ASK & DISCUSS
INDEXDoes anyone have any experience of dealing with fire in an outside environment?
11 years, 4 months ago - Michael van der Put
Hi guys,
I was wondering if anyone on the forums has had previous experience of dealing with fire in an open air environment? For my next short we'll be filming on a hillside overnight and I'd like to make a fire on an old abandoned gun placement (ie, raised concrete structure). There is also a beacon on top of the hill that we're hoping to get lit.
We've run it by the council and we need to submit plans as to how we'll build and maintain both fires - hence this request; has anyone had to deal with anything like this in the past? And did you handle it yourself or get someone else in?
Some advice on formulating and submitting a plan would also be very much appreciated!
Thanks in advance for any assistance,
Michael vdP
Only members can post or respond to topics. LOGIN
Not a member of SP? JOIN or FIND OUT MORE
11 years, 4 months ago - Marlom Tander
An exposed real fire on a hillside? - the wind will be a nightmare, and hillsides are always windy. Smoke and sparks all over the place.
British winds are also inconsistent - on any evening they might blow MOSTLY from one direction, but with enough variability to mess you up every time you think it's all in position :-)
I think you need to follow Paddy's advice and Effects it.
11 years, 4 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin
Never done it but I'd suggest making sure there was either a pyrotechnician or at least someone very sensible and capable who will be responsible solely for the fire and it's safety and ensuring it is fully out etc. Ideally, you'll hire an effects company who'll do it with propane so you have big flames but not much heat, so easily extinguished and you can move to the next setup.
11 years, 4 months ago - Yen Rickeard
It also depends on how big you want your fire to be. A small fire on a large concrete base should be possible. You will need a time of dedicated firefighters with extinguishers, some nearby but most on the perimeter to deal with any secondary fires starting from sparks. And of course you won't shoot if there is high wind.
A small fire can be very effective. Shoot the fire from close to so that that is all there is in shot. Shoot the action through the flames, from low down. Use it to create smoke which can cover a wide ares with little risk of fire, but remember smoke is not good for health if you actors must move through it for any length of time. Cheap smoke machine can help here.
If there is a beacon on the hill, then there will already by a protocol for .firing this up, see if you can fine that.
Some real fire will usually make any after effects in post look much better (assuming you haven't the budget for the full wizzbang CGI)!
good luck with it,
Yen Rickeard
11 years, 4 months ago - Michael van der Put
Hey guys, thanks for the advice and input so far. I'll certainly look into an effects supervisor but we're low to no budget on this so I fear it will be beyond us. Thanks for raising the issue of the wind, the gun placement gives us lots of room to work with but we'll need to be wary of the surrounding area.