Stage properties, or props for short, are very important in both film and theatre. They can also be used with great effect in the photography world. Any object which can be moved around the set and used by an actor in the course of a show, are considered to be props. Many things are used as props including books, pipes, guns and even teddy bears.
All props used in a production must be carefully sourced by a prop manager, who will spend much time looking for just the right piece for their production. Props can be bought, hired or made by hand but, in these difficult financial times, it is more common for most major props to be hired from a prop hire company such as us at Keeley Hire. Hiring props helps to keep the costs of the company down, which is vital, today more than ever, if they wish to make a decent profit. It also means that you can get good, authentic props much cheaper than you could if you had to buy them outright.
Props are so important in any production because they add to the richness and believability of any show. In real life, we use objects all the time, so, it would seem a bit odd if we saw a stage show or watched a film where no props were present and, of course, props are sometimes vital to a story. For example, you could not stage a production like Romeo and Juliet without the swords used in the many fight scenes.
