Archive for the 'Machines' Category
When I opened my own haunted house for the first time this last Halloween, I admittedly had no idea what I was in store for. I have an abandoned barn on the back of my property, and I thought that it would be fun for the local kids to have some extra amusement during the holiday. After getting all of the proper licenses and permits, I set to work renovating the barn.
Originally my plan was to set up all of the decorations and create the entire thing myself, which I soon realized would be impossible. I ended up hiring a few of the local high schoolers, and it took us two months of solid work to have the place up and running in time for the 31st. We pulled out all of the stops—from hiring people to dress up in full makeup to purchasing a low lying fog machine. Despite the extensive work, it was worth it when a good portion of the town ended up coming out during the three week span we were open.
When you are planning a party, it is vital to make preparations well in advance and include a variety of entertainment and special features. We’ve all had to endure those parties that simply have a table of stale hors d’oeuvres and old music from the 80’s blaring. As I was planning my latest Christmas party, I wanted to be sure that my guests would remember it, and for the right reasons.
In my experience, one surefire method to creating a great party is instituting a theme. While I was conjuring up my vision of the party, I new that I wanted to have a unique ambiance. I outfitted my home with somewhat traditional holiday decorations, but I decided to add a fog machine and transform it into a holiday fog party. Although I am slightly biased, I think that the party was a hit.
In the past few years I have developed a passion for attending live music events. There is something about the mass of people gathering with an appreciation for a particular artist or style of music that is exhilarating. While live albums and DVDs are a tolerable substitute, they can’t compare to actually being there.
For me, there are two aspects that can either make or break a concert: the sound quality and the stage show. One of the perks of witnessing a larger act is that they have the resources to use state of the art sound equipment and put on a spectacular show. The best shows, in my opinion, combine creative lighting and smoke machines to create a unique ambiance.
As I was driving to work today, a thick layer of fog suddenly descended upon me. After a few minutes of fighting to gain visibility, the fog suddenly lifted and revealed a majestic sun rise with shades of orange, pink and lavender. While I pondered the miraculous nature of Mother Nature, I realized that humans have been ingenious enough to recreate many of these amazing phenomena.
Creating any sort of weather used to be a thing of science fiction, but today it is a reality. Making fog for stage shows and home parties is commonplace and simple for anyone with a basic machine. With the help of crystals and other reflective elements, we can even recreate the stunning colors of the rainbow.
There is something about fog that creates the perfect atmosphere for a party, particularly in the fall season. Party fog helps create an eerie ambiance for a Halloween bash or a haunted house. There are multiple options to choose from when implementing fog at your party.
The most traditional option for fog is dry ice, which is a solid form of carbon dioxide. Although this method works, it can be dangerous and takes a lot of effort. A more practical option is fog machine. This will ensure that you have fog throughout your party, and gives you more control is choosing where to disperse it.
It’s a law of nature that hot air rises, which is why low-hanging fog can be such a difficult effect to pull off during theatrical productions. Still, certain shows call for a dreamy, fantastical atmosphere that is best portrayed with the presence of fog. There’s nothing worse than all-encompassing fog that obscures the performers’ faces, however. It becomes necessary to strike the perfect balance.
At first, many directors and stage hands turned to dry ice “pea souper” machines, which disperse ground-hugging carbon dioxide gas. Although suitable for creating the desired effect, these machines are exceedingly difficult to use and maintain. Fog machines with built-in coolers are specially equipped to create low lying fog. These machines run on fog juice rather than dry ice, and they are many times easier to handle.
My parents aren’t always supportive of my decision to study film at college. They tend to voice the same old tired objections: How will you get a job out of school? Why do you need to pay for course credit just to watch movies? Wouldn’t you prefer to go to medical school? The fact is, I enjoy making movies more than anything else in life. And anyway, I cover all of my own expenses with a day job at a restaurant.
The latest project I’ve been working on is a horror movie that requires a number of special effects. It goes without saying that I’m on a shoestring budget, but I still needed to establish a spooky atmosphere. Several of the scenes take place in a dark churchyard afterhours, so I used a smoke machine to create fog effects. The script could probably use a bit of work, but the shots I have so far are perfect.
Most people recognize smoke machines for the atmosphere they lend to stage performances and Hollywood movies. Although fog generators come in handy for entertainment purposes, they can also help save lives. Emergency rescue workers implement highly realistic fog into their training exercises. By practicing in a safe environment, firefighters and paramedics prepare themselves for the real thing.
Training smoke is designed to be emitted by a professional-quality smoke machine. Emergency workers can select between oil- and water-based smoke depending on the intensity and duration desired. This realistic smoke allows officials to perform their jobs with increased assurance and effectiveness.
DJs wouldn’t arrive at a party without their music collection, and it would be just as silly to show up withouta a fog machine. Dancers know it’s time to do their thing once the smoke billows out onto the floor and the lights are turned down low. Without that crucial cue, a DJ could end up with a lot of lackadaisical wallflowers on his hands.
By maintaining a steady supply of DJ fog, mix masters of any skill level can at least be assured that the party doesn’t go up in smoke. When it comes down to it, DJs should be able to focus their attention on the night’s track list. A fog machine will take care of the ambience, and a solid selection of tunes should do the rest.
In various Hollywood movies, live theater productions, and even music videos, fog machines are a staple for creating a particular hazy, alluring, or chilling atmosphere. To that end, a fog machine is capable of emitting a vapor that looks similar to fog or perhaps even smoke. Depending on the type of machine, they can be fueled by water and glycol or dry ice. It simply depends on the desired effect from the use of the machine.
While fog machines used to be used exclusively by professionals, they have been greatly reduced in price since the mid 2000s. This means the use of fog machines in the private sector has been greatly increased. As such, they are common now in residential haunted houses or other various Halloween displays. On the professional front, firefighters also use fog machines to train. A fog machine, after all, accurately simulates the poor visibility that will be confronted in some burning buildings.