New Posts In April

I've been extremely busy working as an Assistant Technical Director and Scenic Artist in southern Florida - and based on my contract believed I couldn't post photos on any of my projects.

Good news!

Though I'm not working on props most days, I have tackled a few interesting projects in the last few months. Since I've learned I'll be able to share process photos, I'll be sharing another project during the first week of April: Royal icing flowers for consumption on stage.

Enjoy!

-J

Happy (Prop) Hunting!

Greetings! We all have our strategies for holiday shopping. But prop shopping is a different sort of hunting. Here's a few tips for the trips that take you to small town antique stores.

1. Bring cash
And your checkbook. I run into a lot of shops that don't take plastic. There might not be an ATM in town when you get there.

2. Bring small bills
Once I was shopping for tools in an antique shop. The bill was under $20 and I tried to pay with a $100 bill. The owner apologized, and explained he didn't have enough change in the register. Even the post office in town couldn't change me on a Saturday morning.

3. Know the schedule
Not just the shop's hours.  Some little towns have fall festivals and Labor Day car shows. There's little parking and lots of out-of-towners. These are terrible times to hunt!


4. Know what you're looking for
Your director wants green glassware from the 30s. Let's say you're doing These Shining Lives. And he mentions something about glassware that glows. Hopefully, the store owner can decipher your description and show you to the Vaseline glass case (if they have one).

Do your homework. Know what you're looking for, and what you should be paying for it.
Speak intelligently about what you need. Last year I learned True Detective magazines not considered 'pulps' in the antiquarian bookseller community.

If you can't find the answer, call Grandma. Seriously.

5. Bring a camera and a tape measure
Take a few pictures if your purchase is going to require approval. Write down the measurements, price, store name, who you spoke with, the store's number, shop's hours, and any other relevant details. On the days I visit multiple shops these details can blur quickly.

Happy hunting!

Prop Cameras 2.0

University of Florida's production of Chicago closes Sunday. I'll be sad to see this one go. The cast, crew, and production team produced an amazing experience. And our prop mistress did a wonderful job on her very first show! I helped her get started on the tricky props like custom newspapers and magazines. So I decided not to post repeat projects. But when we finished the cameras, I thought it would be a nice follow-up.

She'd originally purchased vintage cameras online. But the director wanted something larger and more primitive. Also, he asked for a camera that could flash on command. I showed him a photo of the camera I built for Floyd Collins. (Cameras for Collins) I'd never attempted a flashing camera, but the lighting department had a few ideas. So we set out to build Old Time Camera 2.0.

With only two days to build four cameras, the boxes were identical to speed up construction. We broke apart a few video cameras from the prop room - cameras from the days when 'HD' on the side of the camera stood for 'Heavy Duty'. The parts were spray painted with a silver metallic and attached to the bodies. But the antique cameras proved very useful. The flash reflectors were easy to detach and can be reused on the original units after this show.

Ben, our lighting assistant, and one of the cameras.

At this point the cameras were handed over to the lighting department. An LED was added to the flash reflector. Battery packs were added to the bodies, and switches were placed on the handles. Then the cameras returned to the shop for backs and straps.

Smile!

The cameras were a hit - even the KCACTF adjudicator commented on them. The director was also pleased, and said he's been asking for this kind of camera for 18 years. Just goes to show what a little collaboration across the departments can create!

Roxie and the reporters.

Three Very Useful Websites

Happy October!
This week I'm sharing a few websites. Over the past few weeks I've passed them on to multiple people working on projects. Enjoy!

Vintage Ad Browser
http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/
Perfect for finding period advertisements!


Weapons of Choice
http://www.weaponsofchoicetheatrical.com/
Swords, guns, spears, and much more. I've had wonderful experiences renting from Weapons of Choice. Their catalogue is great for research as well.

The California Perfume Company
http://www.californiaperfumecompany.net/
Trying to figure out if that perfume bottle is period? This site has a lot of photos and information about Avon memorabilia. Amazing how often something like this comes in handy.

...You need what for this show?

On occasion, we enter a prop project knowing it will likely require more than one take. This spring, UF's production of The Grapes of Wrath required a life-size dummy. (I'm trying not to spoil the storyline.)

The shop began with Dummy 1.0. Ann and I tagged teamed this one. We knew the actors would discover the requirements of this prop as they started rehearsing with it. So we found an empty suit in the shop. (No worries, we have more around. I would recommend checking with the TD before you take safety equipment!) We stuffed the suit with styrofoam and rubber mulch. And a bit of tape for shaping.

We 'dressed' the dummy with some clothes from the prop room. 

(Though Twinkie pants are not period, Twinkies were a hit in the Great Depression.)

And so Dummy 1.0 was released to rehearsal. The first realization: the dummy needed to be unloaded from the back of the family truck. There were already 7 people in the back for this scene, so our dummy was going to need to sit and blend in. 

I started Dummy 2.0 Know he needed to be a bit closer to a real boy. I channeled my inner Gepetto.

Dummy 2.0 had hinges joints at the knees and hips. He could sit and be carried comfortably.

The wooden form was covered in fabric from packing blankets. Shoes were also attached. The dummy was wrapped in a quilt for the show, but we had to keep the Twinkie pants.

Dummy 2.0 was not kept after the production. He was scaring people as they walked into prop storage.

Stumped

Once upon a time, Frog and Toad lived at The Green Room Theatre. And I decided they each deserved a chair with a bit of style. So I made a set of tree seats.

1. Modify an existing chair by adding a wood-framed base. Attach chicken wire.

2. Dip muslin in diluted carpenter's glue. The bark texture was created by wringing out the fabric and stapling before smoothing out the crinkles. (The smooth edge on top was achieved by stapling on the back side, then folding the piece over.) Thinner strips were used for the back of the chair.

3. Paint chair, accenting the highlights and shadows with different shades.

4. Find a 6'3" Frog. Toad will probably follow shortly.

Enjoy!

There Will Be (Stage) Blood

Sometimes we like to pretend people on stage are bleeding. Here's a few ideas to get your creativity flowing.

The biggest advice I can offer for stage blood: START NOW. No, really. There's a lot to consider. How much, what type, what costumes/scenic elements/props are involved, what sort of delivery system will be used, how will the actors react to exposure, what the blood will look like under the lights, etc. Don't wait until tech weekend.

For a small amount that doesn't need to be live (like a cut finger in The Clean House) I use a thick application of nail polish on a white rag.

My first experiences with stage blood/makeup came when I assisted with drunk driving reenactments. Those actors were asked to wear old clothes, took their positions in the mangled cars (prosthetic wounds in place), and were promptly drenched in 5 gallons worth of corn syrup and food coloring. Yes, really.

But that's a one-time performance. When you need costumes to be pristine for the next performance, you want a washable recipe.

If you have a healthy budget, Reel Blood is a fantastic option. But it's pricey.

While working on In The Blood I used ERA detergent and Wilton Icing Coloring. (ERA is a bit more difficult to find, but far less abrasive than Tide. The actors will be grateful!) The sample batch was tested on the fabric and washed out well. (I worked on a production of Sweeney Todd that used grapefruit dish soap for the base. Creme de Coco used chocolate syrup. Whatever you choose coordinate with costumes and lights.)

We went through half a dozen delivery methods for the blood packs on that show. My favorite (though not used) was filling small zip-lock bags, chilling the mix, then using a Seal-A-Meal to create a clean seam. The packs broke under hand pressure but not in the actor's pockets prior.

No one gave a second glance to my project in the freezer.

In summary, time and communication are the essentials of this project. Have fun!