# Electrical Box Spark Effect



## johns300 (Apr 16, 2014)

Hello all,

I am working on Cuckoos Nest and in the end of the show Chief goes over the an "Electrical box" that is mounted on the floor and uses his strength to lift the box off of the floor. In which the power goes out to the ward and the emergency lights turn on. 

The electrical box that is being built will have a false bottom on the bottom. Any ideas on a sparking effect without using pyro? Also I don't want to focus a strobe light onto where the box is because I want it coming from the box itself.

An idea I had was to put come curtain strobes in the bottom of the box and just before he lifts the box up to pump the box full of fog so when he lifts it up the curtain strobes will flash and we the fog will escape.

Does any have any other thoughts? Or thoughts on my thoughts? Thoughts all around!

Thanks in advance!
SJ


----------



## VCTMike (Apr 16, 2014)

For The Pajama Game I built a panel and put surplus battery operated camera flash assemblies in it and triggered them with the light board. At the same time I had a paper tube with mylar confetti in it with a fan attached to the end to blow it out. On cue, the flash(s) fired and were followed by 'sparks' shooting out. Looked pretty good on stage.


----------



## Les (Apr 17, 2014)

I've used curtain strobes for this exact same effect and for the same show in 2004. The randomness of the flashes worked well. You could gel a few in blue to further the electrical arc look.

Our electrical box was that black box with the vent on front and the strobes/fake conduit were mounted in a hole under the nurse's station.










(I know these photos don't really help you... Just proud of that set  ).

*I'm not sure what the code issues would be with having an electrical box serve as furniture.


----------



## FatherMurphy (Apr 17, 2014)

I'd second the glitter-puff idea, with some strong cross light narrowly focused on the glitter, to make sure it 'pops' visually. Mylar confetti can be used as well.

Another thought would be a few dimmer's worth of jagged spark gobos fast chasing on the wall around where the bit is taking place, but that might be too cartoony looking. Less mess to clean up, though.


----------



## danhr (Apr 18, 2014)

I TD'd some years ago and we used a bunch of different effects all at once; fire alarm strobes and lights, smoke under the box, a flame pot (Spencer gifts, etc.), and sound fx.


----------



## sk8rsdad (Apr 18, 2014)

Our production was smoke and a PAR38 mounted inside the nurses station and bounced with tin foil.


----------



## danhr (Apr 18, 2014)

Oh and yes, I too have often wondered why there would be a large electrical box in the middle of a room full of medicated psychotics.....


----------



## StradivariusBone (May 1, 2014)

danhr said:


> Oh and yes, I too have often wondered why there would be a large electrical box in the middle of a room full of medicated psychotics.....



Not a gun, but still loaded in a sense:

Chekhov's gun - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


----------



## sk8rsdad (May 1, 2014)

Well, the "black machine" that monitors the patients is supposed to be an important plot element in the stage play so one could suppose that the transformer that feeds the black machine would also be significant. The crux of the play is the struggle for control between Nurse Ratched and McMurphy. Bromden's final act is to take away the last vestiges of her power.


----------

