The Galaxy Star Ceiling

Rich in detail, and highly textured, the Galaxy with its sculpted constellation graphics will be the focal point of any room where it is installed.

This fantastic product is available now direct from Starscape. Order on line or by phone. For more information visit the Galaxy link under star ceilings main navigation bar or click here.

 

Jim McMail performing his Rat Pack tribute in front of a Starscape star cloth.

 

Star cloths


Starscape designs and manufactures Star Cloths which are used as stage backdrops in theatres, at rock concerts, in discos and special events such as weddings and parties, home theatre or in retail settings. A starcloth (or star curtain) is a piece of heavy black fabric studded with endglow optical fibres. The glowing fibre points are evenly distributed across the surface of the cloth and change colour or twinkle according to the set-up of the light source which provides the illumination.

Typical star density is around 10 points per square metre but can be more or less depending on customers' budgets and preferences.

Star cloths are always made to order (we should be able to turn most orders around in about 3 weeks).

One huge star in front of many little ones.


One of our first customers during 2008 was GM Promotions' production of the musical "My Boy Elvis". Written by George Twamley, this Irish show tells the story of Elvis and his legendary manager Colonel Tom Parker. The production features the Spirit of Elvis and Colonel Tom Parker in the afterlife contemplating how his legacy on earth will be remembered and reminiscing and pondering on how things could have been different. For details of how to catch the show look here.


Starscape produced a matched pair of fibre optic star cloths to form the backdrop to the set. The cloths were supplied with our 150 watt DMX metal halide light sources, with a slow colour change selected, apparently to a very satisfactory effect.


Apart from being considerably brighter than our standard halogen light sources, the metal halide light sources offer a greater degree of control over colour changes, including strobing effects and a sound-activated mode. An important advantage of the DMX light sources is that two or more can be linked and synchronised, which is vital if you want to use colour change effects on a multi-part backdrop.


Star cloths in action at W5 , Ireland´s award winning interactive discovery centre at Odyssey, Northern Ireland’s Landmark Millennium Project, in Belfast

The autumn is always a busy time for star cloth orders, and last year's star cloth customers included W5, the award-winning discovery and innovation centre in Belfast which put on a "Secret of Snowtown" display as part of its holiday programme of events.

A star cloth adds a bit of glamour to a wedding reception.


Illusions Roadshow of West London include a Starscape star cloth among the services offered to clients. Here a star cloth forms a backdrop at a wedding reception. Illusion's website
Starscape star cloths simulate the night sky of the Egyptian desert.
Two 20 ft by 18 ft (6 metre by 5.5 metre) Starscape Star Cloths made an effective backdrop to this very impressive set for Bedford Modern School's colourful production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat".
The star cloths form an effective backdrop to this clever set, but are the simplest part of the whole lighting design.

Starscape star cloths form the backdrop to Bedford Modern School's House Music competition.

The same star cloths in action (above and below), but with the light sources fitted with colour wheels, rather than twinkle wheels.

Plenty of action in the foreground, while the Starscape star cloths provide the backdrop.

Fibre optic star cloth being tested in the workshop.

 

20 foot star cloth under test in the workshop. This has a drop of 10 ft and is probably our most frequently requested size. As a general rule we'd suggest a modular approach to covering large areas - in other words go for two medium-sized cloths rather than a single large one. Large cloths are quite heavy and unwieldy, so for ease of handling we'd recommend keeping individual cloth sizes below 25 square metres, where possible.


A modular approach will add slightly to the cost, but we believe the additional cost is easily justified in terms of the ease of handling and the consequent increase in the likely service life of the cloth. Having a matched pair also offers benefits in terms of flexibility of use.


Normally we would supply a 75 watt light source with the star cloth, although we're happy to change the specification to meet your particular requirements. Brighter light sources and DMX lightsources are available.

What the audience doesn't see: the polyester lining at the back of the curtain with the lightsource and sleeved tail or harness.

A "harness" of fibres runs from the corner or centre of the curtain's bottom hem to a 75 watt tungsten halogen light source. The fibres are protected within the black sleeve.



 

 

Star cloth features


All our cloths are manufactured to professional theatrical standards from flame retardant coloured wool serge (black is the norm) lined with flame retardant cotton casement and come complete with top ties. Other fixing methods such as metal eyelets are available.

Other manufacturers typically glue the optical fibres directly to the cloth. However, at Starscape we use our own system in which the fibres are simply plugged into a plastic skin fitting in the cloth.



From a manufacturing perspective this is more time-consuming, but it offers two significant advantages. If an individual fibre is snagged during rigging or de-rigging it will simply pop out of the friction fitting, instead of snapping. This protects the fibres and, more importantly, prevents the cloth from tearing.



So, your fibres are unlikely to snap with our system and as a further back-up measure we add a few spare full-length fibres to each cloth.


Many of our cloths are ordered for specific events - pantomimes and other theatrical productions for instance - but others are in constant use. We know of one cloth which has been used an average of three times a week over the past two years by a travelling "tribute" act.

CARE OF YOUR STAR CLOTH

Click on this link for more details.



Our customers include theatre companies, hotels, local authorities, school drama departments, events companies, DJs, professional lighting designers, working men's clubs, a touring "tribute band", a music festival etc.



Please contact us for a quotation. We don't stock standard sizes, but make each cloth to order.


Price Guidelines



Because our star cloths are made to a professional specification they are not really intended for use in the home. Fixed costs mean that very small cloths tend to be disproportionally expensive - even the smallest cloths ( say 10 ft by 10 ft) start at around £530. As size increases prices become more attractive - say around £820 plus VAT and carriage for a 20 ft by 10 ft (6 m x 3 m).