MIRROR WITH NO REFLECTION?

[HauntVentFX]

Hi everyone,

I received the following e-mail from a potential customer:

"I need a special effects mirror for a vampire's ball that has the illusion of no reflection."

I could recommend a Gorilla-Girl illusion (aka, Pepper's Ghost) but that effect would still cast a reflection and not really achieve the effect they want. Or, they could create an elaborate set where there is no actual mirror in the frame and design a secondary "room" on the other side of the frame that would be a "mirror image" of the main room.

Any suggestions?

[Frighteners Entertainment]

Roy,
This will be an interesting thread to watch for ideas!
Sorry I can't help you

[HauntVentFX]

I just received another e-mail from my potential customer with the following:

"This is for a sophisticated Halloween party with a vampire theme. In the venue, there exists a wall with 6 mirrors with arc like frames. We want to build no-reflection mirrors to replace every other mirror along this wall."

If this were presented either on a stage or in a small room in a haunted house I know of a method that could work. But this would require strict control over those who are viewing the effect. Instead, tey are talking about staging this in an area where people are walking around the room at a party.

Any suggestions?

[Joedog]

ehhh uhhhhhh ummmmm
super hi res photos taken from perspective of "mirror"


That would be my guess. Are they also wanting elphants and dancing bears on cue lead by Elvis while you are at it?

[HauntVentFX]

A high-resolution photograph was one of the first things that I thought of as well.... but VERY expensive! But there will be people walking all around the room during the party so the vampires would not be the only ones without a reflection.

[SpFXChic]

I am by no means technically inclined, but could you do something with a video recording of the room pre-party (i.e. decorated the same as when the party is taking place) and maybe cover the existing mirrors with something, then project the visual onto them on a looped feed?

Just a thought...most likely not a good one. LOL.

[Joedog]

A high-resolution photograph was one of the first things that I thought of as well.... but VERY expensive! But there will be people walking all around the room during the party so the vampires would not be the only ones without a reflection.

Hmmm so you wanting only "select" people to not reflect.

SOOOOO do the bears have top hats and canes?

[kpolley]

Yeah, I'm afraid that you're talking about something that, at the very least, would be outrageously expensive and probably even then not be possible. To reflect some people and not others would be to actually create a mirror that is actually magical. I don't mean to be overly skeptical, but I just don't see how you could pull that off. If they would allow you to only reflect the room and none of the people...I think the projected image of the room pre-party would be a really good solution to the problem. Good luck and if you actually come up with a way to pull this off I bow to your superior special effects abilities.

[HauntVentFX]

Actually, there are a few ways (in the magic profession) whereby I could simulate exactly what they want, only in this particular venue with people walking around the room the effects that I am thinking about would simply not work.

The effects that I have in mind would only work in a small area such as a typical room within a haunted house or on a stage whereby the audience can only look at what's going on from a "controlled" perspective. There are variations of the Pepper's Ghost illusion (aka, Gorilla Girl, Blue Room, etc.) that might work, but they, too, will not be cheap!

Although the projected image is a good idea, it would not work in this venue either since only those portraying the parts of the vampires would not cast a reflection and since everyone at the party would be passing by the mirrored area then they, too, would not cast a reflection.

OK, let's keep thinking.... There has got to be a way to do this!

[Duke of Darkness]

Hey Roy,

The problem here is not only cost, and the size of the
room, but the fact that in a party environment it would
have to hold up to more than casual scrutiny. The easiest
way to pull this off (as I am sure from your previous posts
you already know) is to put clear glass in the frame and
duplicate the room behind the glass. With the proper
lighting, the viewer disappears (or, with a slight change
in lighting, becomes spectral). This method, of course,
does not reflect anyone, and would probably not be
very effective in the environment you are describing.

You are asking for the holy grail, and if anyone has
any ideas, I would love to hear them.

Dave