Thread: what I consider the toughest part of build season.

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I think that the actual start of construction for a brand new prop is the toughest part. To create something that no one else has tried, you have no frame of reference just what you envision in your mind. I'm trying to build a scene that will be 9 feet square, but now with the problems of trying to find a paper mache clay recipe that works decently, I haven't begun building anything else that should've gotten started a week ago. The PM clay recipes have varied from shredded newspaper, glue and water to cellulose insulation, plaster, water with variations in between.

I realize that Showtime is still several months away but for me since I don't plan on having the general public do a walk- though or -by it does increase the amount of time I have though not by much. I still have to contend with the stores and their schedules.

Now I'm wrestling the idea between keeping the scene at 9 feet square or going with the same scene at half scale. Half scale would allow me to create on a single 4 foot square cargo pallet which means that I would be able to raise it up and get some additional camera angles that would have been impossible before and also be able to detail it more efficiently. I don't know, and the time to decide is approaching quickly. (I want to have decided on it by Monday)

The scene is going to be a small cave with a nest and sacraficial altar inside, with a dead tree and fireflies outside the left (looking at the mouth of the cave), a Denhaunt's Pumpkin Thief variation to the right carrying a small pumpkin, and in front would be a JoL pot over glowing coals. The groundcover would be dead grass and weeds all over and a semi-descernable path leading towards the viewer in line with the cave opening.

Here's my question to y'all. Do you think I ought to go half scale or keep it full scale? Please give me full answers not just a single word response. I want to know your thought processes on this. Thanks.

Well I don't feel completely clear about what your trying to do. I am guessing that it's the cave itself that you are considering making 4x4? The whole thing sounds very interesting but I don't think 4x4 is enough room to do anything really, but again I'm not exactly sure what you're talking about. Do you mean the props footprint is 4x4 or the opening to the cave or the entire scene? I keep reading your post but I'm not getting it. If it's not a walk thru what is it? and why are camera angles so important? Could you give us a little more information?

Next chance I get, I'll post a hand drawn sketch of what I had in mind. At this point I may be going even smaller than half scale.

I think I get what you're doing, just as a sort of a pumpkin slayer lair display right? Half scale would probably be sufficient to get your point across, although if you have the time and supplies full scale is good too Either one will be awesome!

I know that this is a mine entrance, but I think it could very easily be adapted into a cave entrance by leaving out the timbers and making a more rounded and jagged opening. It is constructed using a 2x4 frame and 3 inch thick stryofoam carved to look like rock.