Here’s comes a post about a smoke machine.
Today is the day I said goodbye to my smoke machine. (God rest your soul, sweet angel)
It inconveniently spluttered it’s last puffs of smoke just as a shoot was beginning.
If I’m honest, I am surprised it lasted anywhere near as long as it did actually.
This cheapo ‘DJ’ unit eventually ended up being the most underrated tool in my kit.
For me, in the ‘profession of making videos look pretty’, the aesthetic and style of lighting is incredibly important.
Unless you’re outside in broad bloody daylight; good indoor and night time lighting completely sets the tone of the piece to come.
One thing that helps lighting have such impact is when you can ‘see’ it.
Smoke/fog helps create a subtle atmosphere (I’m not talking Kate Bush video standards here..) which if used with tact can really give the visuals some depth.
This smoke machine (pictured, god rest its soul) I bought in 2014 for a music video shoot.
That means I’ve had it roughly 5 years.
I paid £24 for it from eBay at the time.
Across it’s life span, I’ve worked out it has ended up costing me 40p per month.
I’ve got my money’s worth, let’s put it that way.
Not bad for something I got for a single shoot but ended up spanning over nearly a hundred.
Now, the hunt begins for its replacement.. which won’t be hard to beat. RIP.
