Mathieu,
I will give you my recommendations for me; you can glean from it what you want.
Philosophy:
A backdrop is one of the most important items on a layout. Although it should not dominate, it should not detract either. There are three levels of backdrops - 1) the Wow! category where the backdrop knocks your socks off 2) the good category where the backdrop does a good job of setting the tone, atmosphere and location of the layout, but it doesn't dominate; and lastly - 3) the invisible category which is backdrop which is there but people don't become aware of it right away, but more importantly it doesn't detract from the layout either. For example, a good sky scene can be an invisible category.
The second step for me was to choose which category I wanted. Of course my first choice was the "Wow! category, but as you will see latter, this changed.
Next a serious assessment of my skills. Since I feel the backdrop should be so important, the question that comes to mind is - do I possess the artistic skill to pull off any of the above three categories. Well I felt I could do a category three backdrop, but remember I wanted a category one backdrop.
So I ruled out me doing the backdrop, which led me into either commercial backdrops or my photographic backdrops. I ruled out my own photo backdrops as I didn't feel up to the task. So a commercial backdrop it was to be.
So I decided on something from
www.backdropwarehouse.com but that was when I learnt about another important aspect of backdrops - affordability. You see I was going to need about 65 feet of backdrop and to be honest I just wasn't going to be able to afford that much in Canadian dollars from backdropwarehouse.
I then looked at a local chap in Vancouver who does a good job, but I ruled him out due to cost and to the fact that I decided to change locations - he was going to shoot some local scenes for me.
So finally, finances being a harsh mistress, I decided on Faller's for my backdrop. I got the look I was after but I had to drop a category from "Wow" to "good." The only way you can see all of what is available from Faller's is to look at an older Walther's catalogue. Walther's still carries it all or will bring it in, but it no longer shows all of what is available in current catalogues.
So in the end, I installed 65 feet of Faller's (I had to order more since it comes in pre-determined lengths in various scenes). I ended up using three different scenes with three different heights to suit the area of bench work where it was going (double decker).
So this is how I reasoned out my backdrop. Of course I don't know what you are skilled at - art? photography? Or what your priorities are - wow, good, or invisible. But maybe my process of reasoning can help you out.
Do your backdrop now. You'll be one of the only ones in your area with a finished backdrop and you will be amazed at how "finished" your layout will appear, with - if you are like me - you have no track laid yet.
