|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Special Effects: The Fire Sequence
"Stolen Summer" is a character-driven film that was made for just over a million dollars. When any movie is made for such a relatively low amount of money, excess is not an option. Time and resources are at a premium, and the written words in the script must be attentive to that.
In his script, Pete wrote a scene where Aidan Quinn's character must enter a burning house to save a child. It is a pivotal moment in the film, and one for which Pete fought hard. Problem was, setting fire to a house is an ambitious and costly venture, and involves meticulous preparation.
As stunts go, fire is one of the most dangerous. It is an intricate dance that requires precision and impeccable timing. Despite measures to control or contain it, fire is an unpredictable animal.
First to be hired are a special effects coordinator and a stunt coordinator. These two individuals work extremely closely with the director and the DP to understand exactly what they want to capture on film.
When scouting the proper location, more needs to be considered than just the aesthetic quality of the space. In the case of "Stolen Summer," the location scout needed to find a house that was slated for demolition. There are also electrical and gas considerations to make, and the location must be inspected and approved to withstand pyrotechnical effects.
When the Ron Howard film "Backdraft" was shot in 1991 in Chicago, much of the special effects scenes took place in enormous warehouses that were constructed almost entirely of concrete, and had high ceilings.
Fire is not just fire in a special effects shot. There are thousands of different flammable gels and systems that create different desired fire effects. The house that was burned in "Stolen Summer" was equipped with propane burning flame bars that can be turned on and off like a barbeque. When the scene is about to roll, a crewmember on the special effects team will crank up the propane tank, and huge steady fire will emit from little holes in the bars that run across the front of the house. Scene ends, fire is turned off. For the massive explosion, the effects crew used what is called a mortar canon, which also burns propane. A tiny spark is triggered in the canon, which sends out an explosion-like burst of flames. Again, its size is controlled by the amount of propane.
Anything can be set aflame. Humans, cement, even water. The color of the fire can be manipulated, the heat of the flame, controlled. For a long time, rubber cement was used on everything and anything to burn, but now there are more sophisticated gels that are used that create varied effects. A protective gel can even be applied to the human skin, and burned. Often, this protective gel is frozen, which will extend the time it can burn while warding off the heat.
Of course, the single greatest concern in an effect shot is safety. Nothing is left to chance. Safety personnel stand at every angle imaginable off camera, waiting with charge hoses, CO2, and fire blankets. Plan A is conceived, then Plan B, and a Plan C if necessary.
But make no mistake: fire is a beast that feeds ruthlessly, and is unpredictable by nature. The men and women who handle fire on movie sets are highly skilled in controlling it, but it can only be controlled so much. When a shot needs to be done take after take, mistakes may happen. The second the special effects or stunt crew let their guard down is when someone gets hurt.
On Pete's set, the worst that happened was a little superficial burning on the stuntman's face. But he was okay, and Pete got his action shot.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
