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Prop Question (sort of)

S

Scorer

I have started writing a new script, however, an integral part of the short takes place in a police interrogation room. I would like there to be a "double sided mirror", but I will probably be in a room with no windows, so how can I fake this with out spending too much money?

I have considered using window tint on something somehow, but I don't know.
 
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Use the same room for both the interrogation and the observation room. Hang aas large a mirror as you can afford on one wall for the interro. room and then measure out a green board the same dimension to hang on the wall for the observation room, keying in a scene of the interro. later. Make sense?
 
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This is a scene I would love to play with, but haven't due to the very reason that such rooms are hard to come by. Apart from getting a room with a two way mirror the above ideas sound like the best options.
 
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The one time I have been in an interrogation room it had a two way mirror, more like a two way window that was dark and tinted.

The thing is, it never shows what's on the other side of the mirror, I only need it to make the interrogation room look like an interrogation room. The character mentions what may be on the other side of it at one point. So it is basically just for room aesthetics.

The film never shows the other side of the mirror, or any other room but the interrogation room for that matter. So I just need a prop idea. Hopefully I am making sense, but if worse comes to worst I'll have to do without.
 
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Scorer said:
The one time I have been in an interrogation room it had a two way mirror, more like a two way window that was dark and tinted.

The thing is, it never shows what's on the other side of the mirror, I only need it to make the interrogation room look like an interrogation room. The character mentions what may be on the other side of it at one point. So it is basically just for room aesthetics.

The film never shows the other side of the mirror, or any other room but the interrogation room for that matter. So I just need a prop idea. Hopefully I am making sense, but if worse comes to worst I'll have to do without.
Click to expand...

An issue you need to be aware of is the potential reflection on the window of the crew
 
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If you just need a cheap way to fake a large mirror, use silver mylar in a wooden frame painted with cast iron spray paint. Acquire your mylar and wood first. For a darker looking mirror, you can use automotive or commercial mirrored window tinting film. The upside to using mirrored tint is that it's very similar in appearance to one way glass. With the mirror hung on a wall, no light will get behind it and it will look like a mirror. If you put some inexpensive battery operated LED strips (like those used for under cabinet lighting) along the backside of the frame, you can have them come on and it will look like someone turned on the light in the observation room. Put a photograph of characters in wardrobe back there and it will look, for a second, like there are people in the next room. Poplar is cheap and takes paint very nicely. Measure out your mirror and cut your poplar (1"X2") to length, mitering the corners (cutting 45 degree angles so that the pieces but together nicely. If you don't have access to a miter saw, you can get away butt joints (90 degree ends that just come together) by using wave clips (bits of wavy metal made for framing) and using wood putty to smooth the joints. Spray the frame with primer (color is not important, but I would use gray) and let that dry according to the manufacturer's directions before sparying the cast iron paint (like Duplicolor DE1651 Cast Coat Iron). After the paint is fully dry, stretch the mylar across the backside of the frame, using either two sided tape or rapid adhesive to secure it in place. You can then hang your new "2 way mirror" on any wall or surface. If you don't want to put holes in the wall, you can use 3M Command Adhesive to hang the mirror for the shoot, then take it down without damaging the wall or leaving any residue. To avoid having crew and/or equipment in the shot, you will have to block your scene very carefully and test shoot everything before you commit to the setup. Best of luck to you.
 
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Also along those lines, a simple piece of green screen surrounded by a few pieces of wood as a frame, then key in a "mirror" image of the scene being shot could do the trick if your good with editing. Also might be the cheapest???
 
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Don't do green screen... You'll need to figure out some slightly more complex than average camera angles and do multiple cameras fot he same-room shot. It's not as easy as simply mirroring the image.
 
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PaulGriffith said:
Don't do green screen... You'll need to figure out some slightly more complex than average camera angles and do multiple cameras fot he same-room shot. It's not as easy as simply mirroring the image.
Click to expand...

I already considered green screen, and this is what I thought about it as well.

Lucky Hardwood, your suggestion sounds pretty legit; it is more along the lines of what I was looking for. Thank you.
 
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Your first post about the window:

Scorer said:
I have started writing a new script, however, an integral part of the short takes place in a police interrogation room. I would like there to be a "double sided mirror", but I will probably be in a room with no windows, so how can I fake this with out spending too much money?
Click to expand...

Your next post about the window:

Scorer said:
The thing is, it never shows what's on the other side of the mirror, I only need it to make the interrogation room look like an interrogation room. The character mentions what may be on the other side of it at one point. So it is basically just for room aesthetics.
Click to expand...

You gave us a hell of a lot more information, which substantially changed the answers you got. This is just one example of why I harp upon clear, complete and concise communications so much.

If you want to get picky about it, you just "wasted" almost 19 hours.
 
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Alcove Audio said:
Your first post about the window:



Your next post about the window:



You gave us a hell of a lot more information, which substantially changed the answers you got. This is just one example of why I harp upon clear, complete and concise communications so much.

If you want to get picky about it, you just "wasted" almost 19 hours.
Click to expand...

Well I originally thought it was a simple question. "Fake double sided mirror", fake meaning not functional. But I suppose I could have described my needs more clearly the first time. In any case, I eventually got a decent response.
 
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The way I read it in the first post was that you needed to fake a two-way mirror, so that you'd be seeing the obs room in the foreground, potentially with people in the foreground, a hole in the wall and the interrogation room through that.

In the next post, you essentially wittle it down to the fact that all you need is a large mirror, am I correct? So you don't need to fake a two-way mirror at all, you just need to find a large mirror...? or large dark/reflective tinted glass..?
 
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jax_rox said:
The way I read it in the first post was that you needed to fake a two-way mirror, so that you'd be seeing the obs room in the foreground, potentially with people in the foreground, a hole in the wall and the interrogation room through that.

In the next post, you essentially wittle it down to the fact that all you need is a large mirror, am I correct? So you don't need to fake a two-way mirror at all, you just need to find a large mirror...? or large dark/reflective tinted glass..?
Click to expand...

Then I suppose I wasn't clear enough after all haha. Basically the latter, yes, that is how the one that I personally experienced looked like. Practically a dark window that you couldn't see into.
 
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