Category: Process

Making The Blood

As we were creating a visually impressive, one of the important props that we were requiring was fake blood. As we were unsure how much fake blood we will be needing we are reluctant to purchase any fake blood at this time due to funds. We also are wanting to make sure that the blood is convincing as we do not want to have any weak area where the visual effects are affected. The price to buy at pint of blood off of Ebay was £8.75, however while we want to rehearse with blood we are reluctant to pay that amount for fake blood.

Another option we have for fake blood is to make it ourselves. After looking at the best and cheapest way to make fake blood, we have a number of options;

Cornflower

We are able to mix Cornflower and water together and adding food colouring produces a thick yet runny liquid that, convincingly, looks like blood.

Honey

Again if we mix food colouring with runny honey from the supermarket, then this produces a thick red liquid that drips nicely. The golden colour of honey and the red food colouring mixed together produces a dark red coloured liquid that is can be very convincing as blood.

As we are wanting the blood at different moments within the play the biggest challenge once we have the blood will be to get it on stage or on to the characters without the audience seeing it being placed on them. We are planning on having blood at four points within the play yet three of those points, the actors are on stage and acquire the blood halfway through a scene. The Snow Child requires the blood to be around her legs and on her dress, yet she is in a bed during the scene and requires the blood to be placed during the scene.

Within the final scene there are two points where the actors are requiring blood to be used. Firstly The Piano Tuner is stabbed and therefore will require blood to seep out of his shirt as though he has been wounded. Then later in the scene The Count is also stabbed in the side and in the neck, the side is not a problem for us as he is stabbed in a non visible area. However when he is stabbed in the neck we require blood to be spat out of his mouth and on to The Countess’ face.

Therefore we are needing an secretive way of transporting blood on stage, hidden, and easily accessed so The Count can intake the blood and then spit it out. Furthermore we are requiring an idea for The Piano Tuner to have blood on his shirt after he is stabbed but not before.

At this moment I am currently looking at ways that these can be done and the easiest way to get the best effect so the audience do not feel they are being fooled.

 

Robert Bull

A Gothic Tale Props List

Although this props list is complete, it is subject to change on request of the Director, Producer and/or Production Manager.

So far the Props list for A Gothic Tale is this:
A Gothic Tale Full Props List v.1

Any item that is highlighted in red, is yet to be confirmed and bought/sourced.

Today I took a trip to the high street to see what I could find. Here are some images:

 

To possibly used in piano room, £5.00

Top of Shelving unit

I found this shelving unit in a charity shop at the top of the high street, I thought it may look quite nice in the piano room as it has roses on the shelves, a symbol that runs through the performance and Progeny Theatre Company as a whole.

 

 

 

These bedding items I found in Primark. The bed covers were quite expensive at£16.00, but I like the lace look, I think it expresses the setting of the castle being grand and fairytale like. I will continue to look for cheaper options as these items will be covered in fake blood during the performance. The blanket/throw I found would be used for the SNOWCHILD’s scene to keep her warm, and it was priced at £2.70.

Lace, light gold duvet cover, £16.00

Lace, light gold duvet cover, £16.00

Soft, used for SNOWCHILD's scene. £2.70

Soft, used for SNOWCHILD’s scene. £2.70

Laced, white and cream, £16.00

Laced, white and cream, £16.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I will continue my search for the props, trying to find items as cheap as I can get them, as the props budget is limited. So far, if these items were approved, we would have spent £23.70 and there are still lots of items that need to be purchased!

 

Alex Urbanczyk

Word Count: 260

 

Keeping up with spending

Just a quick post to put up the picture of the spending spreadsheet. This spreadsheet will keep detailed track of what money is spent on what items and how much money we have left in the budget. As previously said, if we feel we will overspend, fundraising ideas will be put into play.

progeny spending (2)

Click image for clearer picture. If this does not work,  the top lines say: Company sectors, Items bought, Cost and Money remaining (according to budget).

Underneath is then the sectors such as marketing, set, etc.

This spreadsheet will be filled in as and when to keep on top of our spending.

 

Francesca

Set Construction: Creating the Wooden Angels

Projecting the angel onto the wood

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Sketching the angel onto the wood

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Sample of the sketched image

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Cutting the angel into shape

 

(Size of angel)

Angel height 8ft

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Applying the first dark layer

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Dark layer complete

The photographs above were taken on the first and main day of set construction, chartering the process of applying the angel image to the wood, and developing the wood into pieces of usable set.

As can be seen from my development of painting the angels below, the main challenge was making sure that both angels looked as identical as possible, and this has taken longer than I have expected. However, I am very pleased with the final result, and I am also pleased that I have completed this early on in the production process, so that I can focus on making the fabric angel to an equally high standard.

 

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Building tonal layers

 

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Adding layers of colour

 

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One of the finished pieces

 

Word Count: 153.

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