2nd Edition

The Prop Effects Guidebook Lights, Motion, Sound, and Magic

By Eric Hart Copyright 2026
174 Pages 286 Color Illustrations
by Routledge

174 Pages 286 Color Illustrations
by Routledge

174 Pages 286 Color Illustrations
by Routledge

The Prop Effects Guidebook Second Edition explores how to make props for the stage that move, light up, make sounds, or interact with their environment. Whether it's a sword that glows, a vase that breaks, or a book that bursts into flames (safely), this guide shows how to bring imagination to life. The book covers practical techniques using everyday tools and materials. It explains concepts... Read more

1. Designing, Prototyping, Testing  2. Electricity  3. Lights  4. Motion  5. Trick Mechanisms  6. Pneumatics  7. Liquid Delivery  8. Breakaways  9. Smoke and Fire  10. Sound  11. Control (Remote, Micro, Practical)

Biography

Eric Hart is the Director of Animatronics at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and is a member of the Society of Props Managers (S*P*M). He has built props and effects for Broadway, regional theatre, opera, film, theme parks and retail. He is the author of Prop Building for Beginners (Routledge 2021) and The Prop Building Guidebook Third Edition (Routledge 2024) and has also written for Stage Directions magazine, Scrollsaw magazine, Theatre Design & Technology, and American Craft.