The Amazing Smoking Man!

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Sun Jul 13, 2003 4:26 am

Hey,

Just thought I'd come back here and ask some people who know their stuff for some advice...

I wanna make a person "smoke", like literally, as if he has just been extremely electrocuted. Obviously dry ice is out of the question, and i don't have the budget for a smoke machine -- and its just for one or two shots.

Perhaps there is some kind of available mild acid or something...

Could anybody provide me with some advice?

slimdog55 · Post by **slimdog55** » Sun Jul 13, 2003 6:23 am

Hey, if anybody smokes that you know,"borrow" a ciggerette and light it up and put it under the camcorder. It might work. Just an idea.

Grant · Post by **Grant** » Sun Jul 13, 2003 8:59 am

They do use a mild acid to create that effect but i do not know what type.

Old guitar pics burn really well and produce lots of smoke fast.

Other that that just find a slow burning materila that produce smoke. Place them in nice safe little containers. Light them and hide on the actors costume and let the smoke seep through

Lorenzo_amateur_prods · Sun Jul 13, 2003 9:40 am

yeah those old pics.. or you could try burning newspaper.

ive heard you can do something with the inside of ping pong balls which makes tons of smoke/explodes, but it meant to be dangerous

Ornsack · Post by **Ornsack** » Sun Jul 13, 2003 1:54 pm

Smoke bombs/pellettes, avaliable in all good joke stores

foxwood · Post by **foxwood** » Sun Jul 13, 2003 2:13 pm

As much as I dilike ciggerets, you could plat them over the actor, that might not be that safe but would look cool. Or you could use some forced persective, and build a small fire, but that would really only work if you wanted a lot of smoke.

What about shooting the smoke sepretly, then placing it on the actor in post, I think that might work, even though I don't know how to do it, being that I am still an in cammera effects person.

DoDGe · Post by **DoDGe** » Sun Jul 13, 2003 3:35 pm

Id say smoke pellets or get some potassium nitrate and make some...
OR
Just edit it in

Grant · Post by **Grant** » Mon Jul 14, 2003 1:43 am

Actually yeah yo ucan buy some little smoke bombs here in shops that burn really safely in their own little contained capsule

2nd_Recon · Post by **2nd_Recon** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 3:15 am

The smoke bomb we buy produce enough smoke to completly cover a person, if its not a windy day. if your using the ping-pong ball shaped ones, make sure there is a slight brezze.

I bought a few tube-like ones to use as teargas bombs

[Edited on 17-7-2003 by 2nd_Recon]

Grant · Post by **Grant** » Fri Jul 18, 2003 1:17 am

At the local flea market one day a guy offerred me for $10 a real cannister of tear gas in the box and still armed. the ones like the police use!!!
For $10 it is a bargain but seriously when and how would you use it????

El Brenty · Post by **El Brenty** » Sat Jul 19, 2003 1:37 pm

You can buy smoke matches from Party shops! I have some because I'm a cumyxaphist, and a philumenist! They look very similar to the waterproof matches that used to come in the old army rations packs that we had at school (The ones with the constipation biscuits!)!!!!!!:o!!!!!

Anyway, they say smoking is supposed to be bad for your health, so I've never tried it myself!

El Brenty · Post by **El Brenty** » Sat Jul 19, 2003 1:49 pm

Okay, I'm posting twice, slap on hand type thing, but I couldn't resist it! I just remembered the recipe for a very cheap Home Made Smoke Bomb:

1. Get 2 boxes of matches
2. Tear the friction striker strips off the outer sleeves of both boxes, and glue them into the inside trays.
3. Snap off all the match heads, leaving very little wood, and fill one of the trays with the match heads. Pack 'em in tight!
4. Form a new box, by fitting one inside the other.
5. Using Electrical Insulation Tape, seal the box up, completely covering it. Don't be shy!
6. Poke about 6 holes into the box (through the tape). Do this carefully, you don't want to set it off prematurely (Cue rude replies!).

It's ready - all you have to do is throw it hard at something, or have something hit it!

DON'T touch the spent smoke bomb for a few minutes. It gets really hot, and will burn your fingers if you do!

Yeah I know, not quite what you're after for a smoking man! Why not just film it on a frosty day, and use hot water, that'll steam like smoke! After all, when someone is electrocuted for real, the smoke you see if steam from the contact sponges they use to help transfer the current into the body! YUK!

[Edited on 19-7-2003 by CamClub]