Many clients contact us to ask for thoughts and tips on how to use a backdrop or drape in their productions. We provide a wide variety of suggestions over the phone but here are two of our most popular ideas when renting from Grosh:
Create a Custom Look with a Cyclorama
A cyclorama, or ‘cyc’ is a great way to get a custom look for less or provide you with a more simplistic approach than traditional scenery. This plain muslin drop can be used to project a variety of lighting techniques such as: gels, gobos or moving lights. You can incorporate colors that will help make costumes stand out or project a logo for a corporate event . A lighting designer can assist with developing a complementary lighting scheme to give your production that extra pop.
Alter the Size
Some of you may find that the item you’d like to rent may be slightly too large for your venue.
There are simple ways you can alter the size of your item by doing the following:
Altering the Size from the Top
Fold the top portion of the backdrop over until the desired height is acquired. Then with rubber tipped “grip clamps,” clamp the folded part of the backdrop to the pipe batten. If you should lose the rubber tip to the clamp, a tightly folded paper towel used as padding works well. The number of grip clamps required depends on the size and weight of the backdrop. For example, for a 22′ high by 50′ wide backdrop, we recommend one grip clamp every 2 feet. If the pipe pocket is utilized, more grip clamps may be required. (This application does not work if the backdrop is to be hung from a traveler track.)
Altering the Size from the Sides
In the event the backdrop is too wide, simply fold back the side or sides of the backdrop that you do not want to be seen and tie the lines at the top.
Altering the Size from the Bottom
Clean the surface under the backdrop, and then fold under the bottom portion. Lay paper or plastic on the floor so that the face of the backdrop will not make direct contact with the ground. A pipe or chain can be laid on the back side of the backdrop to give it weight and make it taught.
One of our popular Clocks Montage backdrops was spotted on a recent episode of NBC’s hit sitcom, “Community” using the resizing methods outlined above!
