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As bubble machines
are still not standard equipment for every performance group, there
hasn't been nearly as much experimentation with them as there has
been with, say, fog machines. But, due to Theatre Effects' devotion
to the advancement of special effects (and the fact that I really
like fooling around with this stuff), we've taken matters into our
own hands. I have spent the past several days sealed in the Theatre
Effects Danger Room (TM), and have come up with a few new ways to use
your bubbler.
First things
first, when you're using a bubble machine, remember that higher is
better. Even though the bubble machine has a built-in fan that will
shoot the bubbles up to eight feet into the air, placing it as high
as possible increases the appeal of the effect. With the machine
closer to the ceiling, the bubbles appear to be cascading magically
out of the air. Also, the built-in fan tends to shoot bubbles out at
a high speed, allowing them to rise a bit and then fall creates a
slower, gentler-looking effect. If you're looking for a "bubble
storm", I would recommend setting up the machine on the floor to
take advantage of the higher speed.
So, you've created
your bubble storm (or your gentle bubble shower, depending), now what
to do? An interesting effect can be achieved by lighting the bubbles
with a strobe light. The "stop motion" look created by the
strobe, combined with the cloud of bubbles, creates a disorienting,
somewhat psychedelic effect. This particular effect could be a great
addition to a haunted attraction, rock concert or nightclub. Of
course, anyone using this sort of effect in a haunted attraction
should take all the necessary precautions for strobe light use.
Bubbles can also
be used in conjunction with fog for a cool new look. By directing the
output of a small fog machine into the fan intake on the bubble
machine, you can create a storm of "smoke-filled" bubbles
that burst into tiny clouds of fog. Since the bubbles are now filled
with opaque, white fog, they'll also be more visible from the
audience. For best results, this trick should be done with the fog
output set fairly low, so as not to overwhelm the bubbles in a cloud
of fog.
A word of caution
for this last trick it is not generally recommended that the output
of a fog machine be directed into a fan. The reason for this is that
the fan will begin to accumulate residue from the fog, and may
eventually stop working due to this buildup. One way to reduce the
amount of residue is to keep an airspace of around two inches between
the fog output and the fan intake.
Of course, we
realize that this is just the tip of the iceberg of what is possible
with this machine. If you have a favorite trick or tip for using
bubbles in performance, we'd love to hear about it. In the meantime,
our research continues. To the Danger Room!!
Paul Shillinger,
Jr. / Theatre Effects Customer Service Wizard
paul@theatrefx.com
http://www.theatrefx.com
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