Steamy Breath
Published : 16th January 2004
A scripted scene calls for someone to steam up a window with
their breath and write in the condensation.
It'll be shot on location and I'm just trying to work out
in advance how to guarantee that the effect works and is repeatable.
It'll be cold (January - UK) but has anyone had to do this
before? I'm considering ordering an air con unit to get the
room arctic. Apart from giving the actor a hot drink before
takes is there any purchase in trying to raise the overall
humidity of the room?
Yours,
Tom Townend,
Cinematographer/London.
Tom Townend wrote:
>A scripted scene calls for someone
to steam up a window with their >breath and write in the condensation.
The only thing that has to be cold is the window, which will
naturally condense the vapour from one's breath. May be a
hot cup of tea for the actor to make sure there is plenty
of water vapour available in their breath. Air conditioning
the room will only serve to dry out the air in the room which
I think works against your purpose.
Mark Smith
Oh Seven Films
143 Grand St
Jersey City, NJ 07302
Apart from giving the actor
a hot drink before takes is there any >purchase in trying to
raise the overall humidity of the room?
Raise the humidity of the entire room and you risk having
the entire pane fog up immediately, and uncontrollably, like
with a car windshield (and no AC) in the rain. Ideally, you
want the window as cold as possible, the room as cold as possible
(slower dissipation from the window to an adjacent warm field),
and the hot air source (heh heh, your actor's breath) as humid
as possible. in an equally cold environment, you can wipe
clean and repeat as much as is necessary.
The hot drink is a good idea too- your actor wont dry out
if you end up doing a bunch o' takes.
Todd Liebman- Cinematographer
Los Angeles, CA.
You should check out the scene in "Patton" where
Montgomery plans out the invasion of Sicily on a bathroom
mirror using his breathe. Very legible and lasts on scene
for an extended time.
Mitch Gross
NYC DP
Mitch Gross wrote:
>You should check out the scene
in "Patton" where Montgomery plans >out the invasion
of Sicily on a bathroom mirror using his breathe.
I keep wondering if there is a way to show him breathing on
the glass, then cut to a CU of his finger writing, but use
something like removable dulling spray for the steam on the
glass. I've never used it, can it be wiped off with a wet
finger?
If that worked it would reduce the requirements of temp. and
humidity for the set.
Wade K. Ramsey, DP
Dept. of Cinema & Video Production
Bob Jones University
Greenville, SC 29614
Tom Townend wrote:
> I'm considering ordering an
air con unit to get the room arctic.
1) Make sure the glass is cold. Don't air
condition the room as that will lower the overall humidity
and dry out the air, which will tend to make any condensation
on the window evaporate faster.
2) You could warm up the room( warm air holds
more humidity, meteorology 101), add a room humidifier which
will tend to make the condensate on the cold glass last longer.
3) Have your actor drink warm teas which
will add moisture to their breath.
4) Keep the glass cold
Mark Smith
Oh Seven Films
143 Grand St
Jersey City, NJ 07302
A scripted scene calls for someone
to steam up a window with their >breath and write in the condensation.
Might I suggest doing this gag in two shots. The first, CU
ACTOR: he blows on the window pane. The second, (after you
have sprayed the window with a suitable dulling spray) : shoot
the reverse angle of window pane.
Mort Zarcoff
Los Angeles, Cinema Educator
There was a freezer aerosol spray available from plumbers
merchants. It is used to spray onto copper pipes either side
of a (minor) leak so the water can be frozen inside the pipe
making it easier to repair. If this works, you could try using
the spray on the window pane. That would ensure the temperature
of the glass was low enough for breath to condense on it.
Aerosol freezer is also used in electronic repairs to fault
find on components. Give these a try.
John Samuels
www.johnsamuels.co.uk
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