Fun
FAQs & Helpful Hints
Flash
Pots
The
flash pot is a bit of pyrotechnic hardware that's been with us for
hundreds of years. It's a very straightforward, easy to understand
device. Because of this, most students of theater can describe how
a flash pot works and many would feel comfortable constructing one.
Herein, of course, lies the problem. This week, I'd like to explore
flash pots in general, as well as why you shouldn't just go out
and whomp one together for yourself.
A flash pot consists of a sturdy container to hold a pyrotechnic
powder and a means to ignite that powder. The powder can be flash
powder, smokeless gunpowder, colored smoke powder, or other effects
powders. Possible igniters include nichrome wire, flash cotton or
our own Surefire Igniters. As long as the device has a place to
put the powder, and a way to ignite it, it can be considered a flash
pot.
This does not mean that all flash pots are the same! For one thing,
there are different designs of flash pot for creating different
effects. A fairly shallow pot will result in a flash of light and
a big mushroom cloud of smoke, ideal for the appearence of a witch
or wizard on stage. A taller pot with sturdy walls can be used to
create a loud "report" or explosion on stage with less
light and smoke. These are great for offstage explosions or for
punctuating the climax of the "1812" overture. A long,
trough-like flash pot will create a "wall" of smoke or
fire for big, dramatic effects.
Apart from design issues, however, is the issue of quality. Now,
I'm not going to pretend that only a company such as Theatre Effects
is capable of producing a decent flash pot. However, before building
your own flash pot, or allowing an amateur pyrotechnician to build
one, ask yourself a few questions. How many flash pots have you
(or your technician) built this year? Do you have a design that
has been tested for safe use on stage? Do you know that the pot
will create the effect you're looking for? If you're not sure about
the answers to these questions, you should seriously consider purchasing
a flash pot from a reputable manufacturer. {In the spirit of full
disclosure, Theatre Effects has manufactured over 1,500 flash pots
this year, we've been building and testing our pots since 1976 and
have several models for creating specific pyro effects.)
Whether you end up using a pot purchased from a manufacturer or
a unit built in your own shop, you should always be careful when
working with flash pots on stage. Be sure to keep a radius of at
least ten feet around the pot at all times. This means that performers,
scenery and audience members should all be at least ten feet away
from the pot when it fires. Also, make sure that your pyrotechnician
has a clear line-of-sight to the flash pot. The pyrotechnician should
have the final say on whether a cue goes or not, and should feel
comfortable holding a cue if a performer is too close to the effect,
or if the pot has been shifted out of place. Finally, fire extinguishers
should be kept ready on both sides of the stage while the effect
is being used.
Of course, an important part of safety is making sure that your
equipment is inherently safe to begin with. A well-built flash pot,
used with caution, can add drama and spectacle to many productions.
A poorly built flash pot, used recklessly, made add drama to your
production, but not the type one would hope for. Injuries and liability
lawsuits are no one's idea of good theatre.
*********************************************
Theatre Effects Customer Service Department
service@theatrefx.com
www.theatrefx.com
Theatre Effects, 642 Frederick St., Hagerstown, MD 21740
Phone: 1-800-791-7646 or 301-791-7646 Fax: 301-791-7719 *********************************************
Copyright Notice - no portion of this article may
be reproduced without written permission. You may place a link to
this page on your website provided you do not hide it within a frame
or window.
|
