Beauty and the Beast Props - The Director Is Happy!
"Ultimately in the end, it's the director's choice."
- Donnie Wahlberg -
Yesterday I presented three specialty props to the director.
In this story, you'll get a peek at all three finished props.
Of course, my title has already "let the cat out of the bag." The director of the upcoming production of Beauty and the Beast is very happy with what I've done. There's a little more to the story, but the bottom line is: the director is happy. Woot!
Walt Disney's Beauty and the Beast
Image by Walt Disney Pictures, via Wikimedia Commons
This being theater, after all,
I wanted to present the props in a dramatic fashion. I decided to build up to the "tour de force" by showing them off in an appropriate sequence.
I first of all showed the director an electronic "fire effect" that I had developed many years ago. It was used in a 2010 production of Beauty and the Beast when that was staged by a local area community theater. However, the director for the present production had discussed it with her staff, and they concluded that they were not interested in renting a fireplace for this show.
The Windmill Music Box
Original image by @creatr
Then I presented the Windmill.
I began with The Windmill because I had previously shown it to the director a month or two ago.
Though at the time it was not quite complete, The Windmill is now finished, with paint and weathering effects, pedestal, easily replenished battery box, and etc.
We discussed the possibility of putting The Windmill on a slightly more elevated pedestal. That idea was dismissed when the director's assistant reminded her that the actors who play Maurice are fairly short.
The Magic Mirror
Original image by @creatr
Next, I presented The Magic Mirror.
I showed the director and her assistant how to remove and replace the Kindle if ever needed, and how the batteries are situated and replaced.
The Magic Mirror incorporates ten high-powered LEDs that illuminate the Beauty's face when they are switched on with a small toggle switch at the base of the mirror. From the actress' perspective, the light is blinding. From the audience's point of view, it lights up the actress' face quite nicely.
The existing Beast video loop is not properly oriented, but it is going to be replaced by a video of one of the immediate production's actors and so it's not an issue.
Finally, I presented the Enchanted Rose.
Of course I made a dramatic production of it. I set it up on one end of a table, covered with a black felt cloth. I set up my computer at the other end of the table to simulate the DMX control board.
The "big reveal" came when I lifted the cloth off of The Rose's cloche bell jar.
I lit up the two sets of eight "twinkle lights."
I brought up some colored lights from the ring of RGB (Red/Green/Blue) LEDs surrounding the base.
I illuminated the rose using the floodlight white LEDs from above.
Then I asked the director to cue me. When she did, I dropped the first petal.
Cue after cue,
I dropped the remaining four petals. My audience was impressed.
There are a few details I need to resolve with The Rose battery power, portability, and twinkle lights, but I should (God willing) have no trouble managing those between now and the beginning of Tech Week.
So, just how happy is the director?
Well, she gave me a hug, invited me to submit an invoice, and suggested that I increase the invoice total as a bonus for a job well done.
In my book, that has to count as pretty happy.
The Trio of B&B Props
Original image by @creatr
There's much more excitement to come.
Tech Week—a week of working out all the detailed wrinkles with props, sets, equipment, back-stage operations, and of intense practice—begins on Monday the 16th. I'm excited about being part of the upcoming Tech Week, and look forward to seeing how my props will integrate into the production and interface with the theater's DMX lighting control equipment.
You'll hear all about Tech Week right here.
If you're just tuning in, here are previous entries in this series (including ruminations) about prop-making:
"The Ocean of Life" - A Haiku by Duncan Cary Palmer
"When Wandering Wizards Wonder..."
"Finally Out to Sea..." a Haiku by Duncan Cary Palmer
Beauty and the Beast Props - Enchanted Rose ~Teaser~
Beauty and the Beast Props - Magic Mirror ~Teaser~
Beauty and the Beast Props - Windmill ~Teaser~
Beauty and the Beast Props - The Director Is Happy!
~FIN~
P.S. If you have an "in" with anybody at Steemit, Inc. - Would you please ask them to get rid of these damn, extremely annoying "off-website" arrow/boxes? The have, overnight, made Steemit ugly. There are much better solutions.
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props to the director, the great flower as over
Thanks.
All is well that ends well. Glad for you.
Thanks!
And yet, it ain't quite over... not 'til the fat lady sings... ;)
Sorry, I haven't visited your blog of late. But congrats and I wish you success
Thank you.
You made the director happy.I wish you success
Thank you kindly.
OMG OMG OMG OMG that's so exciting! After all that work, it must be a relief to have made the director happy! I bet the lighting is just perfect on the stage. Will you be able to get any photos during rehearsal of the actors using your props? I might die for a little "behind the scenes" background. They turned out great!
Thank you, thank you, Thank You! :D
It has been a relief indeed. The biggest issue (really all my problem) was her expressed concern about The Rose needing to be wireless/portable. In retrospect, she did make that abundantly clear to me from the outset. As I moved along, I kind of almost lost sight of that requirement.
The Rose has turned out to have some power consumption issues that I did not expect going into this, and because it's DMX connected I went into the meeting with the director sort of hoping she'd back off on that requirement a little. I mean, what's one more power wire if you're already cabled into the DMX system?
Well, I discovered pretty quickly how adamant she is about The Rose being entirely remote/wireless... :O
As things have turned out, The Rose gets mounted on a pedestal. The theater people already have a wireless DMX box. And so, I'll be able to hide a somewhat larger battery in the pedestal, and I should be able to use the larger battery to run both the wireless DMX box and The Rose itself. So I can see resolutions to all the potential problems.
My friend @sunravelme, I will definitely try to get some backstage rehearsal shots. I'm more than happy to at least try, for such a big fan. ;)
Thank you, dear! :D
Thank you so much for your continuing support.
I'm pretty happy with the set of props overall, and thankful for a good outcome. Now to work out the remaining details with some LEDs, power fiddling and testing, and etc.
Wow I love the rose - it looks amazing!! You must be really happy that everyone loved your work!! Awesome :)
Thanks so much, my friend!
I'm hoping to post additional construction details, as well as a video of the lights and the petals dropping...
And yes, the response of the director, her assistant, and (a little later) some of the cast and crew that came by was very gratifying. Yesterday was a good day. :D
You are a magician.Well done.
Thanks!
increasing your invoice at the recommendation of the director is a grand thing. Indeed well done my friend with fine props. I am proud of you @creeatr.
Yes, it was grand for sure. Thank you, Troy. :D
@creatr They have come out very beautiful, now the next step would be to incorporate them into your personal collection and present them to the world. An affectionate hug
Thank you.
If the director is happy, everyone is happy - props to you :) ...but I have one niggling question, why the little box after the Donnie Wahlberg quote? LOL
Thanks, John!
RE: The box:
That's all "bad Steemit U/I" doing... Not mine.
It's to warn you, presumably, that you're about to be redirected off-site.
I wrote an entire complaint article about it right here.