# How do they make fake fire in opera?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-make-fake-fire-in-opera/539555>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 15, 2010, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-make-fake-fire-in-opera/539555 "2010-05-15T17:06:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-make-fake-fire-in-opera/539555/1 "2010-05-15T17:06:50Z")

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A lot of times I see torches, rings of fire, etc., in opera that look amazingly lifelike, but I know simply can’t be real.

Does anyone know how these effects are created?

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**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-make-fake-fire-in-opera/539555/2 "2010-05-15T17:12:30Z")

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We used to use strips of silk that were blown by a fan, and then lit for the bottom with red and yellow light - very realistic looking.

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**Author:** ![Ludy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Ludy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludy)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-make-fake-fire-in-opera/539555/3 "2010-05-15T17:13:25Z")

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For fake fire, one method is to use some lightweight silk a couple of fans and some coloured lights. Here [this](http://www.theatrefx.com/funfacts42.html) explains things much better than I could.

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**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-make-fake-fire-in-opera/539555/4 "2010-05-15T18:07:40Z")

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Easily bought at theatrical supply companies:

[Le Flame](http://www.pnta.com/prod-Le_Flame___Flame_Kit_Only-99.aspx)

[Flicker Candle](http://www.pnta.com/prod-Wired_Stem_Flicker_Candle-105.aspx)

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**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2010, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-make-fake-fire-in-opera/539555/5 "2010-05-15T21:34:12Z")

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Don’t assume that everything is fake, either. I’ve used a lot of real fire in musical productions. You just use specially designed tools that snuff out easily and professionally trained people using them.