Prop building

[jcbanner]

For those of you intrested, I found the web page of the guy who designed the talking skull I mentioned in the "you know your a rennie if.. thread.

How to assemble the skull:   http://www.scary-terry.com/buckyservo/buckyservo.htm  At to the at the bottom of the second page is a link for how to build the audio driver for the skull.

A video of one of them being tested
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DwFgQ7VE2o&feature=related

Video of a really nicely done talking skull
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrxXP-7EBq8&feature=related


If only I had the time or resources to donate to building some of these!

Have any of you, or anyone know of anybody that has made theatrical props for faire, other performance, or for your/their own use?  I think doing stuff like this is fun. I'd love to hear about things you've come up with to help out my own ideas!

[Cobaltblu]

I don't know the first thing about theater or acting however...

When I attend Sterling (as a patron) this year I am thinking about making a "Will pray for food sign" nailed to the top of a walking stick and wearing a monk robe and if anyone asks me about it I would complain about the economy.  I thought about other signs I could use like one selling indulgences with various prices like "Thievery - 1 shilling, Blasphemy - 1 crown, saying world is round - 10 pounds".

I don't think I would use this sign but I get a laugh out of one saying "Priest's do it in the rectory"

Other sign ideas are: I stop for sinners, I stop for saints, Kiss me I'm holy.

For pirate's weekend I thought about buying a reproduction parrot skull or skeleton and wearing it around my neck on a rope and telling people who inquire that I killed a pirate and ate his parrot.

Another idea I had was a one man jail cell, possibly with shoulder straps so it can be suspended from a person's shoulders and be around them as they walk.  It could have a little bar to sit on inside or maybe instead of the shoulder straps it could have two carrying handles.  You could dress as a prisoner and walk around and/or sit in your own personal jail cell.  The "cell" could be made of lightweight wood and maybe have 1" or 1/2" bars and be 2.5 feet by 2.5 feet by 6.5 feet tall.  I calculated the weight once and it could be made to weigh between 10-20 pounds.  There would have to be a door to get in and out unless you were very skinny and could fit between the bars.

The best props are ones which are highly visible and easy to understand and which people can see from a reasonable distance and understand what they are.  If the prop has these prop-erties it maximizes the audience experience.

When I think about character props I first write a list of all the cliche characteristics the general public expects the type of character to have, I.E. a pirate has a parrot, and then what highly visible or comical item could be used.

Regards,

CB

[VIII]

For pirate's weekend I thought about buying a reproduction parrot skull or skeleton and wearing it around my neck on a rope and telling people who inquire that I killed a pirate and ate his parrot.

When I play the dead Pirate Marooney and people ask, "Where's your parrot?" I respond, "I et 'im!"  then, when I talk about me crew, and they ask, "Where's your crew?" I respond, "I et 'em!"

I love to make some kid me First Mate, then I tells 'em, "The First Mate, he hands out the discipline, *CRACK*, but if we get shipwrecked or marooned, and we be a-starvin', you'll be first to go in the pot!" whereupon I licks me lips and rubs me tummy.

What I really want is a skeletal Parrot that sits on me shoulder, like the one in the 'Popeye' movie, and squawks on occasion.

[BLAKDUKE]

For pirate's weekend I thought about buying a reproduction parrot skull or skeleton and wearing it around my neck on a rope and telling people who inquire that I killed a pirate and ate his parrot.

When I play the dead Pirate Marooney and people ask, "Where's your parrot?" I respond, "I et 'im!"  then, when I talk about me crew, and they ask, "Where's your crew?" I respond, "I et 'em!"

I love to make some kid me First Mate, then I tells 'em, "The First Mate, he hands out the discipline, *CRACK*, but if we get shipwrecked or marooned, and we be a-starvin', you'll be first to go in the pot!" whereupon I licks me lips and rubs me tummy.

What I really want is a skeletal Parrot that sits on me shoulder, like the one in the 'Popeye' movie, and squawks on occasion.

VIII
Depending on where you live, look for a large gag shop like Spencers, or a large novelty shop.  You need a large metro area like Atlanta, Nashville, Orlando, etc. 

[Woodland Artisan]

I've been doing a whole lot of props this past year and a half.  Stuff for renfaire performers stage shows, other merchants for their booths, faire grounds signs, fences and other things like large sculptural pieces (I'm working on a 5' tall knights head/helmet piece out of walnut right now for a faires' opening gate in 2010).

I got a call in January from a production manager about doing some props, instruction, and finding other period artisans to do similar work for a TV show this summer ("it's not TV, it's ...").  So, maybe my summer will be more interesting than years past.

There's also the work I've been doing for 3 castles here in the USA providing them with some appropriate furniture and tools.  I certainly wouldn't call them "props", though.  Those are fully authentic, functional, real, live furniture pieces.  One of the castles actually gets used but the other two are more like museums or attractions and people mainly just look.

And, I've done some prop/staging work in the past for a couple of 19th century-style themed parks too.  That's the nice thing about what I do ... I don't have to change too much to work in time periods ranging from about 200 B.C. up through the early 1900's.

[Elinor Hakebourne]

I don't know the first thing about theater or acting however...

When I attend Sterling (as a patron) this year I am thinking about making a "Will pray for food sign" nailed to the top of a walking stick and wearing a monk robe and if anyone asks me about it I would complain about the economy.  I thought about other signs I could use like one selling indulgences with various prices like "Thievery - 1 shilling, Blasphemy - 1 crown, saying world is round - 10 pounds".

That indulgences sign is a hoot! - Especially the part about "saying the world is round" You should definitely do it, it'd be in keeping with Hey, Nunnie, Nunnie, I think

[Cobaltblu]

I don't know the first thing about theater or acting however...

When I attend Sterling (as a patron) this year I am thinking about making a "Will pray for food sign" nailed to the top of a walking stick and wearing a monk robe and if anyone asks me about it I would complain about the economy.  I thought about other signs I could use like one selling indulgences with various prices like "Thievery - 1 shilling, Blasphemy - 1 crown, saying world is round - 10 pounds".

That indulgences sign is a hoot! - Especially the part about "saying the world is round" You should definitely do it, it'd be in keeping with Hey, Nunnie, Nunnie, I think

If I do it I was thinking of having a few pieces I could flip over to say different sayings (kind of like a rolodex with the sayings on both sides so when I flip it the saying is shown on both sides of the sign).  I love Hey Nunnie Nunnie...IMHO they are one of the best comedy acts.

Regards,

CB