Cardboard is a notoriously versatile material – from boxes and packaging to toilet paper tubes, cartons, crafting supplies and more, you can find it in practically every facet of everyday life.
One application where it’s particularly useful is in the entertainment industry. While you may not have realized it, cardboard is a key player in making movies, TV shows and other forms of entertainment come to life.
In this article, we’ll explore just a few of the ways cardboard products are used in the world of entertainment and why they’re considered the best material for the job.
Props
The first and most popular use of cardboard in the entertainment industry is prop design. Movies, plays and TV programs are in a never-ending need of unique items to incorporate into their scenes, and cardboard offers them an easy and fast way to create them. Tons of props used by actors, whether you’re talking about a sword and shield in a medieval drama or a pizza box in a sitcom, are made out of cardboard.
The main reason for this is that cardboard is extremely lightweight, making it easy for actors to carry around and manipulate on set. It’s also incredibly cheap and easy to source – all you need is a trip to your local grocery or home improvement store.
And don’t just assume that ‘cardboard’ in this context is limited to the type of flat, corrugated material you might find in a box of cereal. Many designers in the entertainment industry use all sorts of cardboard products to create props, including tubes, sheets and more.
Display Tubes
While cardboard is often thought of as a cheap and cheerful material, it can also be quite luxurious. This is particularly true in the case of display tubes, which are commonly used in high-end fashion shows, art galleries and other similar events.
Display tubes are long, cylindrical tubes made out of sturdy cardboard that is used to transport and display a wide variety of items. They often have a luxury finish, such as gold or silver, and can be printed with branding or other graphics.
While they may seem like a small detail, display tubes play a big role in making sure that items are presented in the best possible way at these types of events.
Background Scenes
Another common use for cardboard in the entertainment industry is as a material for background scenes. If you’ve ever watched a movie or TV show set in a city, chances are that at least some of the buildings you saw in the distance were made out of cardboard.
This is because cardboard is the perfect material for creating three-dimensional objects that need to be lightweight and easy to transport. It’s also much cheaper than using real buildings or other structures, which makes it ideal for productions that have a limited budget.
As you can see, cardboard is a versatile and essential material for the entertainment industry. There are tons of applications for cardboard both on and off-set, and its affordability and durability make it the perfect choice for productions of all sizes.