Throwing a TV

Beatlesfan1225

Beatlesfan1225

Hi,
I am filming a scene where someone throws a TV out of a window. We made a big sugar glass window, so no shards can hurt anyone. My issue is the TV.

We found an old non-working 20 inch big tube TV to throw, But I'm a bit worried. If I'm correct, there are a lot of compounds in old tube TVs that could harm people, not to mention flying glass every where, even when wearing eye protection is dangerous. How can I give an impression the TV was thrown? I was considering throwing it through the fake window onto a mattress, and then editing in a loud crash. Does anyone have any experience in destroying things on set that can give me some ideas on how I can fake it, or do it real and safe? This is tomorrow morning, 10am, so I'm trying to find out now, instead of standing on set for an hour working out safe ways to do this. Thanks so much!
 
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Cracker Funk said:
I would just play it extra safe. Nobody even slightly close to the fallout zone, and safety goggles on everyone. And be very thorough when you clean.
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I think I might do it into a mattress with a light toss, it doesn't take much to break sugar glass. Since it is a comedy, I can just add a loud crash and a cat screech :lol:

Just in case the screen breaks tho everyone in the area will have safety goggles, and be far away from it. I'll just have someone throw it lightly through the sugar glass onto the bed, then walk away. It shouldn't break, at least I hope.
 
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I'm assuming you don't need a shot of the TV crashing on the ground, hence the use of a mattress for buffering. Why can't you just take out the innards of the set before you toss it? I 'm assuming the potential hazards you're referring to would be present only if these tubes, etc, break (fumes, glass fragments at high velocity from vacuum pressure). If you choose to dismantle, wear gloves and other proper wear, and I'd guess I'd pack the tubes delicately in boxes, marked for proper disposal. Good Luck!
 
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If the drama point of the scene is not the picture tube breaking, then perhaps consider a couple of alternatives...

1) Remove the picture tube and throw the TV with the back to the camera. It'll be a lot easier to throw, too.

2) It is quite difficult to break a picture tube. The glass in front is often 1/2" thick. Many years ago (before electronics recycling), I got rid of a 32" conventional TV at the local garbage collection center. Short story... I dropped down into a huge bin that was empty and had a steel bottom. The picture tube did not break. The fall was 15 or 16 feet.

Perhaps point #1 can be made more dramatic in post by adding some noise and smoke.
 
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Dreadylocks said:
I don't remember Porkrind wearing any safety goggles...
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Haha. That's cuz you weren't on the set. Everybody had goggles. In the locked edit, the goggles have been edited out, except for one very brief shot (like 2 or 3 frames).

To the OP, FYI - I can attest that old TVs do explode, but the glass is so thick that it's actually not that difficult to clean.
 
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Cracker Funk said:
Haha. That's cuz you weren't on the set. Everybody had goggles. In the locked edit, the goggles have been edited out, except for one very brief shot (like 2 or 3 frames).

To the OP, FYI - I can attest that old TVs do explode, but the glass is so thick that it's actually not that difficult to clean.
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I concur. They will explode. The violence of the explosion depends on the amount of blunt force applied. For instance, you will get a more violent explosion by hitting with a baseball bat than stabbing with a knife. And yes you can break a tube with a knife.;)
 
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Is there a reason you have to use a real tv? You could probably toss one of those plastic mock-ups like you see in furniture stores through sugar glass. Maybe tape some small lead weights into it to give it a bit of heft.

I only ask because the questions about needing to see the landing and/or the tube carnage doesn't seem to have an answer yet.
 
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David.rhsc said:
Is there a reason you have to use a real tv? You could probably toss one of those plastic mock-ups like you see in furniture stores through sugar glass. Maybe tape some small lead weights into it to give it a bit of heft.

I only ask because the questions about needing to see the landing and/or the tube carnage doesn't seem to have an answer yet.
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We filmed a different scene today, I could tell I need to put more thought into this. I'd like to have it hit the ground if possible, which is why using a mattress is a second resort.

where could I find a mock TV?
 
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but I do already have a real TV that fits my needs perfectly, so instead of spending money I'll try this--

Get a shot of the actor throwing it through the sugar glass window, it falls onto the mattress. We take it outside the real window and lightly throw it, so it rolls down the street a little bit. It shouldn't break, and edited together might look nice.
 
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Be extremely cautious when taking the tv apart as there are components in there that will store charges for long periods of time that will KILL you if you touch them without knowing what you're doing... I would personally recommend against it... have a specialist gut it for you so you don't die.

Although, being thrown across the room by the sheer force of your muscles all contracting at once would look impressive :)
 
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knightly said:
Be extremely cautious when taking the tv apart as there are components in there that will store charges for long periods of time that will KILL you if you touch them without knowing what you're doing... I would personally recommend against it... have a specialist gut it for you so you don't die.
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I think I'll just play it safe and cheap, and throw it onto a mattress, then add some sound effects. I don't want to bother gutting it, or trying to get someone else to do it.
 
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I've smashed my far share of tvs in my time and the old box shaped ones go everywhere. Especially if dropped from a water tower. But I digress. There are so many little parts and because they're old, they all break apart and you could still be finding bits a year later. Just some input from someone who has seen a lot of broken tvs. I can also tell you what happens to microwaves when thrown out of a car doing 100 down a highway, and upright air conditioners when they're hit by a Barina doing 70. But we're talking about tvs.
 
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insert_cliche_here said:
I've smashed my far share of tvs in my time and the old box shaped ones go everywhere. Especially if dropped from a water tower. But I digress. There are so many little parts and because they're old, they all break apart and you could still be finding bits a year later. Just some input from someone who has seen a lot of broken tvs. I can also tell you what happens to microwaves when thrown out of a car doing 100 down a highway, and upright air conditioners when they're hit by a Barina doing 70. But we're talking about tvs.
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Watertower? What the hell?! How the hell did you even get it up there!? Ok whatever, thanks :D
 
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I was just that much of a badass :p my point was, if you wanna know about tv smashin, I'm your girl.
I went back and read the replies and realised my comment was kind of unneeded after I'd posted it lol, sorry about that :)
 
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