A Blog Challenge: Doing it on the cheap!

Sean B | 11/06/2007 - 18:20

Designer | Scenic Painter | Set Designer | Special Effects Designer | Theatre

Currently I'm in the midst of putting on a show, Boy Banned, which has an incredibly minimal budget...so much so that I'm pretty sure we just chip in money from our own pockets when something needs to be bought!

Anyway today I spent quite some time shopping in $2 shops to try and find various elements for the shows set. Which has to represent three places in a theatre with no wings....YAY!

I've achieved some success with sets from my last show, a rotating box/wall which could become a factory wall, a night club and a dumpster thanks to some velcro and various bits of cardboard.

So set or props on the cheap!
I'm sure pretty much everyone has experienced putting something together for a show using a very small budget, so the challenge I'm about to place could be fun for quite a few of you!

This is half inspired by my own shopping along with a show I found you YouTube (Backyard FX or something of the like) which spins a wheel and the number it lands on is the budget $10-$60 I think.

However these guys create some great looking effects for incredibly cheap prices. Zombie make up effects, giant killer sandwhiches, jet packs and even muppet style puppets.

So I was wondering what can our community create on the cheap?

My thoughts were there were a few ways we could try this.
Option A:
There is a set item to make, and everyone gives it the best they can for the cheapest they...with bits lying around the home, and we all get to see what everyone can do.

Option B:
You get to choose what you make yourself and then post a series of photos on the build and the final result along with your total budget spent.

It can be for a show you have coming up, or possibly a show from the past....

So what do you think, let's have a quick tally of one of the above and then I'll move onto the next phase where we can set out to construct!

Sean

Sean B's blog | email this blog | 1525 reads

Oooh, fun! Count me in. I

Author: Na
Date: 11/06/2007 - 19:13

Oooh, fun! Count me in. I like Option B the best, only because I find thinking on a budget first hampers me; I generally buy cheaply anyway, once I've come up with my idea.

(New puppet type thing I made on the weekend cost me about $15 for all materials; but I made it without thinking of the budget)

Sticky Apple Legs
www.freewebs.com/stickyapplelegs

Puppets in Melbourne
www.thepromptcopy.com/pip

I must say I like Option B

Author: Sean B
Date: 11/06/2007 - 20:29

I must say I like Option B too...and it means I might be able to use a Boy Banned set piece to show off my low budget construction!

Anyone else up for the challenge?
____________________________________________________________
Currently working on:
"Boy Banned" a fusion of live acting, video footage, corny songs, syncronised dancing boys and egos! JULY 7 2007, ticket information coming soon!!!

Ok thought I'd add to the

Author: Sean B
Date: 12/06/2007 - 08:00

Ok thought I'd add to the above to make the little competition thing more fun for more people.

Have you ever designed a cheap yet incredibly effective lighting effect?
I know the lights we use in our drama hall have all been 'home made' and carry a simple coloured porch spot light. Works great, looks great, and because it's not a big area they don't have to be too powerful.

How about a great looking costume on a small budget?
I've seen some great looking costumes, whether they're period pieces or big exaggerated costumes....how about someone try out a costume.

I think this is how we'll work it out:
First of all a drawn picture of what you want the set, prop, costume, lighting effect to look like. With this also state how much you think it is going to cost to achieve it!

Stick to that budget if you can...then post a series of photos showing the build and then the final result!

If you think of something else you'd like to build which isn't on the above list, I'm sure it'll be ok, just point out what you'd like to make!

Good Luck Everyone!
____________________________________________________________
Currently working on:
"Boy Banned" a fusion of live acting, video footage, corny songs, syncronised dancing boys and egos! JULY 2007, ticket information coming soon!!!

Hmmm... this is going to

Author: Na
Date: 12/06/2007 - 08:09

Hmmm... this is going to take some thought! Yippee, love new building projects!

(I have a current craving to make a very muppet-type head, in the style of a furry monster... But perhaps I'll make something else instead)

By the way; a very cheap lighting effect is a gobo cut out of a can of coke/fanta/whatever. (Go look up gobo at theatrecrafts.com if you don't know what it means)

Sticky Apple Legs
www.freewebs.com/stickyapplelegs

Puppets in Melbourne
www.thepromptcopy.com/pip

Yes I do know what Gobos

Author: Sean B
Date: 12/06/2007 - 08:15

Yes I do know what Gobos are.
They were used quite a bit in our HSM.

We had colour printed perspex gobos (or something of the like) too. They were little coloured school buildings that were projected onto the stage.

I think they melted after every show and we needed new ones each time!

We also had the cut out ones...the two Drama Masks were used in the drama scenes...and some other ones at other times.

And yes making a Gobo is the exact kind of cheap lighting effect I meant, something like that.

And don't forget special effects can be added to the above list too.

I found a bubble machine which I thought might be interesting at the $2 shop-roughly the same size as a fog machine, but pumped out bubbles instead! It was still slightly expensive....maybe someone could make one of these on the cheap!
____________________________________________________________
Currently working on:
"Boy Banned" a fusion of live acting, video footage, corny songs, syncronised dancing boys and egos! JULY 2007, ticket information coming soon!!!

Sorry, didn't mean to imply

Author: Na
Date: 13/06/2007 - 16:15

Sorry, didn't mean to imply that you (Sean) didn't know what a gobo was - I just meant it as a reference for anyone reading the thread and didn't know.

My most recent cheap lighting effect was some christmas lights (see my pics on the lego city!)

Sticky Apple Legs
www.freewebs.com/stickyapplelegs

Puppets in Melbourne
www.thepromptcopy.com/pip

Mmm, sorry on my account

Author: Sean B
Date: 13/06/2007 - 17:42

Mmm, sorry on my account too. My comment can read slightly negative.

I think if it wasn't for my drama teacher I wouldn't know what they were.

However, I didn't think of using aluminium cans to make them.
____________________________________________________________
Currently working on:
"Boy Banned" a fusion of live acting, video footage, corny songs, syncronised dancing boys and egos! JULY 2007, ticket information coming soon!!!

The aluminium can

Author: Na
Date: 13/06/2007 - 17:46

The aluminium can suggestion was something I learned at uni; thanks to my lighting lecturer, I now know all this random stuff!

Sticky Apple Legs
www.freewebs.com/stickyapplelegs

Puppets in Melbourne
www.thepromptcopy.com/pip

The small issue with

Author: Logos
Date: 14/06/2007 - 13:29

The small issue with softdrink can gobo's is that the paint or dye or whatever on some drink cans burns off beautifully. And make sure they are clean as the residue burning off can create quite noxious smoke. I used to use sheets of metal from printers. I can't actually remember what they are called. (Senior moment) But i don't have that contact any more.

Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing.
www.tonymoore.id.au

Hmmmm I'm trying to decide

Author: Sean B
Date: 13/06/2007 - 14:33

Hmmmm I'm trying to decide what part of Boy Banned I should use for this competition- I might go with the backdrop. but I don't want to reveal too much.

The other thing I've just been thinking is maybe people could ask- 'How can I achieve (insert certain item here) on a low bydget'

Eg how can I make a tree the cheapest-
And someone could help them out by making a tree the cheapest they can...as to give instructions.

Just a thought of another element for this blog post
____________________________________________________________
Currently working on:
"Boy Banned" a fusion of live acting, video footage, corny songs, syncronised dancing boys and egos! JULY 2007, ticket information coming soon!!!

That's a cool idea. Though

Author: Na
Date: 13/06/2007 - 14:41

That's a cool idea. Though personally I don't want to try and help someone make something, only because I'll probably be stuck with an item in my house that's too big or unwieldy.

(Personally, I'm the lazy kind of person. You want a cheap tree? Go to a $2 dollar shop and buy a fake christmas tree... or borrow someone's house plant Smiling )

Sticky Apple Legs
www.freewebs.com/stickyapplelegs

Puppets in Melbourne
www.thepromptcopy.com/pip

By the way, I'm still

Author: Na
Date: 13/06/2007 - 14:45

By the way, I'm still trying to think of something to make. I'm heading towards doing something with a teddy bear (ie. a puppet or toy-type thing), but I'm unsure. I'll think of something....

Edit (because I couldn't edit a post above):
Actually making a prop, like a tree, has less to do with the budget and more to do with what you need/want it to do on stage. For instance, a pantomime tree may be a full-body costume, whereas a tree just for scenery might be a fake plant. A puppet tree might need to have 'growing' apples, whereas a tree that is also used as an ash-tray may need to be specially made. The needs of the prop impact greatly on what materials you use/buy and what the final budget will be.

Sticky Apple Legs
www.freewebs.com/stickyapplelegs

Puppets in Melbourne
www.thepromptcopy.com/pip

Ok got my project!

Author: Sean B
Date: 18/06/2007 - 20:10

Ok, here's my project!

Boy Banned requires some 'Gold CD's' yeh you know those ones in the fram from when a star becomes big and sells lots of records...well I'm making a stand of those.

I'm going to go pretty minimal on this, try to get as much from around the home as possible. So let's give it a $15 maximum budget (that covers wood that may be the thing I need to buy)

So it's got to be a post with these frames with gold cd's in them hanging off it.

I'm going to go 3 frames on this post

It also needs to hold a normal CD prop that I can remove and hold on stage.

So...let's see how I go!
____________________________________________________________
Currently working on:
"Boy Banned" a fusion of live acting, video footage, corny songs, syncronised dancing boys and egos! JULY 2007, ticket information coming soon!!!

I haven't even thought of

Author: Na
Date: 18/06/2007 - 20:51

I haven't even thought of my project yet (been a little busy working on my webcomic this weekend), so hopefully I'll come up with something soon!

Sticky Apple Legs
www.freewebs.com/stickyapplelegs

Puppets in Melbourne
www.thepromptcopy.com/pip

Thinking. . .

Author: Tari-Xalyr
Date: 20/06/2007 - 09:00

I've been following this thread but now realise i actually have a little money and TIME! - my ultimate reason for being hesitant.

Now the only problem. . .what to make? I'm thinking costume of some sort. Maybe butterfly queen? I've been wanting to experiment with wings. Nothing definate yet. Will come back soon.

~ Tari

P.s. This could make an amazing mini competition for this site.

The Writer is a child forever listening at the keyhole of the adult world.

Sounds like a great costume

Author: Sean B
Date: 20/06/2007 - 09:24

Sounds like a great costume idea!
Can't wait to see how things go.

Experimenting especially is something I wanted to bring out in this challenge. So aluminium can gobos, wings, etc are great little experiments that we can 'build' on from what we've learnt through this.

I'm currently sourcing the ideas for my frames...real ones will be too expensive to buy (on our minimal budget) so I might get sopme cardboard boxes from work and rig up some frames.
____________________________________________________________
Currently working on:
"Boy Banned" a fusion of live acting, video footage, corny songs, syncronised dancing boys and egos! JULY 2007, ticket information coming soon!!!

Sorry

Author: Tari-Xalyr
Date: 20/06/2007 - 09:00

Sorry double post.

I finally decided on what

Author: Na
Date: 20/06/2007 - 11:24

I finally decided on what I'm going to make. (Fingers crossed) I'm going to try making a very simple 'trick marionette' (it comes apart at its joints) using a teddy bear I bought....

I have no idea how I'm going to do it yet, or if it'll work. If not I'm going to try making a normal marionette out of it.

Sticky Apple Legs
www.freewebs.com/stickyapplelegs

Puppets in Melbourne
www.thepromptcopy.com/pip

Well we've started work on

Author: Sean B
Date: 24/06/2007 - 08:20

Well we've started work on some of the bigger set elements of 'Boy Banned' eg the Backdrop...but I haven't begun work on my 'cheapie' project.

I've been trying to get the songs and videos finished, because they are more vital to the show running than a set piece.

I have however got together the CD's that will be painted to go on them. We had a stack of CD's that we didn't use, with random programs etc on them. So now they get a new home.

So far total cost: $0
____________________________________________________________
Currently working on:
"Boy Banned" a fusion of live acting, video footage, corny songs, syncronised dancing boys and egos! JULY 2007, ticket information coming soon!!!

I've started on my

Author: Na
Date: 24/06/2007 - 09:43

I've started on my marionette too... I'm at a bit of a stalemate with it though, since I'm not really sure whether the stringing of it will work.

Can't wait to see the final products!

Sticky Apple Legs
www.freewebs.com/stickyapplelegs

Puppets in Melbourne
www.thepromptcopy.com/pip

Cheap water effect

Author: Logos
Date: 24/06/2007 - 10:42

This isn't new I've been doing it a while but here it is.
Assuming that the venue you work in has a spare light on a floor stand. I usually use a 500watt fresnel.
Take a length of christmas tinsel in blue or blue and white. The bigger fatter version is good. Build out of scrap wood a square frame about 50cm square. String the tinsel up and down across the frame so there is no gaps bewteen the strands. Put legs on the frame so you can tilt it a bit you can do all of this with scrap.
Put it in the wings with the light pointing at it and a fan agitating the strings of tinsel. With a bit of fiddling you can get the reflected light to flicker on stage like sunlight on water. Great effect quite cheap and just uses up a bit of time and some scrap.

Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing.
www.tonymoore.id.au

Oh, that's a good idea. I'd

Author: Na
Date: 24/06/2007 - 11:06

Oh, that's a good idea. I'd never thought of doing that; I'll have to remember it for next time I need a water wheel!

Sticky Apple Legs
www.freewebs.com/stickyapplelegs

Puppets in Melbourne
www.thepromptcopy.com/pip

That's a fantastic

Author: Sean B
Date: 24/06/2007 - 16:27

That's a fantastic effect...what a great idea.

Reminds me of in the film version of 'Phantom Of The Opera' the people in the wings with the flame shaped reflective panels that had lights shone upon them to make flame shapes on stage.
____________________________________________________________
Currently working on:
"Boy Banned" a fusion of live acting, video footage, corny songs, syncronised dancing boys and egos! JULY 7 2007, to book tickets go to www.freewebs.com/lazycreationsgrou

Now have my cardboard and

Author: Sean B
Date: 29/06/2007 - 21:30

Now have my cardboard and my cd's ready. Construction begins tomorrow as I pretty much have a day off!

YAY!

Although alot of Boy Banned stuff will be happening.
____________________________________________________________
Currently working on:
"Boy Banned" a fusion of live acting, video footage, corny songs, syncronised dancing boys and egos! JULY 7 2007, to book tickets go to www.freewebs.com/lazycreationsgroup

Well yesterday we went out

Author: Sean B
Date: 01/07/2007 - 09:04

Well yesterday we went out and bought some wood for the set pieces. Two are now complete except for bit of paint and my CD stand now has a stand. I just have to work out the frames, and give the stand a paint, and then it's virtually finished.

When I post some images I will supply a link on here.

Sean
____________________________________________________________
Currently working on:
"Boy Banned" a fusion of live acting, video footage, corny songs, syncronised dancing boys and egos! JULY 7 2007, to book tickets go to www.freewebs.com/lazycreationsgrou

Yay! My marionette is

Author: Na
Date: 02/07/2007 - 20:36

Yay! My marionette is finished!

You can read all about it at my blog here.

It cost me about $10... Couldn't find the receipt for the teddy bear, but it's probably something like $9.95... or something similar.

Sticky Apple Legs
www.freewebs.com/stickyapplelegs

Puppets in Melbourne
www.thepromptcopy.com/pip

Funny That

Author: Tari-Xalyr
Date: 03/07/2007 - 09:17

Nice marionette Na. I love the animation of the head popping off. lol. Very cute.

Well this is sort of funny. I had plans to begin my butterfly queen costume today and as I was about to post this then begin I was phoned by work and now have to go in at 12 so once again the costume is being put aside and things I was doing this afternoon have been moved forward.

Ah well so far I have all tomorrow to dedicate to this project. I have made the crown and skirt already. Wings, top part of dress and mask left. Will let you know when I post some pics in my gallery.

~ Tari

The Writer is a child forever listening at the keyhole of the adult world.

Thanks! I'm a little

Author: Na
Date: 03/07/2007 - 11:37

Thanks! I'm a little disappointed in it, as the glue tends to make the limbs stick to the body... but hey, that's what a learning curve is for. Smiling

Can't wait to see the costume!

Sticky Apple Legs
www.freewebs.com/stickyapplelegs

Puppets in Melbourne
www.thepromptcopy.com/pip

Looks good! I like the

Author: Sean B
Date: 03/07/2007 - 16:58

Looks good!

I like the animated pic.

The CD frames are looking good. All painted now. But we need to attach the frames to the stand before we attach the gold cd's and the plaques.

So my project is shaping up too!
____________________________________________________________
Currently working on:
"Boy Banned" a fusion of live acting, video footage, corny songs, syncronised dancing boys and egos! JULY 7 2007, to book tickets go to www.freewebs.com/lazycreationsgrou

Thank you! (The animation

Author: Na
Date: 03/07/2007 - 17:35

Thank you! (The animation seems to be enjoyed by one and all! YAY!)

Ah, gold CDs... if only they were real gold Smiling Sticking out tongue