One way to create an amazing special effect with minimal work is to create the illusion of fog and haze. The effect tends to look so professional that it may seem like incorporating these into your theater, performance, or simple environment is prohibitively difficult. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the choices of theatrical supplies, this post is designed to help answer your questions.
How are Fog and Haze Created?
Both fog and haze are made of water droplets that are suspended in air. They occur naturally in very humid environments or can be created by fog or haze machines. Fog is made by forcing fog fluid at high pressure through a heated pipe. The result is a thick layer of fog. Haze is created by forcing fluid either through a heater or high air pressure which makes much smaller droplets of water.
What is the Difference Between Fog and Haze?
Both are used in performances, but they actually have very different uses. Fog is seen as a cloud and is used as a special effect by itself. Haze is often used in conjunction with lighting to make a more mysterious or romantic atmosphere or to obscure parts of the stage. Haze also makes beams of lights visible as the clouds of water pass through it.
How Does Fog Stay on the Ground?
If you want the effect of walking through fog, you want the water droplets to stay close to the ground. The effect is actually fairly simple to create, and it’s accomplished by passing the fog droplets through a cooled chamber to make them denser than the atmosphere, and bringing them down to the ground.
Is Breathing In Artificial Fog and Haze Safe?
Haze is made using either water-soluble glycols or highly-refined oils, both of which are safe for use at the low levels haze machines use. Fog fluid is also made of water-soluble glycols, which are safe at low levels, but additional caution should be used when the fog is cooled. Many machines accomplish this by adding other gases such as chilled carbon dioxide and nitrogen. Neither gas is poisonous, but in large quantities, there is a risk of asphyxiation as those gases limit the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere. Try to minimize the amount of fluid used in these cases, and simply step outside for a breath of fresh air if there’s any shortness of breath.
What Fog or Haze Machine Should be Used?
Depending on your needs, there are different types of machines that will work best for your event. You can use an indoor, outdoor, portable, mini, full stage, wireless or a range of other machines. The best strategy to choose is talking to the professionals at StageSpot and explain what your needs are. They can recommend the device that is perfectly suited for your needs, so you can be sure your event will get exactly the coverage it deserves. For any questions or to purchase your fog or haze machine, contact StageSpot today.
You can view all of our Fog and Haze products here. If we do not have the product you are searching for or you need expert advice call us at 1-888-56-STAGE (78243).
