A heavy duty smoke machine feeding smoke into a blower to generate fog effects for open air location filming.

A fog machine (also called a smoke machine) is a device which emits a dense vapor that appears similar to fog or smoke. This artificial fog or smoke is known as theatrical smoke and fog within the entertainment industry. Most fog machines create the fog by either vaporizing a water and glycol-based or glycerine-based fluid or a mineral-oil-based fog via atomization. For glycol-based fogs, the fluid (fog juice) is injected into a heated block, and evaporates quickly. The resulting pressure forces the vapor out of the exit. Upon coming into contact with cool outside air the vapor forms a fog. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 550 pixelsFull resolution (1173 × 807 pixel, file size: 242 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Heavy duty smoke machine fabricated from a number of discrete components. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 550 pixelsFull resolution (1173 × 807 pixel, file size: 242 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Heavy duty smoke machine fabricated from a number of discrete components. ... A filming location is a place where some or all of a film or television series is produced, in addition to or instead of using sets constructed on a studio backlot or soundstage. ... Evening fog obscures Londons Tower Bridge from passers by. ... Smoke from a wildfire Smoke is a suspension in air (aerosol) of small particles resulting from incomplete combustion of a fuel. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Impact of a drop of water creating circular capillary waves. ... Ethylene glycol (IUPAC name:ethane-1,2-diol) is a chemical compound widely used as an automotive antifreeze (coolant). ... Glycerin, also known as glycerine and glycerol, and less commonly as 1,2,3-propanetriol, 1,2,3-trihydroxypropane, glyceritol, and glycyl alcohol is a colorless, odorless, hygroscopic, and sweet tasting viscous liquid. ...

Uses of Fog Machines

Fog machines are used to create spooky effects in plays such as Dracula, A Christmas Carol, and Macbeth. Fog machines are also frequently used in Halloween displays such as haunted houses or forests. Because of greater availability and reductions in prices between 2003 and 2005^{[citation needed]}, fog machines have become widely used for domestic halloween decorations. Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker, featuring as its primary character the vampire Count Dracula. ... A Christmas Carol in Prose, Being a Ghost Story of Christmas (commonly known as A Christmas Carol ) is what Charles Dickens described as his little Christmas Book and was first published on December 19, 1843 with illustrations by John Leech. ... Macbeth and Banquo meeting the witches on the heath by Théodore Chassériau. ... Halloween, or Halloween, is a tradition celebrated on the night of October 31, most notably by children dressing in costumes and going door-to-door collecting sweets, fruit, and other gifts. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Halloween, or Halloween, is a tradition celebrated on the night of October 31, most notably by children dressing in costumes and going door-to-door collecting sweets, fruit, and other gifts. ...

Fog machines are also useful for industrial purposes, such as visualising the flow of air, such as over a surface in a wind tunnel or testing filters in air conditioning. Fire fighters also use fog machines in their training. NASA wind tunnel with the model of a plane A wind tunnel is a research tool developed to assist with studying the effects of air moving over or around solid objects. ...

Because of the reflective and refractive qualities of the smoke created by fog machines, they are often used in nightclubs to enhance the effects of lighting and laser arrangements (see also light beam). The reflection of a bridge in Indianapolis, Indianas Central Canal. ... The straw seems to be broken, due to refraction of light as it emerges into the air. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Classical Spectacular used ordinary stage lighting plus special laser effects In the 2005 Classical Spectacular performance, a state of the art lighting system designed by Durham Marenghi was used to accompany the music Starry lighting such as is shown on the RHS of this photo are much more interesting than... Experiment with a laser (likely an argon type) (US Military) In physics, a laser is a device that emits light through a specific mechanism for which the term laser is an acronym: light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. ... The items in the Metroid series are the driving force behind its gameplay. ...

Haze machines, (also called haze generators or hazers), are taking over the job of fog generators for highlighting lighting or laser effects. Haze machines are often seen with bands and bigger venues when a lighting effect may need to be visible in the air. Haze machines, or haze generators, are similar to a fog machines in that they produce droplets suspended in the air which are designed to make light beams visible. ... Experiment with a laser (likely an argon type) (US Military) In physics, a laser is a device that emits light through a specific mechanism for which the term laser is an acronym: light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. ...

Adverse Effects on Respiratory Health

A special effects engineer positions the inflatable plastic tube feeding the smoke.

Although often believed to be safe to breathe, exposure to mineral oil, glycol and glycerin-based theatrical fogs have been associated with adverse short and long-term effects on respiratory health in exposed performers and crew members, especially those with respiratory problems (such as asthma). One should therefore avoid breathing generated smoke or fog.^[1] Although more expensive and often less convenient, it is safer to add smoke effects digitally in postproduction of films than to use theatrical smokes on set. Glycol-based fog is associated with headaches, dizziness, drowsiness and tiredness in those exposed. These results would be expected given that glycols share some chemical similarities to alcohols and given the small size of fog particles making it easy for them to enter the bloodstream. Symptoms of wheezing and chest tightness were associated with longterm exposure to theatrical smoke and fogs.^[2] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 797 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1199 × 902 pixel, file size: 136 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Special effects engineer adjusting the position of an inflatable plastic tube feeding smoke from a smoke machine to fill an open air location for filming. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 797 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1199 × 902 pixel, file size: 136 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Special effects engineer adjusting the position of an inflatable plastic tube feeding smoke from a smoke machine to fill an open air location for filming. ... Special effects (abbreviated SPFX or SFX) are used in the film, television, and entertainment industry to create effects that cannot be achieved by normal means, such as depicting travel to other star systems. ...

See also

• Dry ice, also used for creating theatrical “smoke”.

Dry ice is a genericized trademark for solid (frozen) carbon dioxide. ...

References

1. ^ Sunil Varughese, Kay Teschke, Michael Brauer, Yat Chow, Chris van Netten, and Susan M. Kennedy (2005). "Effects of theatrical smokes and fogs on respiratory health in the entertainment industry". American Journal of Industrial Medicine 47 (5): 411-418. DOI:10.1002/ajim.20151. 
2. ^ Sunil Varughese, Kay Teschke, Michael Brauer, Yat Chow, Chris van Netten, and Susan M. Kennedy (2005). "Effects of theatrical smokes and fogs on respiratory health in the entertainment industry". American Journal of Industrial Medicine 47 (5): 411-418. DOI:10.1002/ajim.20151. 

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External links

• Article on Respiratory Problems from Glycol-based fogs used in Broadway performances
• Actor's Equity Study on Health Effects from the use of Theatrical Smokes and Fogs in Broadway performances
• Uk Sound And Lighting Community - Cleaning A Smoke Machine
• Rosco
• Pea Soup Smoke Machine Info - Information, advice and FAQs on smoke machines
• ESTA Fog & Smoke Working Group - Standards for smoke and fog use in the entertainment industry

Fogging Machine brands

India

• PowerFogger Fogging Machine, Pune, India