Scenic Design

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Scenic Design

• Designing Scenery for Theatre and Film

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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.

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Desire Under the Elms
The Man Who Married A Dumb Wife
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What is a set designer?

• Architect
• Interior Decorator
• Painter
• Artist
• Historian (politics,arts,fashion,architecture,lite
  rature,theatre,film)
• Sculptor
• Model Maker
• Draftsperson
• Graphic Artist
• Schmoozer
• Detective
• Salesperson

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Eugene Lee- Wicked
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Robert Wilson- Die Zauberflute
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Cirque du Soleil
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Hierarchy of the Set Designer
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The Steps a Designer Takes

• Takes on the project
• Reads the Script

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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?
• Whats been written or said about this work?

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Aaaaah!
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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

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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

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Proscenium Stage
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Proscenium
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Thrust Stage
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In the Round / Arena
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Black Box / Multipurpose
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Open Air Theatre
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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

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Eeeeeeeeek!!!!!!
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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

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White Model
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Photomontage
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Collage
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Collages
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Collages
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Photomontage
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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

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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)

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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!

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Elements and Principles of Design

• Color
• Shape
• Form
• Line
• Texture
• Space

• Balance
• Contrast
• Proportion
• Emphasis
• Rhythm
• Unity

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Color Hots and Colds
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Color and Shape in Design
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Line, color, shape, form
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Color, emphasis, line, texture