Set Design and Construction: what would you include in a set design class?

what would you include in a set design class?

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Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Set Design and Construction
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URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3390
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Topic: what would you include in a set design class?

Posted By: concretejello
Subject: what would you include in a set design class?
Date Posted: 8/26/08 at 5:46pm

i'm a high school teacher, and will be teaching a set design course this year. have a considerable amount of mural painting experience, and experience on music video shoots, but no set designs...

what would you recommend to include in a foundation set design class, for high school students? we'll be working on the designs and scale model, but another construction class will later construct it.
any tips and direction would be really helpful and appreciated

by the way, we're doing Cyrano de Bergerac (which i love!)

Replies:

Posted By: JoeMc
Date Posted: 8/26/08 at 9:38pm

These sites may help;-

http://www.artslynx.org/theatre/design.htm - http://www.artslynx.org/theatre/design.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scenic_design - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scenic_design

Besides the different styles of theatre stages from the Proscenium, introduction by Inigo Jones of the Prscenium used in Italian architecture of theatrons. To theatre in the round & so on.

Set & Scenoligy & the mechanics of presentation from script, concept & functionality.

History of stage design thru to the more modern & even off the wall designs.

Mise enscene covering the complete picture, including costumes, scenery, props & lighting palettes.

The process from concept to the finished product, budgeting, management & operation.

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[western] Gondawandaland
"Hear the light & see the sound!
TOI TOI CHOOKAS
{may you always play to a full house!}

Posted By: whitebat
Date Posted: 8/27/08 at 7:14pm

Well... here's some things I would like to get out of a set design class

1. How to design sets so they'll work with the lighting in our theatre (colors, shadows, etc.)

2. Different ways to build flats, advantages & disadvantages (cost, durability, etc.)

3. Building other "standard" set items (platforms, stairs, furniture)

4. Building "non-standard" set elements (e.g. a "cave", rocks, organic objects)

5. Durability vs. Movability in scenic elements

Can you fly in sets, use wagons, etc. at your theater?

Posted By: KEB54
Date Posted: 9/02/08 at 2:58pm

That's a tough one. For HS kids I guess I'd start with ensuring they understood theatre basics (upstage, downstage, theatre terms, role of the dirtector, role of the set designer, ...)

Then I'd talk to them about reading the script and getting the clues from it. Breaking the script into scenes and what is required set-wise in that scene.

Then working with the director about common vision/style/period. Is Cyrano going to be modern or period; realistic or representational, etc.? Maybe just basically touching on color and texture.

Then discuss limitations of budget, skills, time, and facility plant, that is, you can't be too fancy without the budget; can't make intrucate things your builders don't know how to build; can't make a huge set without the time; can't fly scenery without a fly system; etc.

It may be that a Cyrano set is nothing more than set unit boxes and wall pieces that are moved around and then dressed with furniture, etc.

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KEB

Posted By: avcastner
Date Posted: 10/01/08 at 7:33pm

I would look for a good textbook, like Parker and Smith's Scene Design and Stage Lighting. It's pricey but worth it.

Other ideas . . . stress designing with a small budget in mind. In hard economic times, many people don't have money to see a play, so you're ticket sales will be down. Also, if you get a budget from the school, it will be cut to ensure that teachers still have jobs.

Teach them how to analyze a script and draw symbolic images from it before putting anything to paper. Visual brainstorming sessions resulting in collages are also great to start them.

Make them really read the script!

When checking their work, check the internet for images of the same play and youtube to make sure they haven't just recreated someone else's design. (High schooler are notorious for these types of shortcuts.)

If your background is in painting, spend time teaching them the techniques of going from a small image to painting on a backdrop or flat. Many times in amateur and educational theatre, the designer is depended upon to be the lead scenic painter.

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