practical smoke?

Mattykins

Mattykins

Cute Member
Hey all,

Here is something I've been trying to figure out for a while. If I were to need smoke in a scene. Probably black - akin to a tire fire. How would this be created?

I can plop it in on the post end. But it might be easier to just do it on set. I've looked around and I can't seem to find anything.

Anyone have ideas for this? Or stick to the digital end?
 
Can you be more specific about what you need it to be used for and how slowly it has to burn? Smoke bombs are easy to make, but I should advise you that they can flare up very hot and burn fast, especially if you don't have a clean source of compounds (as was my case last attempt). And it wasn't too thick, which we didn't need. If you can find a good solution, practical is most likely going to be the best way to go.
 
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Well, I was thinking smoke in general.

But at least for my specific needs. It would be to toss up smoke into a street from an off-screen fire. A minute burn or so. Probably need to reset between takes. But I have no idea where to even start regarding smoke.
 
Get a box of barbeque briquettes. For each take, light one, (or two), and when it's burning properly, drizzle some vegetable oil on it. Get someone to fan the smoke into the shot. It should create a fairly thick billow of smoke which you can easily extinguish with a jug of water.

That's just off the top of my head. Haven't actually tried it myself.
 
DJDecay is quite right when he says you should not set fire to anything that is likely to produce toxic smoke.

The briquette/vegetable-oil technique will only create a greasy, oily smoke which is not harmful to humans. If you've ever spilt cooking oil on the hot stove you'll know what the smoke looks like - and smells like! It may possibly condense on camera lenses if they are cold, and it can cause some mild irritation in the throat if breathed for too long, (like 45 minutes concentrated), but it is not considered toxic in the sense of being poisonous. It is commonly used on-stage in closed theatres and as far as I know, it requires no permissions or licences. But still, it is best to check and be sure first.
 
You gota watch out for black smoke. It's illegal to use in many situations. Gone are the days of getting a skip full of tires and setting fire to them as per 'Full Metal Jacket'! And that was done in east London - can you imagine the black clouds hanging over the city during that shoot?
 
the best way i know to create smoke effects is with a smoke machine, buy one at radio shack for $40 bucks and voila, non-toxic, no mess. white smoke.

second best smoke is from burning "bee gum" (in a bucket) we use it on set when actor's are weird about the chemical based smokes. stinks to high heaven but effective. white smoke.

next best thing, oakum, this is a rope like material sold by the pound and used for lapping ships can be purchased at any marine hardware store. $80/pound. the rope itself is not very flammable but can be doused in lamp oil (for long slow burning with white smoke), lighter fluid (for a fast start with less smoke), or lamp oil mixed with kerosene (long burning black smoke) make sure that you protect the surface with a piece of black wrap or other durable non-flammable material.

all of these things aside, go to home depot and buy natural fiber rope (manilla, jute, hemp, cotton) and set those a fire.
 
Call_Me_Kurt said:
The briquette/vegetable-oil technique will only create a greasy, oily smoke which is not harmful to humans. If you've ever spilt cooking oil on the hot stove you'll know what the smoke looks like - and smells like! It may possibly condense on camera lenses if they are cold, and it can cause some mild irritation in the throat if breathed for too long, (like 45 minutes concentrated), but it is not considered toxic in the sense of being poisonous. It is commonly used on-stage in closed theatres and as far as I know, it requires no permissions or licences. But still, it is best to check and be sure first.
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Not in the US it isn't and the briquets will produce carbon monoxide which is dangerous and poisonous. Theatres use FOG machines and dry ice foggers and "cracked oil" foggers. The first is atomized glycerine, is warm and white and rises. The second makes CO2 fog and clings to the floor and the last is mineral oil that is atomized with compressed air in this weird bucket and makes LOT's of thick white fog that lingers.

We also back awhile used to use Ammonium Chloride (a white powder). You heat it up and it produces a lot of smoke with out burning. It wasn't considered "toxic" but it certainly wasn't the best stuff to breathe. I don't think your going to find anything that produces soot (black smoke) that is really safe to breathe. You could try dripping oil on a hot plate instead of the briquets.
 
I would go with a fog machine. On other set that I've been on has used dry ice for a more calm smoke effect, more to create depth in the room.

The fog solution that worked best for me is Rosco SS08046C. Smoke sticks for about 20+mins
 
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