Buffalo
Posted By: Squeegle
Subject: Lamp for Moon Over Buffalo
Date Posted: 3/20/09 at 8:59am
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I am directing "Moon Over Buffalo"...I need a lamp that will break when it gets shot by a gun. How do I do this?? We are a small community theater...not a lot of funds...we have the gun that will shoot blanks...but how am I going to get the lamp to break??
Also...I need swords that I can use on stage...that don't cost alot. I want the sound of the swords "clinking" together during the sword fight scene...but I don't want the danger of real swords.
HELP!!
Thanks
Miranda ------------- MK |
Replies:
Posted By: pdavis69
Date Posted: 3/20/09 at 9:36am
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I have accomplished this by placing the lamp on a table close to a wall. I tied high test fishing line around the lamp and ran the line through a small hole in the wall behind the lamp. When the gun shoots, a person back stage yanks on the line, the lamp smacks into the wall breaking. ------------- Patrick L. Davis Fort Findlay Playhouse |
Posted By: Squeegle
Date Posted: 3/20/09 at 9:37am
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So I would need 6 different lamps...for 6 different shows?? ------------- MK |
Posted By: KEB54
Date Posted: 3/20/09 at 10:00am
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"Also...I need swords that I can use on stage...that don't cost alot. I want the sound of the swords "clinking" together during the sword fight scene...but I don't want the danger of real swords."
I don't know where you're going to get them. There are many types. We have used fencing foils and such. For The Scottish Play we had some broad swords made by a local college art department. They were doing metal work and welding. I suppose a local tech school may be of help as well.
The real point I want to make is about your comment "but I don't want the danger of real swords". I think that is a common attitude about stage weapons. A weapons master I had told me that more actors were hurt with "fake" weapons than real ones. He used the example of Zoo Story where one of the characters is stabbed. He said when real knives were used everyone had great respect and care for them and there were seldom injuries. However, actors were often stabbed with the fake ones because they weren't concerned about a fake weapon.
Remember even though a sword may not be sharp it can still buldgeon or stab.
I think you need to have a weapon master for the swords. Someone to keep control of them and make sure no one plays with them and that they are secured. You should have a fight choreographer, too. And impress upon everyone the danger of these weapons and the rules of handling them. ------------- KEB |
Posted By: pdavis69
Date Posted: 3/20/09 at 10:15am
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You will need either six lamps or one that you can rig to fall apart when it its the wall and you can put back together. We have done both. I like to shop in the Goodwill/Salvation Army store where you can usually get a lamp nfor 2-3 dollars. ------------- Patrick L. Davis Fort Findlay Playhouse |
Posted By: Squeegle
Date Posted: 3/20/09 at 12:27pm
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Thanks KEB! I will keep that in mind. I didn't think of it like that. We don't have a weapons choreographer...I don't even know if there is one in the area...however...one of the cast members took fencing in college...so that will be helpful in choreographing the sword fighting scene.
thanks again for your advice!!
MK ------------- MK |
Posted By: DFTDONNA
Date Posted: 3/25/09 at 11:41pm
We did Moon a few years ago on a small set with limited resources. We changed the lamp to a picture in a frame that was hung screwed in loosely on one top corner. THere was a small hole in the opposite bottom corner with a removeable peg. When the gun went off, we removed the peg from backstage and the picture went swinging. It worked great and had no replacement costs. 
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Posted By: Spectrum
Date Posted: 3/26/09 at 1:47am
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I have also rigged the effect with an inverted mouse trap contacting the underside of an ashtray (loaded with ashes and cigarette butts, of course) when placed on a specially modified small side table. Hidden from view was a remote release, so when the gun was fired, the mousetrap was released via a stagehand backstage working the remote release, and the impact of the closing trap spring would send the ashtray and its contents flying. The timing took a bit of rehearsal, but the effect was very believable and fun, especially since the table was located almost center stage, away from any walls or doorways. It was always a "How'd they do that?" moment in the show. ------------- Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional. |
Posted By: magus
Date Posted: 4/02/09 at 11:49am
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We actually just did MOB and we used a decorative steel platter on a wall shelf that would be knocked down from behind. Another idea I had, but was ignored (have to love directors that dont question an actors back ground, only been tech directing for 10 years but I digress) You can take a wall sconce, and hang it on the wall, being held up by the lamp cord poking through the wall. You leave some slack on the lamp cord, and wrap around a screw or something. So during that scene, a tech un wraps it, and holds it tight. Then at the shot, they let go. The weight of the sconce causes it to fall, but the length of the wire keeps it from hitting the floor. Nothing breaks. And to add to the amusment, you can tie the light into your lighting system, so that it is still lit, while hanging there. |
Posted By: pdavis69
Date Posted: 4/02/09 at 2:03pm
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Since we are talking about fun shot effects, we did a show a few years ago that required tow shots to hit different different areas of the set. We rigged a Cuckoo clock to split apart and ran an airhose in through the back. we would stuff the clock full of colorful feathers and when the clock exploded we pressurized the air line sending feathers everywhere. The other shot was to hit a picture of the Queen. I had mounted a rotary sanding disk on the back of the picture and ran the post through the wall and attached it to a cordless drill. When the shot went off a stage hand would pull the trigger on the gun and the picture would spin like in one of the old carnival shooting galleries. It was always fun betting on whether the Queen would end up upright , upside down , on her head or somewhere in between. ------------- Patrick L. Davis Fort Findlay Playhouse |