Smoke machines - any experience of using them for shoots?

M

MidnightUK

Suspended / Banned
Messages
889
Name
Jay
Edit My Images
Yes
Your experiences of using smoke machines please.
Also,
any comments on what sort you have used.

Thanks
 
Last edited:
I used a cheapie from Maplins and I would liken it to herding cats.

It was probably my fault but there are so many factors to take into account. Temperature, air flow in studio, models who discover they are allergic to smoke machines!!!!

Hopefully someone will come along and help you after mastering all the above :/
 
I've got one of these, it cost a whole £35 including a decent supply of smoke fluid.
It's tiny and produces far more 'smoke' than I need, it's just about perfect for my needs.
It's possible to fit a hose, using a jubilee clip, to the outlet. Attach the hose, feed the other end into a bucket containing water, put plenty of ice cubes in the bucket and you'll end up with 'smoke' that's heavier than air and so which will lie at low level instead of rising too much.
The only important things to remember are
1. Make sure the smoke is in front of the subject, otherwise your shot will look like you added it in post
2. Make sure your machine uses water based, not oil based fluid
3. Work out how much smoke you need for the shot and then use a tenth of that amount:)
4. Backlight the smoke
5. Switch off the smoke detectors
6. Don't forget that it takes an age to clear afterwards
 
I use the Maplins one.
Regardless of which you use, make sure your smoke machine shots are the last ones in the session. Even whether or not you got the smoke you wanted, the room will have a smog that takes some time to clear
 
I use smoke or haze a LOT in film production.

Don't touch the nozzle - it's v hot. I really like the sound of gary's ice bucket trick, will give that a go. You can also rent special low smoke machines, not all use dry ice.

For outside, or a serious amount of smoke, rent the ARTEM gas powered smoke machine. It's *badass*.

Use a lastolite/reflector/piece of polyboard as a 'wafter'.

If you want the smoke to be 'visible' in the shot then give it a good squirt from the machine and minimal wafting before you shoot. If you just want atmosphere, trails in the light etc, give it a minute or three and a good old waft.

Once you've given it a squirt from the fogger, turn the machine around away from set - they 'fart' the odd squirt of smoke which will mean you'll need to re-waft.

You want less smoke than you think you do.

If you want a really small and precise jet of 'smoke' in shot, maplin do aerosol smoke for £8. Nowhere else sells it that I'm aware of. It's not desperately useful and dissipates really quickly, but good for still life or for having a 'jet' of smoke.

Incense sticks are good for atmosphere for still life too.

Make sure you turn off the smoke alarms. If you can't get plastic bags (eg large sandwich bags) and tape them over sensors. Sprinkler heads don't need taping - in fact avoid them by a million miles, they're sensitive glass capsules that, if they break, will really wee on your campfire - but smoke machines won't set them off, they burst when they reach a certain temperature.
 
Last edited:
Thanks everyone who has posted so far, there is some really useful advice here.

I have found that "Stage Electrics" (https://www.stage-electrics.co.uk) based in various locations round the country also do the canned smoke and also you can rent fog machines from them. I don't think I am quite at that point yet, still investigating/planning but thought anyone else reading this might find it useful info.

Do smoke machines indicate any kind of volume output on them or is it just a matter of how long you run them for?

If I get a water based one, once it has dispersed at an indoor shoot will there be any issues of lingering smell or needing to wash anything?

Would I need to run a fan or anything to help clear out the room once the doors and windows are open?

Outdoors, is the smoke likely to drift far - I dont want people half a mile down the road complaining their BBQ is being ruined by my outsmoking them - joke, but also a serious enquiry about outdoor dispersal distance/rate.
 
OK, info on my specific little machine, according to the manufacturers. Consumption is 471 watts so yes, it does get hot.
Fog output is 1500 cubic feet per minute (although I'm not sure that I believe it's that much)

Used outside? Never tried it but I imagine that the success or otherwise would depend very much on the wind conditions, this is a lightweight vapour which, because it has been heated, is lighter than air and although it hangs around indoors, I imagine that it would soon disappear outdoors,

There is no real smell, no contamination. Just flap a (Lencarta :) ) 5 in 1 reflector about to speed up the dispersion process indoors.
 
JonathanRyan said:
Unless you're outside. Then you want a lot more. Really stupid amounts. Mainly because outdoors is far bigger than you think.
Click to expand...

yep. MidnightUK, I wouldn't worry about a big cloud of smoke ruining someone's bbq. It flies away v v quickly. Most mains smoke machines won't keep up in the slightest.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top