Bubbles, suds, smoke and???

Question

Ever need Bubbles (airborne, or bath type) for a photoshoot, but needed to make them last for an entire set? What did you use?

How about beer suds?? How'd you get them to last, aside from drinking one to refill it (my preference)?

Need a smoky set, but no generator?? What did you use?

Any other do-it-yourself tips?? Lighting, effects, backgrounds, props??

Dr. Sam, thanks for the info.

koyaanis, aquarium equipment. Thats a great idea. I should have kept that stuff the last time I moved.

Perki88, thats a great site, thanks...

moomommy, thanks for the ideas. I put together most of my own lighting also.

Gryphon... I almost bought a smoke generator during halloween, but decided I needed to do research, since the unit and the juice both had warning labels about having mercury. Never got around to it though. I gotta look again.

Answer 1

I agree with the first post... get the long lasting bubbles nearby the regular ones at Walmart.... or if you don't have the money, you can make your own by adding syrup to dish soap water. Then blow the bubbles, and they will last longer.

I was also thinking dry ice for fog effect. As for the beer suds, maybe blow the drink using a straw...?

We've used headlights from the car, bouncing off a nearby wall.. Flashlights on the floor pointing upward to "backlight" or "up-light" someone or objects. You can also get colored lights from the store, for different effects. It doesn't take much to change the way something turns out on film. Mirrors are also helpful in directing light. Just play around with stuff you already have before investing in some expensive lighting/effect equipment.

Answer 2

For suds, you could get a small air pump like from an aquarium, put a bubble stone on it and run that in a bath of soapy water (BTW: Dawn and Joy make the best bubbles) The bubble stones, which are also called air stones can be had in various ranges of bubble size. Check your local pet store or aquarium store for all that stuff.

For floating bubbles, there are many inexpensive bubble-making machines, usually found at party supply stores. A rotating disc with holes in it, half submerged in bubble juice and a fan are all that you need to make your own.

For smoky things, you can use dry ice for a floor covering, good for spooky shots. Also I have recently discovered these little devices that make water mist (like steam) but with ultrasound. The mist is fine, cool and heavier than air, but it doesn't last very long. Not sure how much mileage you'd get out of that, but here's a link:

http://www.artisticdelights.com/ulfog.html

You could also just use smoke. :) Build a newspaper fire in a small container that has poor airflow and the smoldering paper will create TONS of smoke. Just be careful to not burn down the house or kill everyone with carbon monoxide.

Answer 3

Ryan, someone else will have a better answer, but we have bought some "tough bubbles" for children to play with. They don't last forever, but they are actually a lot tougher than garden variety soap bubbles. They are sold right next to the generic stuff in WalMart, Toys-R-Us, etc.

With beer, can you just shake it up???

Answer 4

When I was a kid we used dish soap and a little water, I don't have the actual measurements, but we had bubble pipes we dipped in the solution and blew fun bubbles out the pipe.

Answer 5

For smoke...go out and get a fog machine right after hallowwen. The places around here were selling them for $10-20.

Answer 6

Not DIY, but I love this place!
http://trengovestudios.com/TS2007Catalog.pdf