Gas masks...

[ZodiacWarrior]

What do you guys think of them? Does anyone else use one for their costume? I used an M10 gas mask and it got me some good scares just from the creepy factor, but it's very front heavy and limits my vision somewhat.

I'm thinking about moving away from the actual gas mask for next year, but I want that gritty, warzone, anonymous look that gas masks give, since our theme will be the same for our outside scare zone and one of our mazes will be more or less the same, but I haven't seen any traditional masks that really give the same vibe that a true gas mask does. Just curious as to what ya'll think.

[Banshee]

I had a few set aside for some of our military characters, but they only attached them to their belts/tac-vests for 'looks' instead of on the face. I had some airsoft/paintball masks as well, but the characters do too much talking to be understood clearly.
One thing we did end up using was some riot helmets with bloody face sheilds.

[StackerSteve]

Check out the band Vantana. They gut the front of the mask to talk and sing, whatever. Take a tourch to the outside to get that thing blistered and weathered. Lil bit of paint. Do it up. The prices are good right now on those masks.

[Jim Warfield]

Is there a negative drug-related idea behind the usage of gas masks though?
Somebody told me this..once ?
Maybe they lied?

[BruiseMuse]

I use a gas mask with a character, but in more of an accessory fashion (similar to what Banshee said) than as an actual mask. I will either wear it around my neck or on top of my head, so I can use it to cover my face for dramatic effect, but it does not limit dialogue.

[ZodiacWarrior]

Is there a negative drug-related idea behind the usage of gas masks though?
Somebody told me this..once ?
Maybe they lied?

Some stoners turn certain types of gas masks, typically the kinds that have the hose or filter coming out of the mouth area, into bongs to smoke marijuana out of. I don't think all THAT many people really know about that, and as I said it's only done with certain ones really. How do I know this? I know many a stoner, being from southern California. That and I do TOO much research on the internet.

Also, my mask would allow me to use dialog if I needed to, but my character doesn't speak. Only time I talk in the maze is out of character in the backstage area to talk to fellow actors and only when it's important. My main issue is the manuverability. The visibility isn't too bad all things considered, certainly no worse than any other mask we had, but it was the design of the mask and how front heavy it is that was getting to me.

[Jim Warfield]

Could you remove the "innards" from a cannister and lighten it up?
Or maybe you are using a different style of gas mask?

[ZodiacWarrior]

Could you remove the "innards" from a cannister and lighten it up?
Or maybe you are using a different style of gas mask?

I MIGHT be able to gut it and still have it wearable. It's really more of a military respirator than a full blown "gas mask", as it had two charcoal filters in the cheeks, which is what makes it so front heavy. Take those out and it lightens it, only problem being, without filters, it fogs and also no longer has a full seal on the mouth area.

I've recently started thinking about developing my character away from the usage of the gas mask rather than try to make it work, but I'll look into gutting it as an idea in case I stay with the full blown military look. The band mentioned up there removed the front end of the american version of the mask I have. I'm not sure if doing the same will work on this mask, since it's slightly bigger and designed slightly differently.

[Jim Warfield]

Put on either a bald-cap of a cheap little mask on the back of your head, put the gas mask on over it, stand backwards. People see through the eye holes, see what looks like a faceless or cheap silly mask, they you spin around and have your face to face them with, made up or not.
I have never tried this (just now thought of it) but I have tried alot of goofy ideas and they all involve problem-solving of some sort and some experimentation, both of which can be very interesting and fun....sometimes leading to more new discoverys.

[ZodiacWarrior]

Not entirely sure how, but that inspired me to think of a way to gut the exhaust area and incorporate the whole bestial/demonic vision I want to head toward with the character combined with the gas mask. Thanks! I guess twisted minds think alike or something to that effect? Twisted because obviously none of us are TOTALLY normal... maybe we're normal by being different as a group?