Where There's a Prop, There's a Way

My side account for Technical Theatre Posts and blogging. I'm a props designer, carpenter, and artisan, who occasionally breaks out into a scenic painter and costumer. This blog is still Under Construction.

[backstageleft-deactivated202009]

Additions to Your Shop You Should Consider: PVC Bend-It

I’m going to do a few of these posts for a couple of things that I think would be beneficial for a shop to have (beyond the basics). Certainly these are things a shop could do without, but they might open up a shop to making more interesting things or using materials they couldn’t use before. 

So I start with this:

The PVC BEND-IT

Now we’ve all had our struggles with bending PVC with heat guns, it’s hard to get the right heat on it to just bend it without burning it or rippling it. This product is a metal snake that goes inside the PVC pipe, heats up uniformly after a few minutes and suddenly you have PVC Spaghetti that you’re free to do whatever with, put it in a jig, type it in a knot, whatever. 

The guy who makes it originally geared it towards plumbers (I believe he may be one himself). He had a booth at USITT a few years back and was baffled that so many entertainment industry people wanted his product. 

I originally used one during my stint as a Halloween Fabricator at a Renaissance Faire, where we could afford few actual tools but for some reason bought a PVC Bend-It. It ended up working out VERY WELL for us. 

Here’s some of the things we made with it:

And here’s some of their example pictures:

The explanation from their website:

PVC BENDIT is the best tool available for heat bending PVC Pipe.  We don’t say that because we make it, we say it because our customer feedback tells us so.

PVC Bendit’s patent pending revolutionary design heats pipe from the inside, allowing the pipe to soften uniformly, unlike any other method available.  We want you to stop worrying about the PVC bending process and focus on what you’ve imagined doing. We also want you to be able to do things your competitors can’t even dream of. Our selection of forming tools makes PVC Bendit a total system. This gives beginners and pros alike the ability to bend PVC into whatever shape the project calls for. Available in bendable lengths three times as long as competing products.

Series A bends PVC sizes of ½", ¾", 1", 1 ¼" Series B bends PVC sizes: 1 ¼", 1 ½", 2", 2 ½", 3", 4" NEW - Series C bends PVC sizes 1 ¼", 1 ½", 2", 2 ½", 3", 4" in lengths 10’ to 20’.

*2 inch thru 4 inch pipe may require added sleeve(s) for optimal results.  

They range in price from $250 to $480 and comes in the lengths: 3′, 6′, 9′, and 18′

Link to their shop.

Just make sure not to use it on the real thin walled stuff, because it will burn through it.  I would very much recommend this product and think it would be a welcome addition to any prop shop. 

[proptips]

Project Incoming: Victorian Doll Box

I’ve taken on a commission in which I will be making a wall mounted doll box for a victorian doll that’s been in my client’s family for literally over 100 years. I'm excited to take on this project, it will be the first carp commission I’ve ever undertaken. At the same time Im nervous. I want to make something that will stay with the doll through oncoming generations in this woman’s family, so it has to be well-made, durable, and timeless.

Conveniently, there’s a wall mounted clock in my house that is very close in design to the victorian/contemporary style my client is going for. While I’ll be making an original design, the clock will be heavy inspiration for the box’s construction. 

Im gonna be doing research on the style as well as what materials will be best. Wish me luck!

[proptips]

Just Renewed My USITT Membership!!

[backstageleft-deactivated202009]

It seems that I’m not crazy, scenic carpenters DO get paid more than prop people/prop carpenters and other people have noticed it too.

I have worked as both and it takes more skills and precision to work in props than to be a scenic carpenter in my experience. I’m often consulted by scenic carpenter co-workers on woodworking projects. I know how to weld, paint, solder, sew, carve, and do some casting and molding on top of my experience as a carpenter and upholsterer. 

I’m not trying to put the scenic folk down, I just think we need to re-evaluate those pay scales in the industry. I am talking about scenic carpenter vs. prop artisan/carpenter pay, btw. I’m well aware that TDs often have to oversee more than one department, this post isn’t about them.

I really think it might be hugely influenced by this weird notion people seem to have that props is easy and anyone can do it. Until you do props, you really don’t get how difficult props can be. We’re not magical prop-finding gnomes. We put in the hours and the effort and research to find that perfect thing, or build that perfect thing, and then rebuild that perfect thing when it wasn’t quite the perfect you were looking for. We’re usually expected to do it all with much less people in our department. And for less money.

[pug-potus]

I was just re-watching Arrested Development and happened to pause and read the entirety of this inconsequential note. The last paragraph reads: “Any further inquiries should be directed to Brad Elliott in the property gold room as he is the one who spewed all of this out onto his laptop in order to make a prop that nobody will likely ever see. If this has been seen by camera, then perhaps he hasn’t done his job well and should continue to pump information relevant to the show.”

[housetohalf]

@backstageleft

[stagefoot]

How It’s Made - lighting gels

[proptips]

My first Professional Props Design for the show Alice in Wonderland Jr. Not Everything i did is shown, but these are my favorites. The stool was pre-existing and painted, but the rest I made myself

[backstageleft-deactivated202009]

I have a question about skills on a resume. I am concerned about listing skills that I have a minimal amount of experience with, such as welding and upholstery. I don't want to exclude them, but Im worried that including them without some sort of disclaimer will imply I have more experience than I do. What would your recommend for giving the best and honest representation of one's skills on a resume? I would greatly appreciate your advice.

Clever use of adjectives, to be simple. If you want to list welding on a resume but haven’t done it much, list it as “Beginner Welding Skills” or something similar. I am not that great at sewing so on my resume I have listed “Basic Sewing Skills”. If you feel you’re intermediate pr advanced, put that down. (“Advanced” may not be the best term for it, but something akin to that).

[backstageleft-deactivated202009]

I was wondering if you could recommend some reference or study books for technical theatre? I’m going to a program for theatre next year which will eventually focus on only technical/design aspects (its York U if you’re familiar with it) but has a general first year. Id like to be able to study on my own in addition to this but I’m not sure where to start in terms of finding books.

Well I actually happened to take a picture of the books I brought into work for reference. 

Note that these are props/carpentry/paint focused. (I own the whole set of Thurston James books actually, I just brought the one that filled the gap for all my other books.) I’ve talked about the Furniture Bible here and the paint book here.

Honestly you want books that are tailored to your interests (lighting, sound, props, painting, stage management, etc). Focal Press publishes a lot of technical theatre reference books.

One that I can be absolutely sure that you need though is 

The Backstage Handbook. Get one right away, it is the ultimate technical theatre reference guide. 

I’m sure some of the other folks over in SMblr ( @smblrsunite, @thankyoufive, @housetohalf, @alexprobablysm, etc), LXblr ( @lxblr, @perpetuallight, @crescentwrenches, @col-brightside, etc), Soundblr ( @neotrotsky, @darthzeus, @underwatermess, @q2qcomics, @mermaidqueen, etc) and Costumeblr ( @costumersupportdept ) know of books specific to their areas. 

[darksideofthecurtain]

Hey Propblr

Have you seen these things?  I have no idea how much they cost but they look useful.  They have a whole product line here http://www.joinlox.com/skill/striplox-products/ 

[perpetuallight]

@backstageleft

[backstageleft-deactivated202009]

Honestly I could’ve used this for the show we just opened. 

[ameranthe]

Reference and inspiration for building homes. Original source here.

[peacemaker-ic]

i need these……. for reasons 

[faerestsnow-deactivated20140129]

Because of their iconic stature they are now among the most treasured and valuable of film memorabilia. As was customary for important props, a number of pairs were made for the film, though no one knows exactly how many. Five pairs are known to have survived; one pair was stolen in 2005 and has never been recovered.

[jensyao]

[marchie-monrey]

that is a LOT of props

[proptips]

So for my first prop tip, here's something i discovered from observing Jodi-Bob. Method bottles like the one above, when turned upside down, are almost the exact shape of a early 1900's light bulb such as this one. Jodi used this trick in a footlight prop for Road Show (which I ran crew for during my internship) which takes place roughly 1900-1920. 

So if you are needing a period lightbulb for your show that wont break and don't have one spare in the prop loft/barn/storage, then this is a cheap, resourceful replacement for an expensive authentic bulb.

(the text on the bottle shouldn't be able to read on-stage, but if it's too obvious then try dulling it a bit so it's less white and blends into the background better.)

Side note: another use could be as potion bottles for set dressing or hand props (with added coloration and painting, depends on what you're looking for). this also applies to cosplay!

[proptips]

Welcome!

My name is Colleen, and I'm an aspiring props master who's half a year away from graduating college with a theatre degree! My passion is props, and if you're reading this, then my guess is they they're yours too.

My experience (as of right now) includes 6 productions over the span of 3 years at SHSU, plus one original production put on by our chapter's APO. I've also interned at Stages Repertory Theatre in Houston, Tx; where i have had the wonderful experience of meeting and learning a little from Jodi-Bob, one of Houston's best Prop Masters. I am still growing, but I thought a good way to help myself retain prop tips (and possibly to help other growing prop masters) and to organize resources would be to dedicate a blog to specifically that!

Props are very versatile in where they can be used; theatre, film/tv, and cosplay are some prime examples. I might pull from these kind of sources and more, but i props will remain the main concern. My preference leans mostly toward the "make" category of props, but recognize it's not the only aspect of being a props master (it's just the hardest part for me so I tend to focus on it more in order to get better at it. )

So welcome to my Prop Tips blog, and feel free to leave asks and i will try to answer them to the best of my abilities. (if i can't, I'll try to direct you somewhere you can.)