SET DESIGN

+ MODEL SETS

 

director’s concept:

1.)  the unique way a director tells a staged story.

2.)  the central creative idea that unifies the artistic vision of a production.

3.)  a director’s personal interpretation of HOW                to show a play/musical’s message.

Day 12 (Monday, January 26, 2015):

  1. 1.Reviewed class motto and learning goal for the week.

  2. 2.Ms. Price detailed schedule for the week:  Days 1 & 2 = Classroom; Days 3-4 = 1/2 class in classroom & 1/2 class in scene shop (each group gets one day in each location)

  3. 3.Ms. Price collected1.) “Needs of the Script”, and 2.)  Inspiration Images from “Research”.

  4. 4.Students watched the following videos for Inspiration of how a concept is brought to life on stage.  (Ms. Price asked for students to jot answers, while watching, to the questions asked on this HANDOUT in their Design Journals - if ABSENT, be sure to print handout, watch videos, and respond in your DJ!)

  5. 5.Video #1:   The Lion King - Behind the Scenes part 1 (watch whole video)

  6. Video #2:   The Lion King - Behind the Scenes part 2 (watch to 1:27)

  7. Video #3:   Beauty & the Beast Backstage - part I of 3 (watch whole video)

  8. Video #4:   Beauty & the Beast Backstage - part 2 of 3 (watch to 2:26)

  9. 6.Homework:  None unless you have not yet completed 1.) “Needs of the Script” & 2.) Inspiration Images (see last week’s homework for explanations of these two things!)  Neither will be accepted for credit after next class!!!



Day 13 (Wednesday, January 28, 2015):

  1. 1.Reviewed class motto and learning goal for the week.

  2. 2.Ms. Price allowed students to express who they would like as a “Permanent Partner” in class/scene shop.  Students filled out THIS HANDOUT and turned in.  (If ABSENT, be sure to print & complete!)

  3. 3.Ms. Price provided students with LAST CHANCE to turn in 1.) “Needs of the Script”, and 2.)  Inspiration Images from “Research”.

  4. 4.Watched an example of taking a director’s concept and translating it to design: A Midsummer Night’s Dream @ GCU - Director’s Concept/Set Design (2:39)
























  1. 5.Discussed “Next Step” in design (after determining theme & doing research) = determine YOUR interpretation of the show and WRITE YOUR DIRECTOR’S CONCEPT (i.e. Production Concept).  Discussed how it is the CONCEPT that drives design CHOICES.  (not the other way around!)

  2. 6.Before working on writing director’s concept, Ms. Price asked students to fill in the blanks in the following statement in order to illuminate what you REALLY think about the show you’re designing for (this activity helps determine your personal interpretation of the show):  The Wizard of Oz is a story about ________________ & ___________________...and __________________ ultimately [wins / loses] because the story wants to teach us [that] _____________________________________________________. (If ABSENT, be sure to do this activity in your Design Journal)

  3. 7.Students worked on writing their own design concepts (with their design partners) for The Wizard of Oz.  Remember...Design Concepts:

  4. ★ should get at the HEART OF THE MEANING of the show

  5. ★ should “hint” at the overall LOOK/FEEL/MOOD/STYLE/METAPHOR that will best communicate the show’s themes

  6. ★ should NOT be too “wordy” (try to keep to one sentence)

  7. ★ should NOT be a plot summary (

  8. 8.Students learned some new tool names and completed this HANDOUT (various hand tools).  If ABSENT, be sure to print and bring to class - get information from your partner, if you don’t know the names of these tools!

Homework:  Finish writing director’s concept statement before next class!



Day 14-15 (Thursday, January 29 - red group / Friday, January 30 - green group):

  1. 1.Reviewed class motto and learning goal for the week.

  2. 2.Ms. Price passed back “Needs of the Script” assignment (for those who did it)

  3. 3.Ms. Price assigned “Permanent Partners” and discussed how they would be assessed when working in the scene shop.  (Purpose of Permanent Partners = safety, double-checking, & quality!)

  4. 4.(1/2 of class went to scene shop)

  5. 5.After writing “Director’s Concept”, design begins!

  6. 6.Watched “Wicked Scenery:  The Oz Head”.  (What did designers use as inspiration?  What materials were used in building the real Oz head?  Notice set drawings and models.)  Also watched “Wicked Backstage” (up to 1:00) and finally,  “Designing the Wizard of Oz (1:42)  (Notice models shown.  How can models help actors, designers, choreographers, & technicians?)








































































  1. 6. After discussing what students noticed about the use of model sets (in the videos above), Ms. Price asked “What SKILLS would be needed/helpful if building a MODEL set?”

  2. 7.Ms. Price introduced students to building a model “to scale”.  Introduced “Scale Ruler” and explained that before we can work in scale, we must know the REAL dimensions of our stage.  (Since students’ design projects will be designed for OUR stage.)

  3. 8.Students worked (with partner) to measure the following, using THIS HANDOUT: 

  4. ★width of proscenium

  5. ★plaster line to cyc

  6. ★plaster line to apron’s farthest point

  7. ★main to first set of legs

  8. ★main to second set of legs

  9. ★main to third set of legs

Homework:  Finish writing director’s concept if you haven’t already.


(Snow Days on Monday, February 2 & Tuesday, Feb 3 = 3-day week)


Day 16: (Wed., Feb 5 Due to 2 snow days / Thursday, February 6 Due to 2 snow days):

  1. 1.Reviewed class motto and learning goal for the week.

  2. 2.(1/2 of class went to scene shop)

  3. 3.Checked OHS theatre measurements taken last class.

  4. 4.Discussed how building a model set requires that you know how to work in scale.

  5. 5.Ms. Price introduced students to scale rulers and how to use them.

  6. 6.Ms. Price passed out this HANDOUT to students and had them work to measure in scale.  (If ABSENT, print and bring to class.  But first, watch this VIDEO of how to read a scale ruler - in 1/4 inch scale.  This will catch you up.)

  7. 7.Students drew a groundplan of the OHS stage in 1/4” scale.  (This will be used when designing your model set.)

Homework:  Finish writing director’s concept if you haven’t already.


Day 18: (Wed., Feb 5 Due to 2 snow days / Friday, February 6 Due to 2 snow days):

  1. 1.Reviewed class motto and learning goal for the week.

  2. 2.(1/2 class went to scene shop)

  3. 3.Reviewed groundplan:  a scaled, “bird’s eye” drawing of a theatre space (and set plan)

  4. 4.Ms. Price showed an example of a groundplan drawn for one of her previous shows, Once On This Island:

                            groundplan                                                        actual set



  1. 5.Ms. Price gave a quick assessment for which each student had to measure four different lines in different scales...to determine who has mastered this required skill and who hasn’t.  (Individualized help will be given to those who have not, until they reach mastery.)

  2. 6.Students finished their groundplans in pairs.

  3. 7.Reviewed design process, and how once you have read the script (and determined the NEEDS for the set), and you have created a DESIGN CONCEPT and sought INSPIRATION, then you can begin with what Ms. Price calls “napkin sketches”.  These are quick idea sketches - not to scale, and not neat and pretty...just getting your design ideas on paper!  (Before starting sketches, circle 2-3 words in your design concept that are significant.  Let those words/ideas drive your design choices/sketches!)
















  1. 8.The remainder of class was spent gluing students’ inspiration images into their design journals and, if time, beginning “napkin sketches” in their design journals.  (If ABSENT, click on “napkin sketches” above, print, & create your own!)

Homework: 

Notice inspiration everywhere!  :)


Day 20: (Monday, February 9 / Thursday, February 12):

  1. 1.Reviewed class motto and learning goal for the week.

  2. 2.(1/2 class went to scene shop)

  3. 3.Ms. Price passed back Scale Ruler handout (graded) & Groundplan (includes notes from teacher)

  4. 4.Watched a video (Mary Poppins), for inspiration on how to handle design challenges smartly & creatively:

























  1. 5.Reviewed [Set] Design Process (pictured above) and reviewed “napkin sketches” (i.e. making your ideas visible!)

  2. 6.Reminder:  Before starting sketches, circle 2-3 words in your Design Concept that are significant.  Let those words/ideas drive your design choices/sketches!

  3. 7.Students finished gluing inspiration pics in Design Journals and continued to work on napkin sketches.

  4. 8.(While students were working, Ms. Price met with students who have not yet mastered scale.)

Homework: 

Notice inspiration everywhere!  :)


Day 21: (Wednesday, February 10 = Ms. Price sick / Friday, February 13):

  1. 1.Reviewed class motto and learning goal for the week.

  2. 2.(1/2 class went to scene shop)

  3. 3.Students finished gluing inspiration pics in design journals & finshed 2-3 napkin sketches.

  4. 4.Students had to meet with “3 and me [Ms. Price]” to have their design ideas challenged. 

Homework: 

Notice inspiration everywhere!  :)


Monday, February 16, 2015 = Mid-Winter Break

Wednesday, February 18, 2015 = all crew to scene shop (Ms. Price sick)

Thursday, February 19, 2015 = No School (extreme temps)

Friday, February 20, 2015 = No School (extreme temps)

Monday, February 23, 2015 = No School (extreme temps)


Day 22: (Tuesday, February 24 - all students stayed in class - Mr. G. gone)

(Due to all the sick & snow days, this was a catch-up day for students & Ms. Price.  Today’s Focus = having students’ design ideas challenged by Ms. Price personally so that design decisions can be finalized before starting model set.)

Homework: 

Adjust your napkin sketches per Ms. Price’s feedback


Day 23-25: Wednesday, February 25, 2015  - Friday, February 27, 2015

(if students already conferenced with Ms. Price for their design, they could go to scene shop)


Day 26-29:  Monday, March 2, 2015 - Friday, March 6, 2015

(students could choose if they wanted to work on their model set or work in scene shop - model sets due March 25!)


Day 30-33:  Monday, March 9, 2015 - Friday, March 13, 2015

(students could choose if they wanted to work on their model set or work in scene shop - model sets due March 25!)

























































 

Alice in Wonderland

The Diary of Anne Frank