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Glass Front On Film Set


Carlo Zappella

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I want to build a 10m(L) x 20m(W) + 5m(H) mid century modernist lobby with a large 20m x 5m glass front (with dividers) and want to know how realistic it is to have such a thing built.

 

Can I use anything instead of glass or not use glass at all?

 

How much do you think the glass front would cost?

 

 

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Depending on your construction department, and glass provider it could be a walk in the park or a nightmare. What does your Art director think about glass? Reminds me of an old joke:

 

how many art directors does it take to screw in a lightbulb? A: Does it have to be a light bulb, I have a really nice sconce...

 

 

You could use lexan or plexiglass but those tend to warp and create wavy distorted images. Glass walls can be more about reflections and sheens, than what is beyond it. Without glass you will miss it. It will feel like a cheap Theater set.

 

As for cost, It won't be Cheap.

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I don't know where you are, but using a glazing company's calculator I get £2800 for the glass alone.

You're wanting to build a frontage with as much window area as about 6 large houses.

Edited by Mark Dunn
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Depending on your construction department, and glass provider it could be a walk in the park or a nightmare. What does your Art director think about glass? Reminds me of an old joke:

 

how many art directors does it take to screw in a lightbulb? A: Does it have to be a light bulb, I have a really nice sconce...

 

 

You could use lexan or plexiglass but those tend to warp and create wavy distorted images. Glass walls can be more about reflections and sheens, than what is beyond it. Without glass you will miss it. It will feel like a cheap Theater set.

 

As for cost, It won't be Cheap.

 

I checked with plexiglass and that would run us at about 6000€ . But the warp and distortion is a factor I didn't have in mind and now I'm distancing myself from that idea again.

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maybe you could get used window glass in approximately right size and the art department can build the dividers etc. according to the glass panel's dimensions so they don't have to cut it.

at least here in Finland they recycle some of the old window panels without breaking the glass (in some places they just sell the whole window as-is) and you could also try to hunt some greenhouse glass panels if they are tearing down old greenhouses in your area and are going to recycle the glass. but if you have to pay also for the dismantling work (taking the panels out of the original frames etc.) then it would surely be cheaper to use new glass... I would say the greenhouse option sounds far better if you can just borrow or rent some of their glass for your production and attach them to the frame so that they are easy to dismount without ruining anything?

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