Pajama Game Special Effects
I was hired to create the special effects for the musical “The Pajama Game”. The special effects consisted of:
- 4 fake throwing knives
- 7 mechanical knives that pop out from behind walls to simulate the knives being thrown
- small puff of smoke for a sewing machine having mechanical problems
- giant sparks for the same sewing machine having bigger problems
The fake throwing knives were made from aluminum flat bar. I used the metal grinder to round the edges and made them as dull as possible. The handles are made from a thin layer of craft foam wrapped with black electrical tape.
The mechanical knives used rubber bands for the spring and PVC pipes for the track so it moved smoothly. (see YouTube video)
The small puff of smoke was created with the exhaust from a tiny vacuum cleaner and a tray containing a small amount of baby powder. (see YouTube video)
The giant sparks were created by quickly turning a metal grinder on and off while a short piece of steel conduit was pressed against the grinding surface. I used the giant spring from a gate to press the conduit firmly against the grinding wheel. (see YouTube video)
