Smoke or haze — which do we need?

Smoke for moments: an entrance, a transformation, a scene change. Haze for the whole show, so your lighting beams are visible. Plenty of productions hire both, for different reasons.

Will it set off the fire alarm?

Very likely, unless the detectors are isolated. Speak to whoever manages the building well before the day. This is the single most common thing that catches people out.

Can we trigger it on a cue?

Yes. It can be run from the lighting desk, which is much better than someone standing in the wings with a remote trying to guess the moment.

Home Services Equipment Hire Smoke, Haze and Effects Hire

Smoke machine hire — Antari ZR1500

A proper smoke machine for moments that need one — an entrance, a transition, a wall of fog across the stage. Controllable from the lighting desk so the cue lands when it should rather than whenever someone presses a button.

Smoke is for effect. It arrives, it does its job, and it clears. That makes it right for a villain entrance, a dream sequence or a blackout transition, and wrong for making lighting beams visible all evening — for that you want haze.

This is a professional machine rather than a party one, which mostly means it puts out enough to fill a stage quickly and then behaves itself. It can be triggered from the lighting desk, so the effect happens on the cue rather than a few seconds after someone notices.

Worth planning for: smoke drifts. In a hall with doors open at the back it will go where the draught takes it, and it will find the smoke detectors. Arrange the detector isolation with the venue before the day, and we will talk you through where to put the machine so it goes where you want.

What you get

The machine with its mains lead

Desk control so it can be fired on a cue

Smoke fluid for the event — tell us how many performances

A technician to set it up and place it, if you would rather not

Good for

Entrances, reveals and transformation scenes

Pantomime — the villain, the ghost, the transformation

Dream sequences and flashbacks

Blackout transitions where a scene change needs covering

Discos and proms

Halloween events and themed evenings

What you need to know

Smoke or haze

Smoke billows and clears, and is for moments. Haze hangs evenly and makes light beams visible all evening. They do different jobs.

Smoke detectors

It will find them. Arrange isolation with the venue in advance — this cannot be sorted on the afternoon.

Firing it

Can be run from the lighting desk, so the effect lands on the cue rather than roughly when someone remembers.

Where to put it

Smoke drifts with the draught. Tell us the room and where the doors are and we will suggest a position.

Fluid

Supplied. Say how many performances and we will send enough.

Common questions

Smoke for moments: an entrance, a transformation, a scene change. Haze for the whole show, so your lighting beams are visible. Plenty of productions hire both, for different reasons.
Very likely, unless the detectors are isolated. Speak to whoever manages the building well before the day. This is the single most common thing that catches people out.
Yes. It can be run from the lighting desk, which is much better than someone standing in the wings with a remote trying to guess the moment.