A weblog about theatrical drapery and stage curtains for Production Managers, Set Designers, Custom Drapery Resellers, and local/school/church Productions
If you are looking for a unique, stunning, and incredibly versatile drape for your next event, show, concert, stage production, or trade show, you should consider renting a Metal Mesh drape from Rent What? Inc. These drapes can be used in almost any capacity, and have been rented for everything from major concert tours and community church productions to television series to conferences looking for something extra special to dazzle up their stage.
Because these rental drapes are available in multiple sizes, they can be used either as a large backdrop, or more popular lately, as several narrower panels. These rental stage drapes are wonderful for creating a lot of depth and texture in a venue or production that might not have it otherwise. Also, due to the wonderfully reflective and crinkly texture of these lightweight drapes, changing around your lighting can really help give you a very unique appearance to each and every performance, and that even without any special lighting the drapes are going to be absolute show-stoppers.
By using the metal mesh as a large single backdrop, you can create almost any type of look or feel you are going for, and that they complement almost any type of stage design.
And by using it as narrower panels, you can make some very cool and unique production design by creating “negative space” effects that would otherwise go unnoticed.
Next time you are looking for something completely new and fresh for your event, consider renting some Metal Mesh drapes from us—and you’ll see that they will become an absolute hit!
For a versatile and affordable projection screen option, Cambio! is a great alternative to traditional projection screen material. With its slight sheen, it lights beautifully and is suitable for both front and rear projection.
As the fabric is 10 feet wide, a seamless screen can be made up to 10′ x 10′, and larger screens can be made with minimal seams (that typically disappear when projected on). Webbing on all four sides minimizes “hourglassing”, and the addition of grommets and ties allows the screen to be hung from the top and, if desired, tied to fixed uprights on the sides. Screen too large to tie off to uprights, or no room on the stage for uprights? Strategically placing a sandbag on each bottom corner will keep the screen taut.
A Cambio! projection screen can also be complimented by coordinating stretch shapes, also made of Cambio! Stretch shapes are available in a variety of shapes, from triangles to stars to batwings, and in sizes up to 24′ x 40′.
This summer and fall, we worked with Faith Bible Church of The Woodlands, Texas, on just such a project. We created a 19′ h x 32′ w Projection Screen in Cambio!, accompanied by three Triangle Shapes, 18′ x 18′, also in Cambio! The pieces worked great for the church, and we were so pleased to be mentioned in the church’s blog. Want to see a Cambio! Projection Screen in action? Check out their blog.
Something that is often overlooked today when in the throws of the creative process is the use and/or influence of architecture. I am lucky enough to have lived near Detroit for the last twenty plus years. I know to the rest of the world Detroit has a less than desirable status but I can tell you the people are great and the old architecture is second to none from a creative standpoint.
My point here is to take a look around you at the architecture near you. It’s often overlooked or taken for granted yet it standsthere in all its glory and history, either grand and opulent or rundown, burned out and beaten down, you can find beauty and creative juice right in front of you if you look.
Take a look at the backdrop we did for Flogging Molly for example. A grand old building in Detroit with busted windows makes an awesome digitally printed backdrop. (http://www.sewwhatinc.com/graphic_design.php)
Creating mood and taking a crowd to another place at a show is the ultimate goal of designing a concert experience. People often only think of stage lights in terms of the trusses that hang over the stage to create color and sometime patterns.
One thing you might want to consider in the planing stages is the use of lights through cutouts in your printed backdrop. We can print directly to opaque and see through mesh materials. Integrating both materials buy cutting out either structured shapes (windows, doors) or more random free form shapes (abstract patterns, eyes?) and then bringing the entire piece together to create awesome effects, glows and ambience. Be it a sunset effect, lights in the windows of a building or glowing eyes, etc… its up to your imagination.
Earlier this year we were contacted by Jason Bishop, illusionist extraordinaire, regarding our Metal Mesh drapery. He felt it had just the right look to complement his amazing illusions. The textures are terrific, and the ability to light it in different colors gives it so much versatility. After working with Sew What? Account Manager Gwen Winter, Jason chose to purchase a custom 25′ h x 45′ w Metal Mesh Drape, fashioned as a Tear-Away for that quick “magical” reveal.
Well, last week Jason contacted us again to rave about the drape. He sent us photos of the drape on stage with The Jason Bishop Show. They’re terrific photos – check them out!
I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, in my post about videos, that Megan had recently come upon a video that she received from a client back in 2009 for a Sonic Youth project we had worked on. Well, I thought I’d tell you more about it (and show you the video, as promised).
While we are primarily of manufacturer of custom stage drapes, we don’t limit ourselves to standard theatrical drapery. Often, we are asked by clients, particularly those in the music touring industry, to ”think outside the (drapery) box” to make something a little different (though still fabric based). This was one of those projects.
We were asked by Dan Hadley to make Custom Light Pod skins to fit over frames. The primary fabric used was Flame Retardant Natural Heavy Weight Muslin with Blackout Lining (also known as Passfoam) used on the inside (except for the back). Then, using client providing renderings, we cut out a different design from the front of each pod and inserted natural scrim into the cutout. Lastly, the client contracted with an artist to scenically paint the pods.
This really was a clever design. By lining the front and sides with Blackout Lining, but then cutting out the designs and inserting the scrim, a variety of lighting techniques could be utilized to emphasize the design and even trick the eye into thinking that the design is moving.
Not quite sure what I mean? Check out the video of Sonic Youth that Dan sent Megan:
A client sent us some gorgeous photos recently of a project we worked on last month for James Taylor’s 2010 “Troubadour Reunion” World Tour with Carole King, and I wanted to share them with you. Last month, we made a number of Texture Panels, utilizing Metal Mesh backed by Black 16oz Commando Cloth, to be attached to specialty frames.
Photo Courtesy Ralph Perkins / Bryan Leitch
We have made a number of different pieces from Metal Mesh in the past, and the way that it lights so beautifully makes it a favorite of mine, but the addition of the frames has allowed a really interesting and unique presentation.
Photo Courtesy Ralph Perkins / Bryan Leitch
I love the way the frames are used to add another layer of dimension to the set, and that the overhead pieces make the set more intimate and yet still dramatic and eye-catching. Just gorgeous!
Want to see more? Check out this video that includes some great close-up shots of the metal mesh pieces (not to mention James Taylor’s beautiful music!) at a show in Australia last week.
Last spring, I was lucky enough to see Celtic Woman live at the Orange County (Calif) Performing Arts Center, and it was really a lovely show. Well, Celtic Woman is back in the US with a new tour, “Songs from the Heart,” and Sew What? was proud to be asked by production manager Scotty Ross to provide custom stage curtains to the tour.
The focus was on an ethereal look that could be transformed through lighting. We started with the unique drum risers, which were comprised of three layers. The top layer was White Voile, digitally printed with the client’s artwork (modeled after the “Songs from the Heart ” album cover art). In the middle was White Iridescent Sheer, gathered at 200% fullness. The bottom layer was Black 16oz Commando Cloth to ensure that the drum riser behind was masked from view.
The same White Iridescent Sheer fabric was used for upstage sheers, complemented by a swagged border and midstage swagged legs in Silver Velvet, along with legs in a White-Silver Sparkle Velvet.
As I’ve mentioned before, silver or grey fabric (along with white fabric) is ideal for colored lighting. Check out how the drapery looked under a purple / blue lighting scheme:
And then how it looked under a red / gold lighting scheme:
It’s hard to believe that these are the same drapes – and that under natural light, they are actually white and silver!
I think the drapes turned out just gorgeous, and evoke just the right romantic, ethereal mood for the beautiful music of Celtic Woman. Want to see (and hear) more? Check out this video of the tour at Radio City Music Hall. And if you’ve never seen them live, try to get out to see them this spring – they really do put on a great show.
It is always fun to see how the drapery we make is transformed on stage. I have mentioned before how impressive it is to see how the lighting designers can transform the look of the set (including the drapery) through the use of lighting effects.
Take, for example, the burgundy contour curtain that we made for Rent What?, as part of their Vintage Burgundy collection (which also includes the fabulous Crimson Cabaret drapes that I told you about recently). Just on its own, this curtain is gorgeous, the lift lines creating dramatic yet romantic swags, and the burgundy color adding elegance and sophistication.
With the addition of specialized lighting, however, the curtain takes on an entirely new look. Monsters of Folk are using this contour curtain in their current tour, and Rent What? got some great photos of their show at the Greek Theare in Los Angeles. In looking at these photos, it is hard to believe that the curtain is actually burgundy – in some of the photos, it appears red. In others, you would swear that it is purple. In all of the photos, the curtain looks amazing.
It just goes to show you that choosing a colored curtain doesn’t have to limit the look of a show. With a talented lighting designer, one curtain can have several different looks.
