Need a wall on fire...photo shoot

[aophoto]

I am a photographer and had an idea for a shoot. My model will be standing in front of a wall, but the wall will be engulfed in flames. Size wise I was thinking about 8-10ft tall and about 12 ft. wide.

 

Forgive my ignorance in pyrotechnics, but I'm looking for the best way to do this. What material should the wall be made of? wood, metal, etc. I was figuring a 2x4 studded wall, but not sure what to cover it with. I was sort of thinking diamond plate. I don't really want the structure to burn, just whatever is on it. (ie. gas or whatever) And what sort of substance should be used for the fire. Something that would stick to the wall would be ideal.(I think) The first thing that popped in my head was hand sanitizer. (dumb idea I know) My buddies used to squirt it on their desk at work and that burned pretty good and didn't bunr the desk. But that doens't sound realistic. I don't want this to cost too much. Any ideas? Also has to be safe enough for a model to be standing around 8-12 feet away. Also, it should burn for quite a while.

 

Thanks in advance!

[iv81]

You could try melting a paraffin in the form of the wall. then while it hardens, stick a bunch of wicks in it. Take shots then blow out the fire before the entire thing melts and the wall catches on fire.

 

I hope you're not crazy enough to do this indoors.

[aophoto]

I hope you're not crazy enough to do this indoors. 

 

why what's wrong with indoors?

 

 

j/k! I was thinking more of a liquid to cover the diamond plate with that would burn for a lil while.

[teknix]

Could use napalm....that stuff will stick to anything and burns for a long while.

[aophoto]

Thats just gas and styrofoam right?

[Pyrohawk]

No, thats kind of a Kewl myth.... True napalm contained more than that but that mix might work for your application....

[teknix]

Well I can get you a huge list of formulas for military NAPALM such as,

 

#1 NAPALM for nonbursting munitions

Gasoline - 90

aluminum soap of coconut - 5

aluminum naphthenate - 5

 

#2 NAPALM for nonbursting munitions

Gasoline - 87

aluminum soap of coconut - 7

oleic acid/linoleic acid mix - 4

lampblack - 2

 

#3 NAPALM for bursting munitions

Gasoline - 84

aluminum soap of coconut - 9

oleic acid/linoleic acid mix - 5

lampblack - 2

 

#4 NAPALM modified with lampblack

Gasoline - 91.5

aluminum soap of coconut - 5

aluminum naphthenate - 3

lampblack - .5

 

#5 NAPALM modified with aluminum oleate

Gasoline - 90

aluminum oleate - 5

aluminum soap of coconut - 4

lampblack - 1

 

#6 NAPALM gelling powder

Gelling power:

aluminum soap of coconut - 47

aluminum naphthenate - 26

aluminum oleate - 26

diatomaceous earth - 1

________________________

gasoline -90

Gelling powder - 10

 

#7 Fortified NAPALM with increased heat output

gasoline - 42.85

potaassium perchlorate - 33.33

course aluminum - 19.04

aluminum oleate - 2.38

aluminum soap of coconut - 1.9

lapblack - .47

residue - .03

 

I know this is k3wlish but polystyrene does work to thicken gas as well but when it burns the vapors are very toxic so watch out.

[aophoto]

That is a bit over my head.

 

Maybe I'll try the gas and polystyrene.

 

Thanks for the help so far.

[mr.pyro]

If you couldnt understand that, then I would suggest a few things.

 

1. Hiring some professional FX company to set it up for you.

2. Doing a lot more reseach on it. Those formulas arent hard to understand.

3. Not doing it, for your safety and the girls.

[aophoto]

If you couldnt understand that, then I would suggest a few things.

 

1.  Hiring some professional FX company to set it up for you.

2. Doing a lot more reseach on it.  Those formulas arent hard to understand.

3.  Not doing it, for your safety and the girls.

Well I understand it, I just don't know what half that stuff is, or where to get it. But, I completely understand your point. It was just an idea, no plans had been made. I was just wondering what was all involved.

[aophoto]

3.  Not doing it, for your safety and the girls.

What do you mean? They girls want me to make them look "hot".

 

J/K Sorry, couldn't resist.

[PyroJoe]

Do you really need to make "real" fire? If you use photoshop or some other photo editing program, just edit in some fire in the background. It make take a little time to make it look good, but it could easily be done. Another way would be to make your wall of fire and just take some pictures of it burning without your model in front of it. Then take a picture of your model on a white background and edit in the fire that way.

[Caleb51]

Hey man, I'm a photographer as well (Check out my gallery at www.parkourvision.deviantart.com/gallery if you don't believe me) I would do something easy like buy a few cans of starter fluid and spraying the walls. You could just pour gasoline all over the wall (By means of a squirt gun for even coverage) and then throw a flaming stick at it to catch it on fire (You do not wanna be close to a wall covered in gas catching on fire) The napalm would work if you made a shit load. But it does but of nasty as hell fumes, and they are very black, so it may mess up your camera equiptment. Trust me on that one, I've had black soot going 20 feet.

[mr.pyro]

Really? You've made napalm?

 

 

P.S. Gas and syrofoam isnt napalm.

[aophoto]

Really?  You've made napalm?

Are you talkin to me?

 

 

 

 

 

And I know gas and styrofoam isn't real napalm.

[Mumbles]

I think the best idea would be the taking a picture of the wall, then editing in the models. My best advice is make it small, Maybe a 1 foot x 2 foot piece of wood. If it gets out of control it can be put out easily. Don't mess around with anything too dangerous. Spray it down with grill lighter fluid, and light away. It makes a nice orange flame, is cheap, and comes in a spray container. Additionally, it will burn for a while.

[optimus]

Depending on the models' type of hair, it might be more trouble than it's worth making a cutting path around her and blending the hair into the background properly. Also, if you're trying to achive an additional lighting effect from the fire, you'll have to shoot this 'live'. I think that the photoshop method would be quite hard to do well, as you would expect some sort of glowing silhouette effect if you shot this.

 

If you do want to take the photoshop route, I have a large archive of stock imagery, including walls of flame which would probably work quite well. PM me if you're interested.

[brainfever]

Depending on the models' type of hair, it might be more trouble than it's worth making a cutting path around her and blending the hair into the background properly.  Also, if you're trying to achive an additional lighting effect from the fire, you'll have to shoot this 'live'.  I think that the photoshop method would be quite hard to do well, as you would expect some sort of glowing silhouette effect if you shot this.

 

If you do want to take the photoshop route, I have a large archive of stock imagery, including walls of flame which would probably work quite well.  PM me if you're interested.

The cutting line problem is easily solved with a green wall (also used in movies alot), and the effect would require some skill to apply digital but it's a perfecty possible option.

[_Po_]

Wouldn't the contrast screw you over? A wall of fire will put out an awful lot of light. Either the models will be dark and the fire is fire-looking, or the fire is white and the models are model-looking. So I'd have to agree, a green wall would be your best option.

 

Just realised that you'd have lighting and flashes...Hhmmm, might work, I suppose.