Set Design Notes


Drama - Set Design Expressionistic or Symbolic or Minimalistic
What mood is created by the designs?

1. Symbolic - Not Realistic Always being watched

2. Perspective - big sun Sunset on East Africa Calm and peaceful mood Makes you feel small... Nature is bigger

3. Scary - trees looming above the walls Winter feeling (cold atmosphere) Ghost, sinister Central focus - Black Window Contrast between colors (red, black)

4. Lot of light Ship - levels Lights - stars Action

5. Small performance space Warm and cozy Color scheme - welcoming - red England or US Wealthy house ornaments

6. Frozen Extremely Simplistic Cloth hanging down at the back Blue color scheme - Frozen Symbolic Simple - looking at ONLY key themes Musical Open space

7. 1940s - type of furniture, Corner - focus section Poverty - small edge, cramped Green - envy Naturalistic style - but not natural

8. Urban location New York - stairs, trolley Water or reflection - symbolic Smaller than open nature Storms Nature is more powerful Color scheme - red house safe, blue water outside scary

9. Not naturalistic Cut outs Symbolic Gangsters - 1950s

10. Expressionistic - showing an emotion Feelings Red, purple Nature is overpowering everyone Questions to think about: (Set designer) Levels Entrance & Exit Geographical location Time period (props, furniture, color)

Themes Realistic: accurate details, real Symbolic: objects - specific meaning Expressionistic: projects emotions, feeling of something (emotions: happy, sad, angry) Composite: lightings used, different locations Scale: size of props, furniture (changing mood) Choosing colors: color scheme of furniture, lights, materials (wooden) Scenic effects: flats, acoustics, trucks, etc. Set: stage, wings, etc.

Design decisions are made based on two things:

·      The text (The script/screenplay)
·      The style and vision of the production. This is dictated by the director of the play/musical/film.

All decisions about the design should be based on the text:

What does the text say exactly about what kind of space it is and what needs to be in the space?

[V for Vendetta (space on stage) – Large space because there are too many demands: large fight scenes.
Levels to show the space is bigger than it actually is.]

Raked seating – Arena seating: concerts – Thrust stage

What does the text say generally about the historical and geographical context?
Research what the place looked like, the condition of the place where the play happens. What forces of weather may have acted on it?
Objects: Show time of day, time of year.

Each photo is of a government office: Each of them are different, depending on which country the set is in. (Objects, furniture, color, space, levels): Important to make the set look believable: conditions to show your economic standing, conditions, weather, etc.

Representation: Color, form, shape, tone, feeling.
How do want the audience to feel? How does the design make you feel?

Anachronism: Set of 1970s – Using a phone (On purpose) To make a comment
Roman performance with gladiators, with someone driving in with a car.


Comments

  1. Anonymous16 January 2017 at 20:38

    Good summary of today's lesson content. You can always undertake your own further research if there is an area you would like to know more about, or go to the theatre and experience them for yourself!

    ReplyDelete

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