Your Show, Your Backdrop

Custom Stage Scrims, Made to Order

Q: How does the sharkstooth reveal effect work?

Sharkstooth is a loose gauze weave. Lighting only the front makes the printed or painted surface read as a solid wall; fading the front light and lighting behind the scrim lets the eye see through the open weave to whatever is upstage, so the scrim seems to dissolve.

Q: What is the best stage scrim material?

It depends on the effect. Sharkstooth is best for reveals, bobbinet is a finer net for near-invisible masking, seamless muslin suits solid painted or printed backdrops, printed polyester gives vivid full-color graphics, and filled cloth or velour is used for full blackout masking.

Q: What is the difference between a scrim and a cyc?

A cyclorama is a smooth, opaque backdrop used to catch colored light for a seamless sky or wall. A scrim is an open-weave fabric prized for switching between opaque and transparent. Many productions use both together.

Turn an empty stage into a finished set. We build custom stage scrims — sharkstooth, bobbinet, muslin and full-color printed backdrops — sized to your rig and finished for hanging, with dramatic front-lit-to-back-lit reveal effects available.

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Made-to-size width & drop

Full-color dye-sublimation printing

FR treatment available

Your art, on the whole stage

The complete guide

Everything you need to know about custom stage scrims

A stage scrim is a large fabric panel hung across a stage to serve as a backdrop, a masking piece, or a projection and reveal surface. The most theatrical version is a sharkstooth scrim: a loosely woven gauze that reads as a solid painted or printed wall when it is lit from the front, and then seems to dissolve into transparency the moment the light shifts behind it. That single trick — solid one instant, see-through the next — is why scrims are a staple in theater, concert touring, houses of worship, dance, film and television, and corporate events.

Because every scrim is built to order, the right specification depends on your venue, your rigging, your lighting plan, and the effect you are after. This guide walks through the materials and weaves available, the sizes and seaming options, how printed and painted scrims differ, the finishing and flame-retardant details that matter for a working theater, and how bulk and rep-plot pricing is put together. If you already know what you need, you can request a custom quote at any point.

Why go custom

A made-to-order scrim fits your stage and your show

Stock backdrops rarely match a real venue — the proscenium is a little wider, the trim height is a little lower, the artwork is generic. A custom stage scrim is cut to your exact width and drop, printed or painted with your own scene or brand, and finished to hang cleanly from your pipe. It looks intentional because it was built for your room.

Built for effect

Sharkstooth and bobbinet scrims deliver classic reveal, dissolve and layering effects that switch between opaque and transparent with your lighting.

Made to hang

Sewn seams, webbing and grommets, tie-line, and bottom pipe or chain pockets so the scrim hangs flat and pulls out of sight when you need it gone.

Made to spec

Pick the fabric, color, size, finish and printing — we match your artwork or paint elevation and build to your rigging in single or multi-panel runs.

How it works

From your artwork to your fly rail in four steps

Send your specs

Share your finished width and drop, the fabric and color, your artwork or paint elevation, and how it needs to hang.

We design & proof

We lay out seams and finishing, prepare the print or paint, and send a digital proof and spec sheet for review.

You approve

Confirm the proof, dimensions and finishing. Nothing goes to production until you sign off.

We build & ship

Your scrim is printed or painted, sewn, finished, folded and shipped ready to fly.

Materials & weaves

Stage scrim material: which weave do you need?

The fabric you choose controls how the scrim behaves under light and how it prints or paints. Open gauze weaves like sharkstooth and bobbinet do the disappearing act; tighter woven cloths like muslin give you a solid, opaque backdrop. Here is how the common options compare.

Material	Look & behavior	Best for	Printing
Sharkstooth scrim Reveal effect	Rectangular open weave; opaque when front-lit, transparent when back-lit	Reveals, dissolves, layered scenes	Paint or dye
Bobbinet	Fine hexagonal net; near-invisible, even more transparent than sharkstooth	Invisible masking, haze & layering	Usually left plain
Muslin (seamless) Popular	Tightly woven, opaque cotton; a solid backdrop with no reveal	Painted & printed scenic backdrops	Paint or print
Printed poly / knit	Smooth polyester; vivid full-color dye-sublimation graphics	Photo-real & brand backdrops	Dye-sublimation
Filled cloth / velour	Opaque, light-absorbing; full blackout, no show-through	Blackout masking, borders & legs	Typically unprinted

Not sure which weave suits your effect? Describe the moment you want and we will recommend a material with your quote.

Construction & safety

Built to fly, tour, and pass a fire check

A working scrim has to do more than look good in a photo. It has to hang dead flat, take repeated flying without wrinkling, fold down for transport, and satisfy the venue’s fire marshal. We build with theatrical-grade fabrics and finish each panel for real stage use — reinforced webbing along the top edge, grommets on standard centers with tie-line, and a bottom pipe pocket or chain to weight the drop so it hangs true.

Flame retardancy matters in almost every venue. Scrims can be supplied treated to meet common theatrical flame-retardancy standards such as NFPA 701, either through an inherently flame-retardant (IFR) fabric or an applied FR treatment. Tell us your venue’s requirement and we will confirm what is available for your chosen material and, where offered, provide the corresponding documentation.

Theatrical-grade fabric — woven for stage use, not display
Reinforced top webbing — with grommets and tie-line
Bottom pipe or chain pocket — weights the drop so it hangs flat
Sewn seams — horizontal seams on wide, tall drops
FR options — IFR fabric or applied treatment, e.g. to NFPA 701
Folds for transport — packs down for touring and storage

Customization options

Make the scrim unmistakably your show

Full-color printing

Dye-sublimation print your scene, photo, logo or gobo-style pattern edge to edge in vivid, wash-resistant color.

Scenic painting

Traditional hand-painted or digitally printed scenic backdrops rendered from your paint elevation or reference art.

Fabric & color

Choose sharkstooth, bobbinet, muslin, printed poly or filled cloth in black, white, grey, natural or custom shades.

Size & seaming

Built to your finished width and drop, with sewn horizontal seams on oversized panels for a seamless-looking face.

Finishing & hardware

Webbing and grommets, tie-line, bottom pipe pocket, chain weight, or Velcro and pole-pocket tops on request.

FR & documentation

Inherently FR fabric or applied treatment to meet venue requirements, with documentation where available.

Color & finish guide

Scrim colors and what they do on stage

Scrim color changes how the fabric reads under light and how well it hides or reveals what is behind it. These are the common choices and where they tend to be used:

BlackBest reveal contrast & masking; disappears when unlit

WhiteBright projection & wash-color surface

GreyNeutral tone that takes colored light cleanly

Natural / greigeUnbleached muslin look for painted scenes

BlueCyc-style skies & cool backdrop washes

GreenChroma-style keying backdrops

Custom printAny full-color scene, photo or brand art

Brand matchPrinted to your specified Pantone colors

Need an exact match? We print to your Pantone (PMS) brand colors and can proof a swatch on your chosen fabric.

Buyer’s guide

How to choose the right custom stage scrim

The best scrim comes down to the effect you want and how it will hang. Use this quick guide to match your goal to the right material and finish.

What you want to do	Recommended material	Typical color	Finish
Reveal / dissolve effect	Sharkstooth scrim	Black or white	Webbing + bottom pipe pocket
Invisible masking & layering	Bobbinet	Black	Webbing + tie-line
Solid painted backdrop	Seamless muslin	Natural / white	Webbing + chain pocket
Photo-real branded backdrop	Printed polyester	Full-color print	Pole pockets or grommets
Full blackout masking	Filled cloth / velour	Black	Webbing + bottom weight

Not sure which fits your production? Tell us the venue and the moment you want and we will recommend a spec with your quote.

Where they shine

One scrim, many stages

Theater & DramaReveal scenes, layered sets and painted backdrops.

Concerts & TouringProjection and reveal scrims built to fly and pack.

Film & BroadcastBackdrops, masking and keying surfaces for camera.

Houses of WorshipSeasonal scenes and printed backdrops for services.

Corporate & EventsBranded stage backdrops for keynotes and galas.

Dance & School StagesAffordable painted and printed drops for productions.

Bulk & project pricing

How custom scrim pricing works

Scrims are priced per panel by finished size, and the cost is driven by four things: the fabric and weave you choose, the overall dimensions (width and drop, and how many seams that requires), the printing or painting involved, and the finishing and FR treatment. Rep-plot sets and multi-panel orders are quoted together for the best overall value.

Single

1 panel

One backdrop or reveal scrim

Set

2–5 panels

Legs, borders & a backdrop

Rep plot

6–15 panels

Full soft-goods package

Tour / venue

16+ panels

Best per-panel value

Get exact pricing for your project →

FAQ

Custom stage scrim questions, answered

What is a stage scrim?

A stage scrim is a large fabric panel hung across a stage as a backdrop, masking piece, or projection surface. An open-weave sharkstooth scrim appears solid when lit from the front and becomes transparent when the light moves behind it, which is what creates the classic theatrical reveal effect.

How does the sharkstooth reveal effect work?

Sharkstooth is a loose, rectangular gauze weave. When you light only the front of the fabric, the eye sees the printed or painted surface and it reads as a solid wall. When you fade the front light and bring up light behind the scrim, the eye sees through the open weave to whatever is upstage, so the scrim seems to dissolve.

What is the best stage scrim material?

It depends on the effect. Sharkstooth is the go-to for reveals; bobbinet is a finer net for near-invisible masking and layering; seamless muslin is best for solid painted or printed backdrops; printed polyester gives vivid full-color graphics; and filled cloth or velour is used for full blackout masking.

What sizes can a custom scrim be made in?

Scrims are built to your finished width and drop. Wide or tall panels are made by sewing fabric widths together with horizontal seams, so there is no practical hard limit — share your proscenium width and trim height and we will build to fit.

Can I get a full-color printed scrim?

Yes. We dye-sublimation print photo-real scenes, artwork, logos and brand graphics edge to edge on suitable fabrics, and we can also produce hand-painted or digitally printed scenic backdrops from your paint elevation.

What colors are scrims available in?

Common stock colors are black, white, grey and natural, with blue and green available for cyc and keying work. Printed scrims can be any full-color design, and we can match your specified Pantone (PMS) brand colors.

Are your scrims flame retardant?

Scrims can be supplied treated to meet common theatrical flame-retardancy standards such as NFPA 701, using either an inherently flame-retardant (IFR) fabric or an applied treatment. Tell us your venue’s requirement and we will confirm what is available for your chosen material and, where offered, provide documentation.

How do custom scrims hang?

Scrims are finished with reinforced webbing and grommets along the top for tie-line, and a bottom pipe pocket or chain to weight the drop so it hangs flat. Pole-pocket and Velcro tops are also available on request.

What is the difference between a scrim and a cyc?

A cyclorama (cyc) is a smooth, opaque backdrop, usually white or light, used to catch colored light and create a seamless sky or wall. A scrim is an open-weave fabric prized for its ability to switch between opaque and transparent. Many productions use both together.

What artwork do you need for a printed scrim?

High-resolution artwork or vector files give the cleanest print, and a scaled paint elevation works well for scenic drops. Send what you have with your target finished size and we will let you know if we need anything sharper before proofing.

What is the typical turnaround time?

Turnaround depends on the fabric, size, printing and finishing involved. After artwork and dimensions are approved, most orders move into production promptly — share your show or install date in your quote request and we will confirm timing.

How do I get a quote?

Use the custom quote form with your size, fabric, color, finishing and artwork, or call (929) 605-4397. You will get pricing and a production timeline back quickly.

Ready to build the backdrop for your show?

Tell us your size, fabric and effect — we will send back exact pricing, a proof, and a production timeline. Single panels and full rep-plot sets welcome.

Get a Custom Quote → Call (929) 605-4397

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