Scenic Design

Designing Scenery for Theatre and Film

Robert Edmond Jones- 1915 A stage designer is, in a very real sense a jack-of-all-

trades. He can design fireplaces and bodices and bridges and wigs. He understands architecture, but is not an architect: can paint a portrait, but is not a painter: creates costumes, but is not a couturier. Although he is able to call upon any or all of these varied gifts at will, he is not concerned with any one of them to the exclusion of the others, nor is he interested in any one of them for its own sake. These talents are only tools of his trade. His real calling is something quite different. He is an artist of occasions.

Scenic Design

• Scenic design (also known as stage design, set design or production design) is the creation of theatrical, as well as film or television scenery.

• Scenic designers have traditionally come from a variety of artistic backgrounds, but nowadays, generally speaking, they are trained professionals, often with M.F.A. degrees in theatre arts.

The Man Who Married A Dumb Wife

Desire Under the Elms

What is a set designer? Architect Interior Decorator Painter Artist Historian (politics,arts,fashion,architecture,literature,theatre,film)

Sculptor Model Maker Draftsperson Graphic Artist Schmoozer Detective Salesperson

The ScriptThe content and style of the collaborative process will be strongly shaped by the needs of the individual script.

Many productions are so specifically defined by the author, that to alter that reality would be to alter the meaning of the play.

As you will see over time, some plays will need more discussion than others.

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Two Styles of Design

• Representational Design- presents the scene in a realistic way. Box Sets are one of the most common forms of representational design

• Presentational Design- acknowledges theatricality and does not attempt to recreate “real life”. Designs are more abstract or symbolic 8

Representational: For example designing THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA starts with the very tangible given circumstances of the play.

Tennessee Williams writes a lush description of the world he envisions and his characters speak of it often. The question of what the world looks

like is refined from the start.

Shakespeare on the other hand is open to a wide variety of

visual interpretations.

The form of discussion

will be influenced by the needs of the text as

well as by the concept of

the production.

Time will need to be allotted for

more complex visual

concepts.

Eugene Lee- Wicked

Robert Wilson- Die Zauberflute

Existing LimitationsIn some production situations, there are given circumstances that shape the nature of the discussion of a play. Budget, calendar and people-power are obvious ones. Others include:

• Flexibility for a travelling production;• Existence of a repertory set;• Emphasis on a particular design element;• Unique space restrictions.

When discussing a project, known limitations are best laid out from the very beginning. They shouldn’t be the only point of discussion, but they will help define the dialogue.

Cirque du Soleil

The Steps a Designer Takes

Takes on the project Reads the Script

Steps Continued… Researches the play or film

– Who was/is the author?– What else did he/she write?– When did he/she live?– When was the play/screenplay written?– What was going on politically, artistically, in

fashion, in theatre, in the world etc…– Have there been other productions? What

were they like?– What’s been written or said about this work?

Steps Continued…

Analyzes the Script– Place and Locale– Time Period– Themes– Mood– Messages, hidden meanings– Scenic Style– Social Status of Characters– Movement of Actors– Entrances and Exits– Set/Scene/Location Changes

The Play’s the ThingIn the collaborative process, keep the focus on what is “good for the play.” Creative tension and differences of opinion can be the seed of great collaboration, but it is important to keep the focus on what is necessary for the succss of the play.

Great collaborative forces colliding together, should not be an impasse, but rather should create energy that takes the project in a new direction.

Director’s Idea Designer’s Idea

NewIdea

Steps Continued…

Creative Collaboration: Discusses research, analysis, findings and personal opinions on the work with the director and the other designers.

Takes Direction from the Director Artistic Vision is solidified Study the Performance Space

Proscenium Stage

Proscenium

Thrust Stage

In the Round / Arena

Black Box / Multipurpose

Open Air Theatre

Steps Continued…

Sources of inspiration– Painters– Photographers– Sculptors– Architects– Nature– Storefronts– Interior Decorators– Animators– Magazines

Places of Inspiration– Library– Bookstore– Museum– Internet– Fashion Stores/Malls– Outdoors/Nature

Steps Continued… Now the hands-on designing begins!

– Tools to create and communicate:• Collages• Sculptures• Rough Sketches/Thumbnail Sketches• Paintings• Rough/White Models• Storyboard• Photos/Photomontages• Computer-aided designing tools

White Model

Steps Continued…

Discuss, meet, argue, negotiate, figure it out, compromise with Director, Technical Director, other Designers, Producers, Writers, Artistic Directors etc…

Come up with Final Design

Steps Continued… Communicate Final Design

– Final Scale Model– Technical Drawings– Final Budget– List of Props and Drawings of them– Final Drawings– Final Storyboard– Finalized list of locations– Finalized critical path (timeline/calendar)

Steps Continued…

Oversee construction, painting, assembling, sewing, sculpting etc…

Oversee filming Oversee Tech Rehearsals Fine Tune details Attend the wrap party and maybe assist

with the strike!

Groundplans

The groundplan serves as the machine of the play. It provides obstacles and tension for the actors; it enhances the use of levels and depth for the director; and it serves as a “playground” on which the play unfolds during rehearsals.Some important rules of thumb for working on the groundplan:Find lots of interesting diagonals;Create spaces that are important to individual characters;Create tension through obstacles whether they are pieces of furniture, stairways, stumps or simply interesting levels.

Defining this “playground” is as important as deciding what it will look like in elevation.

Elements and Principles of Design

Color Shape Form Line Texture Space

Balance Contrast Proportion Emphasis Rhythm Unity

The drawing here provided a sense of silhouette and shape.

The complexity of a sailing vessel also invigorated the discussion of groundplan.

The designer took the idea of a “voyage” and returned with visuals that captured a sense of history as well as aesthetics.

Artwork and Discussion

Early sketches, imagined loosely on the Rep façade, began the process of placing the abstract ideas of sailing into a concrete space.

The Move from Discussion to Design

The next step in the process of creating the visual world brought the work back to more concrete concerns. How would the sails and rat lines relate to the existing doors; where would elements tie off for safety reasons; could this be accomplished with the two hour turn-around for rep sets?

At this step the Groundplan is still neutral except for a painting idea in the center.

As the discussions became increasingly concrete, details of how the set would work became greater and greater. In this image, the director’s notes and questions to the designer line the right margin of the sketch.

An additional platform was added so that actors creating sound effects could play in full view of the audience and for more space. On the downstage edge, nautical elements were added to create the sense of docks.On the façade, masts and rat lines were created to give the appearance of sails.

As discussions of the groundplan evolved, some unique changes were made to the existing façade.

Groundplan

Solidifying Designs

This final sketch incorporatesGroundplan and visual ideas.

Once the overall world of the play had gelled, the designer created individual sketches for the 10 or so unique scenes.

In some cases John would create a sketch that the actors and director would imitate in rehearsal and in other situations John would create his sketch after seeing early improvisational work.

This interface of scenic designer and actors within rehearsal is a wonderful opportunity to enhance the entire process.

Final Renderings

Throughout the process, the use of simple sketches and a continuous flow of ideas made this project a success.

Final Design

Final Design