General Information, Backdrops for Theater, Television, Film
What are the main types of backdrops? Money saving tips for getting the most for your theatrical background dollar.
Canvas Backgrounds
Canvas is a heavy fabric. Canvas backgrounds are usually painted, frequently in scenic realism. Canvas backgrounds have two basic varieties of suspension system. "Oleo" or "Rolled Drops" are hung on roller systems. Sometimes oleos are motorized and sometimes rigged to roll and unroll with a rope system. A second suspension system is a fly system. Flown drops are hung from batons which move vertically up or down (out of or into view of the audience). Typically flown drops are finished with grommets on the top edge, and a "pocket" (fabric sleeve for a pole weight) on the bottom.
Canvas also includes some oddities. Cut Drops are partial backdrops. Typically the cut drop is painted as an archway with the opening cut out so that a person can stand below it. Trees, Architectural details, and abstract patterns can be cut out.
Partial backdrops are similar to the cut drop. A partial backdrop is not meant to fully cover a set. It might detail a vertical column, wall or doorway. Another use of a partial backdrop is a scene behind a window.
Special Effects Backgrounds
Chromakey backdrops are the commonest special effect backgrounds. Used for video, film and projection, they are most commonly known as the background that the weatherman stands in front of, chromakey or “key” backgrounds are set to perfect blue or green to allow a video trick to be played. The videographer can superimpose a second image over the first and only the chromakey color section will show (think weather map behind the weather man).
Scrim & Other translucent/Transparent Backgrounds
Scrim
Scrim backgrounds “disappear” under the right lighting. This allows objects or people behind the backdrop to “appear”. Since you can control what is seen and what is not seen, the effects can be magical. To see details and diagrams of how to achieve these effects please refer to Scrim Effects a how-to on the topic.
There are two basic types of scrim. The classic solution is sharkstooth scrim. A second more recent solution is Chameleon™ Scrim. The basic difference is that sharkstooth scrim is hard to make opaque and easy to make transparent, where Chameleon™ is easy to make opaque and becomes translucent--not transparent. Chameleon™ also diffuses the person/object behind the scrim and makes it "glow". This "halo" effect is why Chameleon™ is sometimes referred to as a special effects scrim. Chameleon™ is available from Studio Productions, Inc.To see details of the different types of scrim and scrim substitutes, please refer to Types of Scrim
The easiest scrim replacements are cheesecloth (available in small sizes at fabric stores) and StudioCloth™ a substitute for Chameleon™. StudioCloth™ is available from Studio Productions Inc.
Other Translucent/Transparent Drops
Translucent backgrounds can be scrims or netting,illusion netting or gauzes. The nets and gauzes are used for two main purposes, 1.) To suggest distance. 2.) To support objects glued to them, to make object appear suspended in space. This second use is frequently used with cut drops to support small details of the canvas drop. For instance, the leaves of a tree might be glued to a netting to help suspend them in position.
Gauzes and Nettings are available in small sizes in fabric store or in large sizes through speciatly Theater supply stores. Try RoseBrand or Gerriets International.
Gauzes are sometimes used to replace scrims.
(The picture above shows how lighting makes a gray translucent look blue. The wall behind the StudioCloth™ is lit with blue gelled lights.)
Translucents and Scrims come in many colors, and even if you choose a color the translucent has the benefit of being very changeable due to lighting. A gray can look blue with a few light tricks.
The “gotchas” with translucents include that only non-wovens can be layered or a nasty interference pattern results, most translucent fabrics bought at fabric stores come in narrow widths. Most are not heavy duty. So look for at least 12’ wide, non-woven scrims.
