7 replies to this topic

[eoJ]

Hi there, new here

Just wondering whether anyone here has any ideas for SFX you don't normally see in shows? All I can think of so far is cremoras...

[PyroSkitz]

urm yeh cremoras for exploding cars, small flash charges for gun shots possibly ? if im not mistaken, instead of actually setting of a fire dont they use smoke devices containing hexamine to make black billowing smoke out of buildings...dont think they usually use fountains on any show ive seen haha , any other ideas i would love to hear aswell...hope this list gives you some ideas to come up with ?

[Mumbles]

They use fountains, but not in the way you'd think. There are very short duration fountains, 1/2 to 1 second. They use them in explosions and creepy industrial areas. They look like a mine of sparks, but they're actually fountains.

Are you sure about hexamine producing black smoke? I've never heard of this being used for black smoke. I would think maybe naphthalene or anthracene instead if not actual black dyes.

[PyroSkitz]

oh mumbles are you talking about when "electricity" sparks they use an upside down quick fountain to represent that ? that would make sense... and ive found the recipe, and i read something about hexamine in... but the chemical i was looking for was Hexachloroethane


Magnesium powder – 19%
Hexachloroethane – 60%
Napthalene – 21%

also containing naphthalene...fair enough you where right hhehe

[BrightStar]

One favourite of mine is the 'laser hit' used in sci-fi - Andromeda comes to mind.

They seem to be small brightly coloured micro-star mines, probably only an inch in diameter. The effect is a vivid spray of colour projecting maybe a meter or two from the laser hit. It gives a much nicer effect than pure CGI as the stars bounce around a bit and the smoke can swirl around the actors.

You still have to paint the blaster beams in afterwards though

Edited by BrightStar, 06 September 2010 - 08:42 AM.

[eoJ]

Wow guys, thanks very much, although I confused my wording a little, I should've said displays! Still interesting though! (should I start a new topic and let this one go forward? )

[phildunford]

oh mumbles are you talking about when "electricity" sparks they use an upside down quick fountain to represent that ? that would make sense... and ive found the recipe,

They are called 'Robotics' in the trade. See here:

Le Maitre

[Mumbles]

Those are actually something I'm familiar with too, but they're constructed in different ways. The ones I was talking about were short duration fountains, they almost look like mines of sparks. Those are what I would call airburst, and are not fountains. Really, it's just a difference of if they're used on the ground, or from the ceiling or light fixture.

This is more what I had in mind.

http://www.lemaitre....UKeyProduct=138