How to Fold Black Masking

How to Fold Black Masking

Different masking (Legs, Borders, Tabs) are folded in slightly different ways but all share the same basic two "rules".

1. The audience facing side should always be kept face up onstage and be folded inward to keep it clean as possible

2. The ties should be left out so that the cloth may be tied to the bar without unrolling the material unnecessarily.

Before rigging or de-rigging any of the black masking the stage must be swept thoroughly to keep the material as clean as possible.

Borders

1. Lay the border out fully open, on it's back onstage, (make a note of it's dimensions)

2. Take the bottom edge to the top edge, folding the border in half lengthways

3. Repeat again taking the newly folded edge up to the top ties edge.

4. Once you have a long, wide strip, fold each edge into the middle (normally marked by a red tie)

5. Repeat again taking each newly folded edge to meet in the middle

6. Fold one side on top of the other when you cannot fold the halves again

7. Check the border is correctly and obviously marked with it's correct dimensions and store on the border shelf

Someone insert a diagram here - Steve

By using this method you can take a border from the shelf and lay it onstage on the centre line. It can then be unfolded along it's length and tied to the bar without moving it again or unfolding it unnecessarily.

We are always trying to protect the audience facing side of masking and avoid damage normally caused by dragging it around the stage

Final Bit

Make sure that the borders, legs and tabs are tied nice and tight along the bar with no saggy bits. The best way to ensure this is to tie from the centre out taking up the slack as you go.

Ties are simply passed up either side of the bar and tied with a shoelace bow on the top. This is very quick and easy and makes it simple to untie at the de-rig.