# breaking a plate on an actor



## llapoma (Mar 20, 2010)

I'm doing props for a student production Evil Dead the Musical and the director wants the actor playing Ash to break a few plates over his own head. I thought about greenware but I think it would probably cause an issue with shards flying into the actor's eyes and honestly I've dropped a plate on my foot made of the stuff and it hurt a lot. We don't have the money to spare on pre-made plates for 6 performances either. Any suggestions on a cheap way to not maim the actor and still get the effect?


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## Sayen (Mar 20, 2010)

I'm not sure about on his head...but I've made breakaway dishes that were broken on a table by taking plastic dining ware, cutting it into pieces, then using _small _drops of white glue and scotch tape to hold the whole thing together. The split apart quite nicely. Works with clay flower pots too. Make sure it's soft if it has to hit his head though, that part makes me pause a bit.


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## BrianWolfe (Mar 21, 2010)

sugar casting


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## JCarroll (Mar 22, 2010)

Sugar Glass...


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## Morpheus (Mar 22, 2010)

It was my impression that Sugar glass could still leave a potentially sharp edge... not really suitable for breaking on someone's head...


Unless I am wrong. I've never acually worked with the stuff, so it would be good to know...


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## metti (Mar 22, 2010)

I was just mixing fiddler on the roof and we used sugar glass plates and bottles and you are correct that it can still leave sharp edges. We had a Russian breaking a plate against someones head and on the last night the Russian cut his finger wide open.


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## CrisCole (Mar 28, 2010)

If you make Sugar Glass with proper thickness, it will break in a way that dulls the edges. 

I've used the stuff before for a sketch of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and it was great and easy. The only problem was that ants seemed to like it too...

It's simply to make, or you can buy it from any FX dealer locally. 

I'm a member of the IndyMogul Forums (Cris Cole there as well) and they did a special on it forever ago. This was the stuff I made, and if you pop it in a fridge for an hour before you use it, it shatters in lots of small chunks (kinda like those glass picnic tables) and not shards. 

It worked really well for our purposes.

This week, how to make breakable fake glass! | Indy Mogul | Backyard FX Episode 6 | Indy Mogul - DIY filmmaking


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## BrockTucker (Mar 28, 2010)

Unfired Greenware. It's pottery that's not been fired in a kiln yet. It breaks easily and leaves no sharp edges. You can paint it or leave it the natural white color. If it's still grey it needs to dry more before it will break properly.

Call one of those paint your own pottery places and ask about it. It costs them pennies to make/buy so if you find an owner that's sympathetic to theater it can be a free solution or at most an ad in your program.


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## jakewheat (Apr 23, 2010)

This may be a little late, but here is how we achieved that effect for Ash.

Take plaster of paris, and pour into metal pie pans.

Allow to dry.

Carefully remove.

Break over Ash.

The scene where Ash cuts off his hand is before Intermission, so have stage hands sweep away the plaster of paris pieces before ACT II.

It works well, and we got a LOT of laughs. Note: Do not use a thick layer, just enough to make a reasonably sized plate mold.


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