Ever wondered what the role of a set designer, lighting designer, sound designer and projection designer and the steps these creatives take to develop and integrate their designs for a production. How the production manager supports all of the creative team and especially the design team to realise all the elements of a production. This Behind the Curtain – Technical Production online video-based program will provide you with a rich source of information to build your confidence and understanding of the professional theatre making process. It comes with interviews with professional designers, templates and checklists, and a clear pathway to get you from concept all the way through to the opening night!
Total duration of all videos combined is approximately 4.5 hours
Topics covered in this video course:
| LIGHTING | |
| Preamble / Module Overview | |
| The importance of lighting design | |
| Providing support to narrative, defines the world / atmos of work, accompany actors, isolate areas & time, highlight, can be a part of the design elements, special effects, magical moments | |
| Key Deliverables of a Lighting Designer | |
| Understand and master script | |
| Input into creative design | |
| Develop cue synopsis | |
| Lighting Plan & plot | |
| Delivery of final paperwork (plans, focus notes, cue synopsis, and show data) | |
| Understanding budget | |
| Where does a lighting designer typically start process? | |
| Script breakdown, creative discussions with director and what shapes those discussions, Identify the “worlds”, vision of director & style of work, other creatives / other design elements, scene-by-scene breakdown | |
| Cue Synopsis Development | |
| The Language of lighting design | |
| Focus, plot, beam angles, LX fixtures, LX bars, grids etc | |
| Communication between director and designer (mood, timing, fade times etc) | |
| Cues | |
| Closer look / breakdown / development of a LX cue synopsis | |
| The importance of cue structure | |
| Timing & Transitions / working with other mediums | |
| Focus | |
| Reason and importance of a focus | |
| Tools of a focus | |
| Method of a focus | |
| Every space if different / refocus required if touring / consideration in plan for touring / who is invloved in focus | |
| Plot | |
| Reason and importance of a plot / what is a plot | |
| Paper / Dry Plot | |
| Plot process | |
| Tools of a plot / language of a plot | |
| The Tools of Lighting design | |
| Lighting plans / Software | |
| Colour Charts / Gels / Intensity | |
| Custom Plans vs House Rigs | |
| Technology | |
| Intelligent vs Conventional | |
| LED vs Conventional | |
| Control Equipment (consoles etc) | |
| Data, Dimmer Racks & Channels etc | |
| Industry Chat | |
| SOUND DESIGN | |
| Preamble / Module Overview | |
| The Importance of sound design | |
| Providing support to narrative, accompany actors on a journey / Emotionally trigger audience, range of sound & effects on humans | |
| Key Deliverables | Understand and master script |
| Input into creative design | |
| Develop a cue synopis | |
| Deliver a sound plan & plot | |
| Source / Create / Curate / Edit, program and deliver audio content | |
| Delivery of final paperwork and plans | |
| Where does a sound designer typically start their process? | |
| understanding the script | |
| Understanding the source of noise | |
| The Tools of sound design | |
| Software | |
| Recording and composing | |
| Working with other mediums | |
| Sound and lighting working together | |
| Video and sound working together | |
| Cue Structure & Plot | |
| Importance and reason for plotting audio | |
| Audio plot process | |
| Audio plot tools (cue synopsis, ensuring files are ready and in right format etc) | |
| Technology | |
| Spot speakers / isolating sound | |
| Interfaces / splitting sounds | |
| Budget Implications | |
| APRA – Availability & contact, Recording studio costs, Original arrangements, Musician costs, | |
| Industry Chat | |
| PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT | |
| Preamble / Module Overview | |
| Key Deliverables of Production Management | |
| The role of a production manager | |
| Scheduling (what to include, what to look out for, including the needs of creatives and director | |
| Managing physical delivery of project | |
| Development of technical spec | |
| Standard / Average Venue Costings | |
| Venue Liaison | |
| Production Schedule Management | |
| How to develop / where to start | |
| Key items to include / key considerations | |
| Venue inclusions / considerations | |
| Production Budget Management | |
| The importance of agreed / solid budgets | |
| How to develop / where to start / handy tips / key items to include / the beauty of sub budgets feeding into main budgets | |
| Risks to monitor | |
| Template example | |
| Managing the process | |
| How to continually track process (production meetings etc) | |
| Reporting to company management | |
| Producer Overview | Flow chart |
| VIDEO DESIGN | |
| The Importance of video design | |
| Where does video design typically start | |
| Cue synopsis | |
| Technology | |
| Projection, LED screens and mapping | |
| STAGE MANAGEMENT | |
| Key deliverables of a SM | |
| Tools of stage management | |
| Prompt Copy / Record keeping |
| SET DESIGN / COSTUMES | |
| The importance of set designers / costumes designers | |
| Design Process | |
| Design Presentations | |
| Model Boxes | |
| The tools of set design / costume design | |
| Mood boards, CAD software, 3D vis | |
| Working with other mediums | |
| Lighting, colours | |
| Build & Implementation | |
| Budget management | |
| Engaging 3rd parties |
