Ask Me Help Desk - How could they emulate firestorms in Shakespears plays in the 16th century?

Quote:

Originally Posted by misspurple77

I am serious! You seem to misunderstand me. Have you seen the movie?

Within the movie was a play on stage in the 16th century. How were people of the 16th century able to create lightning without electricity!

I am not talking about the moviemakers! I am talking about the people back then! There were no cars, planes, no spotlights, or even petroleum lights in the movie either, only candle lights. So it seemed as if they wanted to recreate 16th century London. How did they emulate lightning in theatres in 16th century London?

So did the moviemakers screw up, did they forget that this wasn't possible in the 16th century, or not? And if not, how did they do that in the 16th century?

You are starting to annoy me, by acting as if I am stupid. This is not a stupid question.

Starting to annoy you ! I thought I had reached that point. I don't think you are stupid.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

But Shakespeare didn't use those.

In the OP's original question it was asked how could they create these effects in the 16th century. That is what I was trying to answer with my response and to what others are responding. Technology of the 16th century theater.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdad

In the OP's original question it was asked how could they create these effects in the 16th century. That is what I was trying to answer with my response and to what others are responding. Technology of the 16th century theater.

And I had given similar ideas earlier in this thread. But thanks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ma0641

Sheets of thin metal for thunder, flash powder for lightning. They had these thing in the 16th century. "Some had backstage theater experience where they had shaken a metal sheet to replicate thunder or slapped one board against another to create gunshots."

Did they have flash powder back then? They didn't take pictures yet, there are only paintings from back then, so what did they use flash powder for?

Quote:

Originally Posted by smoothy

First... those were plays... not major motion pictures... If you have ever attended a play... you would see the set and any background effects are significantly different in a play than they are ANY movie...They only set the mood. No expectation of reality.

In fact from everything I can remember about Shakespeare from High school English classes.. The set and effects were a far less important part of a play than they are today.

I have been to plays and to musicals and I am always impressed by the special effects. How they did the tornado in The Wiz was really amazing. The décors were changing all the time.

In the movie Anonymous they portrayed Shakespeare's plays as huge productions back then, compared to the musicals of today. Thanks to this question I know that they didn't do this with Shakespeare's work, but that they did do this with the work of others.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tickle

Starting to annoy you ! I thought I had reached that point. I don't think you are stupid.

The way you conducted yourself, it sure came across like that to me!

They had gunpowder and depending on the mix it made a difference on how it burned. Like that seen in fireworks.

Gunpowder Weapons of the Late Fifteenth Century

Quote:

Originally Posted by misspurple77

Did they have flash powder back then?

The way you conducted yourself, it sure came across like that to me!

Flash powder was invented by the Greeks. How I conduct myself is with the utmost respect for others.

You are aware of the term... "Artistic License"? It means even Documentaries are rarely EXACTLY true to form for the way things were... (and movies rarely are even true to the book even when its fiction)

People are OVER stimulated today... its exceptionally unlikely sets in plays during Shakespeares time were remotely as complex as today's... Kindergarten plays are probably more elaborate visually... and they were excited by that at the time... the focus was on the Actors... not the set.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdad

They had gunpowder and depending on the mix it made a difference on how it burned. Like that seen in fireworks.

Gunpowder Weapons of the Late Fifteenth Century

Thank you, I knew about the gunpowder and the fireworks, I just never realised that you can make it look like lightning.

Quote:

Originally Posted by smoothy

You are aware of the term... "Artistic License"? It means even Documentaries are rarely EXACTLY true to form for the way things were... (and movies rarely are even true to the book even when its fiction)

People are OVER stimulated today... its exceptionally unlikely sets in plays during Shakespeares time were remotely as complex as today's... Kindergarten plays are probably more elaborate visually... and they were excited by that at the time... the focus was on the Actors... not the set.

As CDAD had pointed out, they did have this kind of technology in Shakespeare's time. Shakespeare's plays were bare, but other plays, from his contemporaries had special effects such as thunderstorms, including the lightning. Check the link they posted.