Fun FAQs & Helpful Hints

Making Good Color Choices

I've written several times about the many products that Theatre Effects carries for use with our Aerotechnic confetti cannons. In general, though, I haven't really discussed what color the products are, which may lead some of you to think that the only available option is the multi-color pack. Nothing could be further from the truth! Almost all of our confetti and streamer products can be ordered in solid-color packs. In fact, I often find that solid colors or a custom blend of solid colors gives me a more successful effect than would a multi-color shot.

For example, I recently worked on a production of the musical, "Little Shop of Horrors". At the end of this show, we needed to create the illusion of vines and sprouts consuming the theatre. My solution was to drop manila fiber ropes (which look remarkably like vines after a coat of green paint and some hot-glued leaves) from the catwalks above the audience. This looked neat, but didn't supply the punch that I felt was needed at the end of this show. To get that punch I mounted Electric Stage Mortars above the stage, aimed them at the audience and filled them with a solid green load of 18- and 12-foot Aerostreamers. The mortars were wired into an Ultra 2 Footswitch so that the stage manager could fire them both simultaneously without having to put down her flashlight.

Occasionally in opera productions, and frequently in weddings, an effects designer is asked to shower a performer (or a bride) with rose petals. Florists will happily supply you with pre-plucked rose petals, but these can be expensive and tricky to store. A more convenient solution would be to purchase our Aerofetti in solid red. Because Aerofetti is 1.5" square, it looks believable as rose petals and is certainly easier to store. A blend of red and white Aerofetti dropped from a snow bag over a dance floor makes for a beautiful and romantic climax to a Valentine's Day dance.

We often get requests for custom blends of colors. Every year, around Mardis Gras time, we take at least a dozen calls for purple, gold and green confetti or streamers. In general, however, we don't offer pre-mixed custom colors. One exception to this rule is red, white and blue. This particular color blend has been requested so often, that we do carry our streamers and confetti pre-mixed this way. For other color blends, even the ever-popular Mardis Gras colors, you'll need to purchase at least one unit (be it pound or package) of each color and mix them as you load your cannons.

Creating your own custom-blended colors allows you to fit your confetti shots precisely to the event or client. If, for example, you were shooting streamers into the crowd at Oklahoma State University, you'd want a half-and-half mix of orange and black streamers. For a burst of confetti on St. Patrick's Day, you could have gone with a predictable solid green shot, but you could also have used a more patriotic blend of green, white and orange. The key to success is to consider your audience, and what you want to "say" with your effect.

We try to have solid color packs (as well as red, white and blue blends) ready to go at a moment's notice, but occasionally we may need a day or two to prepare your order. Please make sure you allow ample time before your event for delivery. We realize that sometimes you simply have to have your order ASAP, however, and in those cases we encourage you to call and talk with one of our customer service wizards.

*********************************************
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.