Lighting effect for rain

[John Sharaf]

Take a large tray, like that used in a photo darkroom, break a mirror on the bottom and fill with water. Aim a spotlight into the tray and point the bounce to the set and disturb the water with your finger or stick. This is a low tech method of creating a rain effect.

JS

[Todd Terry]

Not to suggest something completely insane… but has anyone given any thought as to whether the effect could be done practically? As in, with real rain?

Many moons ago in my wanabe-actor days I had the honor or playing the Rev. T. Lawrence Shannon in a really great production of Tennessee Williams’ “Night of the Iguana.”

At one point in the show it rains, and the production designer had installed some kind of misters or sprinkers that lightly rained onto the set. It was really just barely a drizzle, but with hard backlighting it looked like a million bucks from the audience. It looked (and sounded) real, beacause it was.

Sometimes those over-the-top and unexpected effects on stage can be really great (the Phantom’s chandelier, the barricade in Les Miz). They can really transport the audience if done well.

In that same production of “Iguana” we had a real beach with several tons of sand, with waves constantly lapping the beach as it sloped down into several hundred gallons of water. Even though there were swimming pool heaters in it, very cold water, as I can attest to, having had to get it in every night of the run of the show. The important acting lesson I learned? If you have to get soaking wet on stage under theatrical lighting and your costume includes white linen pants… do not wear black underwear. Learned that one the hard way.

T2

__________________________________
Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com

[Dennis Size]

….at least you were wearing underwear Todd!

DS

[Dennis Size]

Rosco makes some great annimation effects accessories for Source 4 lekos that’ll do the trick.
You cold also use a simple gobo rotator, in conjunction with a stationary gobo.
My personal favorite is either a PANI Projector with a rain effects loop or a GAM Great American Scene Machine with a rain loop (or disc).

DS

[Jim Mcnally]

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions…even about the underwear!

Jim McNally
The Commercial Factory
http://www.commercialfactory.com

[Charles Hicks]

Hi! I’d like to add onto the original question and ask if anyone has tips on a very similar question… I want to explore creating rain effects on stage by casting light onto certain materials such as long strips of clear plastic being blown by the breeze of a fan, or by using an animated gobo (light break-up) onto a series of parallel strings pulled tightly across a frame (which could, for example, be hung behind a window). I got these ideas from attractions at Walt Disney World, and wanted to see what other ideas I might consider. Thanks!