Custom SoftDrop®

Customized backdrops for feature film and television production

Resources

Rosco Custom Backdrops have been used outside the set windows of motion pictures and television shows for over 30 years. While they’ve always been available in front-lit and rear-lit options, it was the development of our Roscolite Day/Night backdrops that earned Rosco an AMPAS Academy Technical Achievement Award in 2001, and an Engineering Emmy in 2004. Our revolutionary, natural cotton SoftDrop technology can be produced using client-supplied digital artwork; however, Rosco’s Digital Imaging division also offers custom photography and digital image manipulation services, as well as an image bank with hundreds of background image files to choose from.

Day/Night Technology

Innovative technological advances in digital printing allow Rosco to precisely register a daytime image on one side of the drop with the matching nighttime image on the other side of the drop. This allows for one, stationary drop to render a daytime image when lit solely from the front, a nighttime image when lit solely from the back, and dusk/dawn effects when a mix of front and rear lighting is employed. Because the image printed on the nighttime side of the drop is an actual photograph, the backdrop will reveal all of the realistic variances of color and color temperature seen in a nighttime vista – yielding an ultra-realistic backdrop for filmmakers to utilize in their projects.

Easy to Ship & Rig

A cotton SoftDrop can be folded into a convenient, standard shipping box. This eliminates the extraordinary shipping and handling issues of the extra-long and extra-heavy tubes that traditional backdrops typically ship in. SoftDrop also weighs significantly less than traditional vinyl drops, and its wrinkle-resistant properties make it ready to use right out of the box. All of this equals less effort, time and cost during pre-production for rigging crews to hang a SoftDrop on set.

Easy to Shoot

The revolutionary printing technology used to produce SoftDrops offers seamless single sided backdrop sizes up to 39’H x 170’W (11.89m H x 51.82m W). This allows filmmakers to confidently shoot their scene from any angle without worrying about a seam ending up in their shot.

Easy to Light

Thanks to the ultra-matte surface of SoftDrop, Cinematographers no longer need to worry about the hot spots and lamp reflections they experience using traditional vinyl or polyester drops. Plus, due to its semi-translucent properties, SoftDrop requires fewer lamps to backlight for night effects. This results in significantly reduced fixture and cable costs, set up time and power consumption.

Environmentally Responsible

Because they are printed utilizing water-based inks on natural cotton, SoftDrops are an eco-friendly backdrop solution. Unlike traditional vinyl drops, SoftDrops need no time for solvent off-gassing and can be ready to shoot the day they are hung. Once a SoftDrop has reached the end of its life-cycle, it can be expected to break down in 1-5 months in a landfill, instead of the 1,000-2,000 years it itakes for vinyl to degrade.

SoftDrop^® Specifications

Maximum seamless size for Day/Night or two-sided drops: 38’H x 131’W (11.6m H x 40m W)

Maximum seamless size for single sided drop (day only or night only): 39’H x 170’W (11.89m H x 51.82m W)

Weight: 8.26oz/yd2 (280g/m2)

Fabric: 100% Cotton

Ink: Water-Based

Non-Durably Flame Retardant

Meets NFPA 701 Test method 1

Meets BS5867 Part 2

Meets DIN 4102 B1

FINISHING OPTIONS

• Hem, grommets and ties