For my next project I'd like to have a dusty room. Dusty as in rays of light coming through the window reflect off particles of dust hanging in the air. As the location in question is not particularly dusty, I need some advice as to what type of substance I can scatter in the air to get this effect. It must be as light as possible so it will have a lot of "hang time".

Thanks

blendered paper my work for you. but it would be better if you get rid of big pieces before tossing them to air.

Blendered paper? As in putting sheets of paper inside a blender? Interesting, will give it a try.

well I cant believe that I sounded so much convinced but it was really a brain storming. But it will work I guess. You just should make sure that the paper is low quality or old. maybe some old quality toilet paper or old newspapers.

I use carpet cleaning powder. It makes the room smell nice as a side effect.

Can't you use a smoke machine and wave the smoke evenly in the air? They did that on a featue where I was an extra.

using shredded paper cut down to fine dust particles?! have fun cleaning that up...

definately use a smoke machine, and have someone fan it out as it comes out.

You can get smoke machines for about $20 at Wal-Mart right now, that would be the way to go.

Sorry but no WalMart in Portugal! I'm afraid a smoke machine would put out too much smoke, considering this room is only 4 x 3 meters. I will figure something out, thanks for the help.

I've used a smoke machine to do a light haze in a fairly small room. Just spray it infrequently and fan it. That's how it's done on most productions.

If there's no Wal-Mart, they can be purchased for a similar price online.

Whatever dust particle source you find make sure you use a decent back light
"um contra luz forte para dar leitura as partículas de poeira"

Good luck

Alexandre Lucena
Recife, Brazil

Absolutely right about the back light. Here's a thought......Dirt. I had to get this same effect once. Get a rug, like a door mat with thick carpet. Get it as dirty as possible. As you are rolling camera shake it from above and from one side of the frame. Have a small fan behind you from a distance. This worked for me. You just have to be careful and not shake it too much. It looks so fake it's comical if you do. Good Luck......

i have had todo this before. I just took a low wattage fog machine $20 bucks from somewhwere and then took toilet paper and tore it above the camera to give the haze a more particle-like dust. It worked really well.