Set Design and Construction: all black set

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all black set

Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Set Design and Construction
Forum Discription: Post your questions or suggestions about designing or building a set here.
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4950
Printed Date: 10/30/25 at 11:18pm
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Topic: all black set

Posted By: peacock
Subject: all black set
Date Posted: 1/31/11 at 12:09pm

I am directing a play with five very different sets. I am considering using an all black set, then using really vibrant furniture. My problem is that nearly all of my actors are people of color, which means black hair and dark skin. Will they disappear in front of a black set? I would hate to find this out after we build the set.

Replies:

Posted By: Majicwrench
Date Posted: 1/31/11 at 1:55pm

I just did a show with black flats. All white actors, but we dressed in mostly black. It was a wonderful look. I would think the lights should do a fine job of bringing out their faces regardless of color.

If it was me I would paint a couple of flats, throw em up, stick some actors in front and find out. Paint is cheap, and experimenting is sooo much fun!

Posted By: Spectrum
Date Posted: 1/31/11 at 2:06pm

Besides, black people aren't actually black. Like any other group of people, there are variations or 'shades' of pigment (BROWN!) from one individual to another, and I seriously doubt anybody in the audience will fail to see an actor of ANY color in front of an all black set. Actually, it would be a pretty neat trick if you COULD make someone seem 'invisible' in front of a monochromatic set.

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Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional.

Posted By: bmiller025
Date Posted: 1/31/11 at 7:06pm

Speaking as a lighting designer, there are palettes of color that work well for black or dark-skinned actors. In general, I tend to push the most neutral lighting colors into the amber range. This should make their skin tones both appealing and able to stand out from the black background. Keep this in mind when you choose colors for the furniture though. What would read nicely in white light may not work as well in amber light. Definitely play with it! Your designers should have no trouble making all of this work. It sounds like a wonderful project!

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http://www.brianmiller.biz/BrianDesign.htm

Posted By: JoeMc
Date Posted: 1/31/11 at 8:16pm

Paul Robeson comes to mind & the Samioff effect with the use of saturated colours, depending on your show this might be something to thing about?

This is a great effect for changing the colour of costumes & sets instantly at a switch of the lighting.
As suggested the skin tone can change with different colour gels. It's not dramatic as with what Adrain samoiloff achieved, [Russian refugee electro mechanic] in 1920's at the Hippodrome Theatre London with the advent of the Strand Lighting development of the 'Sunray S Batten lighting.

While he turned Robesons black jacket atire to look like green striped pyjamas, his skin colour didn't change, this effect similar to what happens in the Ascot Scene from 'My Fair Lady', where their black & white costumes changed to green stripes.

I believe he also turned the Willow Paten backdrop in the production of 'Choo Chin Chow' into a water fall using only lighting with the colour of the dye & paint pigments.

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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: peacock
Date Posted: 1/31/11 at 8:19pm

My students are South Asian. Of course their skin color is not black, but their thick hair is very black. I was worried most about looking like their faces were floating. But it sounds like I can address those issues with lighting.

Posted By: Ringbo
Date Posted: 6/27/11 at 12:35pm

When we did Annie one of our actors has dark brown hair and I thought it was always hard to see her hair. Her face was very visible but her hair always got lost in the curtain.

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Live each day like its opening nite!