Getting even haze

[scott william]

I've got a cheap fogger. Done a few tests but something is off. i think it's the density of the fog it's not thin enough, I'm shooting interiors and it looks more like the room is on fire than creating atmosphere. Would diluting it help, is this a done thing?

How else are people using foggers to correct this problem?

 

[Matt Ryan]

You have to fan it out by hand. Also, you have to be in a closed set to keep the fog consistent. Otherwise, by the end of the take the room will be more clear than at the start. It's easy to overdue the amount of fog. Try smaller amounts and fanning it out.

 

[Ryan De Franco]

There are foggers and there are hazers. Hazers create the atmosphere you are imagining. Foggers create halloween style smoke effects.

The classic is the DF-50 Hazer. Not cheap to buy but a commonplace rental item. Keeping consistent haze means having an electric on it at all times, perhaps with a 4x4 to help disperse it, and your eyes on the haze in the environment. I've worked as an electric or AC on a number of $$$ shoots where the haze is completely inconsistent shot to shot... taught me to be more considerate of it in my own work.

 

[scott william]

I'll look into hiring a hazer, thanks guys.

 

[Marc Wielage]

I would also add that you can even out the haze somewhat in the final color correction pass. This was an enormous problem with many 1980s music videos I worked on, where people went nuts with fog machines. We'd routinely have to add what I called "electronic smoke" in order to make the cutaways match. It's a crutch, but it can work effectively.

 

[David W. Jones]

There are also different degrees of juice you can feed your machine.

 

[David C]

Has anyone ever tried this? http://www.filmtools.com/diffusionincan.html

It's a spray haze that comes in a can. I'm not sure how well it works, but it looks pretty convenient and cost effective.

 

[john jeffreys]

Make sure the AC is off..was doing some lighting tests in my kitchen the other day, wanted to add fog to get the lights through the blinds to have visible streaks like lines of light, and nothing worked becacuse the AC kept blowing the fog around

 

[Andrew Ceperley]

Has anyone ever tried this? http://www.filmtools.com/diffusionincan.html

It's a spray haze that comes in a can. I'm not sure how well it works, but it looks pretty convenient and cost effective.

I use this stuff all the time for short takes or small amounts of atmosphere in tighter shots. Don't expect it to replace a hazer - it's only good for tight spaces, short takes, and usually run-and-gun location work. Always good to have on hand though...but it goes fast.

 

[Stephen Pruitt]

You can get a great, cheap oil-based hazer for about $400 and they work like a champ. There is definitely no need to spend more unless you're trying to haze up the Super Dome.

Stephen

 

[Steve Peterson]

You can add a Tiffen Smoke filter in combination with the real haze to help even things out.

 

[francisco santos]

Has anyone ever tried this? http://www.filmtools.com/diffusionincan.html

It's a spray haze that comes in a can. I'm not sure how well it works, but it looks pretty convenient and cost effective.

I wouldnt mess with it I tried it several times it works but very expensive. I tend to use a fog machine and really pan the shit out of it. The cans work but depending on the size of the room youll need a whole lot of it.