Smoke is used on
stage
mainly to enhance the visual impact of the light beams. It can also be used to create a mysterious fathomless space, or to augment the realism of a
scene
when necessary.
Machines producing various forms of smoke, fog and mist, produce their effect by dispersion of liquid droplets accompanied by a small amount of vapor.
Dry ice: Smoke is often used to create fog on the
stage
concealing the floorboards so that the actors seem to be walking on clouds. This fog is easy to produce using dry ice (CO2) and hot water which create a heavy vapor which will tend to cling close to the
stage
floor, persisting for a fairly long time. Dry ice must be handled with care as it may cause frost burns.
Low lying fog with a hazy mist, The Dreaming Child, Habima theatre.
The Pea Souper lowlying
smoke machine
which usesdry ice, by Le Maitre.
Fog fluid machines use chemical fluids (usually a polyfunctional alcohol of the glycol group) to create a low lying fog.
Cracked oil smoke machines produce smoke in varying densities from a dense thick smoke to a fine
mist
which hangs over the
stage
for a long time.Some cracked oils are carcinogenic and it is therefore important to use only fluids recommended by the manufacturer and which have been tested and approved for
stage
use. The oil droplets which eventually fall on the
stage
floor may make it slippery and may present further hazards unless care is taken to remove the oil regularly.
Powder smoke (ammonia salt) can be heated to produce light smoke which will stay in the air for a long time. It is used in rock concerts in conjunction with large fans for blowing the smoke, which is produced off stage, onto the stage. It is also used to create a realistic effect of the smoke of a fire. In some countries the use of ammonia salt in the theatre is not permitted as it is deemed a health hazard.
Walk-through Fog Screen The walk-thru fog screen is a novel and intriguing method for forming a superior quality physically penetrable dry fog display. It is a break-through technology, literally! The walk-thru fog screen creates a magical effect as if the images are floating in thin air.
by fog screen company
The CO2 Jet, as the name suggests, runs on liquid carbon dioxide and creates a blast of cold white fog between 2 and 4 meters in length
(depending on gas pressure and ambient conditions).
