Production Design

- Establishing proper context (= background) of the play and shaping the

dramatic action (setting, properties, costumes, objects, sound).

Elements of design
- Choices made by the designer intended to have both a conscious and
subconscious effect on the audience.

A. Line – Used to create boundaries and suggest shape

- Create mood and communicate information
Ex.
 Straight lines – stability
 Curved lines – grace, sophistication
 Broken/slanted lines- one where conflict occurs

B. Mass
- Dimension, space, shape
Ex.
 Tall, slender shapes – suggest grandeur
 Low, horizontal shapes – oppression
 Flat shapes – two-dimensional feel
 Three-dimensional – illusion of depth for realism

C. Texture
- Roughness or smoothness of a material
Ex.
 Rough – simplicity, poorness, lack of refinement
 Smooth – grace or refinement

D. Ornament
- Extension of basic design
- Embellishment
- Creation of a visual “motif” or repeated theme

Ex.
Lack of ornaments – simplicity, poorness
Abundance – grace, sophistication, over the top

E. Color
- Defines character
- Colors = qualities
- Can create moods/impressions (cool colors = remoteness or liveliness,
warm colors = sense of security or passion)
*shade – a color’s relationship to black
*tint – a color’s relationship to white
 The color wheel:
 “pigment” color wheel – used by painters (primary, secondary,
tertiary)
 “light” color wheel – used by lighting designer

Set Design

1. Floor Plan – scale drawing that reveals a top view of a set design
2. Preliminary Sketch – initial scale drawing of the proposed set design from
audience’s point of view (pencil, pen). Director can make color decisions,
adjust floor plan.
3. Color rendering – full set drawing in color from the audience’s point of view.
4. Set model – three-dimensional rendering of the proposed set, in scale

Costume Design – analyze four character traits:

 Physical
 Social
 Psychological
 Moral
1. Costume renderings – color drawings of each costume
2. Costume construction – to check whether the costume has an appropriate
effect
3. Costume parade – view completed costumes under stage lights (color of stage
lights could change the color of the costume). One by one, pairs, by groups.

Makeup Design – reveals nature of the character

*The pattern of light – using makeup to create an illusion or correcting or adjusting

the pattern of light and shadow on an actor’s face to adjust their appearance to their
character’s appearance. (Ex. A large forehead would catch light, and cast a shadow
beneath the eyebrows.)

1. Corrective makeup – correct any eccentricities, using light and shadow to

correct facial features that are too large or too small
2. Character makeup – alters appearance to create eccentricities facial features.
(Ex. A young actress acting an older part would need wrinkles)
3. Makeup Morgue – scrapbook containing pictures of faces and facial features
illustrating how the “pattern of light” affects certain facial features
4. Makeup chart – what makeup will be used

Three parts of makeup:

1. Base – initial application to match and deepen the actor’s natural skin tone.
2. Highlight – accentuate the high portion of the actor’s face
 3. Shadow – accentuate the low portions and hidden portions of the actor’s face

Stage Lighting
1. Functions of Stage Lighting
a. Visibility – to make it possible for the audience to see the action. Light
should be eye friendly and not cause strain.
b. Mood – changes color and intensity to match a certain mood (foreboding,
happy)
c. Focus – focus audience’s attention to one point to another
d. Composition – proper distribution of light and shadow
e. Special effects –
ex. Thunderstorm
“strobe effect” – flashing lights in quick intervals,
“chase effect” – lighting areas in a quick sequence

2. Controllable Factors of Light

a. Intensity – relative brightness/dimness of light, affects visibility
 Dimmers – controlled by light board
b. Color –
 Gel – thin flexible sheet put in front of a light, filters out white light
 Light color wheel – red, green, blue as primary colors.
c. Direction – where the light is coming from
 Stage lights hanging above – more natural
 1930’s, Stanley McCandles: A system of three lights hung at 45
degree angles above the actor – creates the most natural
light/shadow patterns on the face.
d. Shape – round spot
*Stage Wash – blending spots together to wash the stage with light
 Shutter – used to control the shape of light
 Barn door
 Snoot/Top Hat
 Gobo – ex. Bat signal
e. Movement –
 “Cross fade” – slowly move from one illuminated area to another
by use of dimmers
 “Chase”
 Follow spot

3. Lighting instruments
 Spot Lights – circle, defines an area
*Ellipsoidal (Lekolite) – creates a sharp spot on the stage
*Fresnel – creates a spot by use of a step lens, creates a soft spot

 Flood lights – use of a lamp and reflector, does not use a lens.
Typically used to introduce color.
 *Scoop
*PAR (Parabolic Reflector) Can – lamp with built in reflector

4. The process of stage lighting design

a. Pre-design process:
Play Reading
Notes for possible light cues
b. Lighting Plot: scale down plot view with light instruments, master plan
for the lighting designer
c. Hanging – lights are positioned according to the lighting plot
d. Patching – process of electrically assigning each instrument to a specific
dimmer
e. Focusing – directing the beam of light into the proper area and adjusting
appropriately
f. Programming cues – where the light changes occur in a script
g. Dry Tech, Wet Tech rehearsals
h. Light Check – prior to each performance to see if everything is working