13 replies to this topic

[MFX]

I may have a requirement to produce a wall of flame 8 metres wide by 6 metres high at an indoor venue, (MUST be propane (gas not LTO) fed, no liquid or solid fuels.) Obviously I can't just stick an 8 metre flame bar on the ground and crank the gas up or they'll be looking for a new venue (Biggest we've done indoors is 4 metres long with approx 3 metre flame height and even then the lighting gels above started to complain if you left it on for too long!) So I'm thinking a vertical framework with a load of small flame bars mouted on it, howver I want the fire to look reasonably natural and blended and not a load of seperate point sources so question is how to achieve that? One idea is to mount the flame bars at random angles rather than horizontal to confuse the eye, another is maybe some sort of fireproof mesh (steel/stainless) to diffuse the flames as they leave the "jets". Anone done anything similar before? or got any ideas to chuck into the pot before I start the R&D.

Cheers.
Martin.

[Creepin_pyro]

Is there any particular reason you can't use a front of flame projectors?

Seems to be a fairly safe, easy alternative to propane - sorry if this is a stupid question ; P Does the effect need to be repeatable/longlived?

[MFX]

Is there any particular reason you can't use a front of flame projectors?

Seems to be a fairly safe, easy alternative to propane - sorry if this is a stupid question ; P Does the effect need to be repeatable/longlived?

Sorry yes it needs to be a long lived effect rather than a sudden burst of flame.

[Asteroid]

perhaps some sort of fan or votex ring blown through the wall to draw out the flames? Maybe add an inhibitor, or colouring agent in to make them cooler, or more luminescent, say something which needs a bit more oxygen so it has to travel further, like the difference between a blowtorch, which has lots of available oxygen, and a stream of still liqiud propane

[ProfHawking]

If you have a framework with flame bars, but point them forwards a bit, so that they can overlap.
wouldn't that be reasonably realistic?

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kinda thing?

[nikk75]

You could also add a hood extractor to the top to divert the heat out of the venue

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Edited by nikk75, 31 May 2007 - 07:59 PM.

[MFX]

Thanks everyone BTW the design changed several times and we ended up with 2 sets of flame bars, one at ground level and one about 2 metres up from that. A couple of low res camera phone vids of it are here :-

Bacchae flames test

The screams are from the "Bacchae" choir it's the first time
they'd seen the effect (They were in the auditorium and we were on stage
demoing that it was safe :-)

And here after they'd got used to it :-

Bacchae flames choir

[YT2095]

ROFLOL

BBQ anyone?

[MFX]

ROFLOL

BBQ anyone?

Came across the first press reviews today

http://www.edinburgh...p;genre=Theatre
"Fire and flames as show sparks"

"THIS new co-production of The Bacchae from the National Theatre of Scotland sets out at a blistering pace, literally so at
one point when the stage bursts into flame."

http://arts.guardian...2147444,00.html
"when after a truly astonishing burst of flame,"

And got a phone call from ZOO magazine today about some flames I did a while a ago for a photo shoot asking how I'd liked to be credited! My first in print picture credit yay! (They're in next weeks issue if anyone is in the slightest bit intrerested!)

[dr thrust]

well done! great "wall of flame"

[Steelrat]

Came across the first press reviews today

http://www.edinburgh...p;genre=Theatre
"Fire and flames as show sparks"

"THIS new co-production of The Bacchae from the National Theatre of Scotland sets out at a blistering pace, literally so at
one point when the stage bursts into flame."

http://arts.guardian...2147444,00.html
"when after a truly astonishing burst of flame,"

And got a phone call from ZOO magazine today about some flames I did a while a ago for a photo shoot asking how I'd liked to be credited! My first in print picture credit yay! (They're in next weeks issue if anyone is in the slightest bit intrerested!)

Hi martin, good job btw the cheques in the post .. no really it is...

[MFX]

Hi martin, good job btw the cheques in the post .. no really it is...

Thanks, got the cheque, the mags out now have you seen the pics (And if you look really hard you can just see the credit )

[BrightStar]

Really good work MFX - thanks for posting it.

The first movie conjured up images of real Victorian theatre fires - with the limelights igniting the drapes amidst the panicked audience... I can see why they screamed We attempted this production in our college gardens with much less impressive pyro but lots of gratuitious nudity...

Just one question - in the photo in the Guardian article it looks like one of the Bacchae is standing on your flame pipes? Surely not???

Edited by BrightStar, 24 August 2007 - 05:59 PM.

[MFX]

Just one question - in the photo in the Guardian article it looks like one of the Bachhi is standing on your flame pipes? Surely not???

She sort of is, there are two handrails (the bits she's standing on) and two sets of flame bars. The lower set is welded to the set but never stood on. The upper flame bars are welded to the upper handrail supports but the cast are well aware not to put any force onto them. If you're more worried from an "it going off when it shouldn't" point of view then the system has mulitiple safety's to prevent that!