question for theatre/photography people

[alonewiththemoon]

I am wondering where one might rent backdrops, free standing backdrops/backgrounds/whatever, preferably about 8 ft tall and about 20ish ft wide (or two of them 10 ft wide).  I've been googling around a bit for info, but if anybody has any experience/knowledge about this kind of thing, I'd be thrilled to hear about it.  I also wonder how difficult it might be to create such a backdrop.  The fabric part would be easy, and run about $50, I find after some fabric surfing, but the frame would be the tricky thing, especially since I'd want to be carting the thing around.  The fabric would have to be heavy enough not to be sheer, so the frame would have to be somewhat sturdy.  So renting *might* be easier, depending on cost and running around time.

This is of course related to the gothic hafli in October--I am now thinking that a VFW or American Legion wouldn't be such a bad thing if I had a way of creating a nice backdrop for the stage area.  In particular I am thinking of the Dilboy, which is why the backdrop would have to be free-standing.  Most of them won't let you put nails in the walls for some reason anyway.

If I were wealthier than I am I would purchase something awesome from this backdrop store.  Like this one perhaps, or this one, or oh hell yeah this one.  It would still leave the frame problem, though.

Comments

[spitcurl.livejournal.com]

pipe & drape is used for trade shows and is expensive, but you could find a place to rent it or purchase from a closing store/offie, etc...

Or pvc piping could be used to make the same effect, if you can trust it.

Doesn't canongrrl have a freestanding photography backdrop frame?

[canongrrl.livejournal.com]

si, see next post =)

[spitcurl.livejournal.com]

woohoo!

[canongrrl.livejournal.com]

several things:

I let the ball drop - first weekend in august good for you (photos)?

I have a stand that can hold 8x12 - to get larger you should try newtonville photo - if they don't rent, I bet they know someone who does. There is also potential of two stands if we know someone else with an 8x12...

[alonewiththemoon]

I think the first weekend in August would work well--there's a barbeque I wanted to go to but that starts later in the day. I guess you know there's somewhat less photography to be done now :-/

If I could borrow the stand, that would be great--I am thinking that I will take Kambriel up on her offer of using her wholesale discount to get fabric and just make my own back drape. If I can't find another stand, then I'll just make two collapsable support posts out of wood to put at either side of the stand. Yay!

[julishka.livejournal.com]

e.p. levine photo out on drydock ave (beyond south station, back of design center area) has rental gear. the rental list would have photographic backdrops.

now if you're just talking like a drape backdrop such as what they use at conventions. you're then looking for "pipe and drape" or a "room divider." this is where the yellow pages (paper version) comes in handy. the internet is awful for these kinds of searches as it involves the words event and rental. anyway, after much searching i found peterson party center. they have black room dividers which might be what you're looking for.

hope that helps.

[alonewiththemoon]

ooh--those black room dividers might be just the thing, two of the 8 footers. I can drape fabric over them to make them prettier/hide the center line. Thanks! Pipe and drape is pretty expensive even to rent, it seems, so the room dividers look good...

[julishka.livejournal.com]

i think they're the same thing. call and ask. (and check other local rental outfits to compare.)

also found this:
http://www.backstagehardware.com/welcome/productlist.html

you might be able to paint your own backdrop.

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

If it would help, I'm more than happy to use our business account to wholesale a bolt of fabric for you.

[alonewiththemoon]

You know, I think I would like to take you up on that--I will book a venue first and then get back to you on that. I can borrow cannongrrl's stand, and if I can't find another stand I can make collapsable wooden supports to put at either side of the stand to hold the fabric out further. This is all so crazy it just might work!

[nepenthedreams]

I really like the idea of a backdrop.

Alli has an orange backdrop and an off-white backdrop, with a free-standing frame. You might be able to borrow it - perhaps if you wanted a black backdrop, you'd have to buy that.

One way to make a white backdrop "gothier" would be to run a laptop with a projector to let people add their own images to if they wanted to do a particular design behind them.