Custom Backdrops

Customized backdrops for feature film and television production

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 customized backdrop solutions can be printed onto heavy-duty vinyl, or onto a woven cotton cloth via our revolutionary SoftDrop® technology. Rosco Custom Backdrops can be produced using client-supplied digital artwork; however, Rosco’s Digital Imaging division also offers an image bank, as well as digital image manipulation and photography services.

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.

SoftDrop® – Easy to Ship & Rig

SoftDrops® are able to be folded into convenient, standard shipping boxes, which eliminate the extraordinary shipping and handling issues of the extra-long and extra-heavy tubes that traditional backdrops typically ship in. Cotton SoftDrops® also weigh significantly less than traditional vinyl drops and their wrinkle-resistant properties make them ready to use right out of the box. All of this equals less pre-production effort, time and cost for rigging crews to hang a SoftDrop® on set.

SoftDrop – Easy to Shoot

The revolutionary printing technology used to produce SoftDrops® offers seamless 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.

SoftDrop® – Easy to Light

The ultra-matte surface of SoftDrops® means Cinematographers no longer need to worry about the hot spots and lamp reflections they experience using traditional vinyl or polyester drops. Plus, thanks to its semi-translucent properties, SoftDrops® require fewer lamps to backlight for night effects – which results in significantly reduced set up time and power consumption.

SoftDrop® - Environmentally Responsible

SoftDrops® are eco-friendly, printed utilizing water-based inks on natural cotton. They need no time for solvent off-gassing and can be ready to shoot on the day they are hung. Once finally discarded in a landfill they can be expected to break down in 1-5 months, instead of the thousand years it is expected vinyl will take 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