artificial fire light at DVinfo.net

Andy Graham · November 9th, 2009, 04:20 PM

Are there any artificial fire light rigs you can hire that can re-produce the effect of an actor sitting next to a fire? I tried googling it but you can imagine the junk that came up. I'm sure its been used many times but the question is are they commercially hireable or are they self built rigs by dop's and gaffers?

cheers for any advice/links

Andy.

Chris Swanberg · November 9th, 2009, 05:11 PM

This can be accomplished with tungsten lighting and gels, and the use of what is commonly called a "flicker box". Try googling "flicker box".

Some are DIY. The easiest DIY uses flourescent starters, but they are limited to a very low wattage tungsten bulb, like 40 watts. Another version uses a phototransistor design and a small flickering candle type lamp within the box and was flickerlights upwards of 1000 watts, but it is a little more complicated. Commercial versions are available... they may be rentable.

You can also search flicker box on this site!

Andy Graham · November 10th, 2009, 04:51 AM

Thanks Chris, thats the thing i was lookin for. Personally i'd just light a damn fire but health and safety won't have it and its not my shoot.

speaking of health and safety im not sure how bad you guys in the US get it but over here there one stop away from foam lining the streets and lamp posts!........we don't even get real pins on our poppies for rememberence day anymore incase we hurt ourselves on them!.

the UK is losing the plot.

Andy.

Chris Swanberg · November 11th, 2009, 04:38 PM

Let us know how it works out for you. I saw a DVD once wherein they were illustrating cetain "how to's". One scene was an attempt to replicate a scene from "Dances with Wolves" where the hero enters a teeepee and sits with a group of Indians around a campfire inside it. They used half a dozen lowel totas, each on a flicker box and used red and orange gels. The light sources were hidden down in the "fire area", and the effect looked pretty real to me.

Chris

November 9th, 2009, 04:20 PM	#1
Andy Graham Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Lanark,Scotland Posts: 736	artificial fire light Are there any artificial fire light rigs you can hire that can re-produce the effect of an actor sitting next to a fire? I tried googling it but you can imagine the junk that came up. I'm sure its been used many times but the question is are they commercially hireable or are they self built rigs by dop's and gaffers? cheers for any advice/links Andy. __________________ Actor: "where would that light be coming from?" DP: "same place as the music" -Andrew Lesnie-

November 9th, 2009, 05:11 PM	#2
Chris Swanberg Major Player Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 904	This can be accomplished with tungsten lighting and gels, and the use of what is commonly called a "flicker box". Try googling "flicker box". Some are DIY. The easiest DIY uses flourescent starters, but they are limited to a very low wattage tungsten bulb, like 40 watts. Another version uses a phototransistor design and a small flickering candle type lamp within the box and was flickerlights upwards of 1000 watts, but it is a little more complicated. Commercial versions are available... they may be rentable. You can also search flicker box on this site! Last edited by Chris Swanberg; November 9th, 2009 at 08:08 PM.

November 10th, 2009, 04:51 AM	#3
Andy Graham Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Lanark,Scotland Posts: 736	Thanks Chris, thats the thing i was lookin for. Personally i'd just light a damn fire but health and safety won't have it and its not my shoot. speaking of health and safety im not sure how bad you guys in the US get it but over here there one stop away from foam lining the streets and lamp posts!........we don't even get real pins on our poppies for rememberence day anymore incase we hurt ourselves on them!. the UK is losing the plot. Andy. __________________ Actor: "where would that light be coming from?" DP: "same place as the music" -Andrew Lesnie-

November 11th, 2009, 04:38 PM	#4
Chris Swanberg Major Player Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 904	Let us know how it works out for you. I saw a DVD once wherein they were illustrating cetain "how to's". One scene was an attempt to replicate a scene from "Dances with Wolves" where the hero enters a teeepee and sits with a group of Indians around a campfire inside it. They used half a dozen lowel totas, each on a flicker box and used red and orange gels. The light sources were hidden down in the "fire area", and the effect looked pretty real to me. Chris