Designers Concept art

Meeting Minutes

19.02.24

Meeting Minutes Design Commission

meeting minutes

Agenda:

1.  Present design brief 1 and discuss

2. Present design brief 2 and discuss

3. Present design brief 3 and discuss

4. AOB

Present: SF, JJ, SG, MC

1. SF presented the design idea that is needed for a forthcoming Musical Production:

Josh, can you please design from this guidance and build the following:

• 1x large theatre flat (Traditional rectangular style, with canvas cover- fireproof material)

• This is needed for multi-use in a musical theatre performance (Our House).

• Between 7 and 8 foot tall

• Between 5 and 6 foot wide

• Needs to be able to fly, or stand if required.

• Suitable for painting for back-drops and for use as additional wing space in the Black Box Taylor Theatre

• Sustainable prop than can be used in future productions and uses recycled materials where appropriate.

• Needs to be stored effectively in the theatre space.

2. SG presented the design idea that is needed for a forthcoming filming project, which will then be a live show:

Misty, could you design and build from the following guidance:

• A rectangular structure, similar to a British red telephone-box, which will represent the external façade of a spacecraft (think very similar to the Tardis, Dr Who)

• Must be usable for filming and for a future stage production version of the story

• Needs to be able to be handled by actors and be easily movable by a small team or individual (on wheels preferred)

• Needs to be able to take the weight of one main actor

• Between 6-7 feet in height

• Height to be linked to the main actor measurements.

• Wooden structure for main body and suitable for painting – Keep structure light by using alternative materials for walls

• Think sustainability, use recycled materials where able.

• Gadgets and attachments that represent controls and includes lighting

3. MC presented the design idea that is needed for a forthcoming filming project, which will then be a live show:

Sam, could you design and build from the following guidance:

• A control consul for a sci-fi film set spacecraft (think very similar to the Tardis, Dr Who)

• It needs to look like early prototype, slightly rustic design and style

• Must be usable for filming and for a future stage production version of the story

• Needs to be able to be handled by actors and be easily movable by a small team or individual.

• Between 4 and 6 foot wide

• Height to be linked to the main actor measurements.

• Wooden structure for main body and suitable for painting

• Gadgets and attachments that represent controls and includes lighting and be interactive

A general discussion followed to clarify points of detail

4. JJ asked about a possible trip to the scrap store and other DIY shops for materials. This will be agreed through teams arrangement

Next meeting will be Monday 11th March

11.03.24

Meeting Minutes Construction production

Meeting Minutes

Present: Sam Gwilliam, Josh Jarvis, Charlotte Rich, Misty Coates, Sonia Friend

Agenda:

1.Apologies

2. Designers briefs clarification and updates/ Actions

3. Progress check and updates/ Actions

4. A.O.B

1. No apologies received

2. General discussion on the design briefs and progress so far. MC reported that her design had been finalised and agreed (with designer Sam) with a variation from original brief. the walls have now become fabric based for weight and balance . SG mentioned that he had redeveloped the shape of the structure (agreed with designer Misty), and is making it taller and more narrow than original drawing for balance and design purposes. JJ is keeping to original stage flat design.

3. SG has completed lower wheel base and framing and plans to add flourishes using recycled electricals on Friday of this week. MC has completed full frame and undercoat and is awaiting a second delivery of paint to complete painting. The topper piece should be completed by Friday. JJ has completed construction of his flat, canvas is attached and primed. He is planning to do a first test paint of Our House logo today and send a copy to the directors for input.

4. JJ raised the Risk assessment, which needs to be updated by all 3 constructors. This will be arranged for this afternoon and for Thursday of this week: He suggested they remember to include fire risk (curtain material, wood, paint etc.), dust inhalation, power tools and tripping) MC needs a trip to the scrap store for a few pieces of cardboard and foam and tiles (Action: Spike Hart , technician)

Next meeting will be Monday 18th March

18.03.24

Meeting Minutes Finale

Meeting Minutes

Present: Sam Gwilliam, Josh Jarvis, Misty Coates, Sonia Friend

Agenda:

1.Apologies

2. Designers briefs updates/ Actions

3. AOB

1. No apologies received

2. General discussion on the design briefs and progress so far. MC reported that her build of the phone box had been completed and was ready for use. SG has signed off on the project and approved if for use in the production. SG has completed his build of the consul and MC has signed off on the project and approved if for use in the production. JJ has completed Flat structure and has done some test painting designs . It will need to be painted over in white to act as a back wall in the sci-fi filming production.

3. College format risk assessment to be finalized by 19th March. Filming to be scheduled after lunch today.

Budget

The budget was about £100 In the end, I ended up spending about £50 -  £12.50 at the scrap store in which I bought bottle caps, foam, test tubes, flasks, red acrylic paint and paint brushes, under £23.00 at B&M and the range together due to buying red matt wood paint and rollers as well as £7.99 at Proper Job in which I bought 10 brackets and a door handle. I bought more paint at the scrap store due to running out of paint after using it all on the fabric panels. I also bought the new handle due to the old one being stiff and not a phone box handle.
There was quite a few paints that were all a matt rich red but I went with the cheapest in the Range. 

Scrapstore: http://www.grcltd.org/scrapstore.html

Receipts

Plan

By 20.02.24-Detach and reattach door to base
By 10.03.24-  Build Frame and Paint fabric
By 14.03.24- Paint white coat on frame
By 15.03.24-  Paint red coat on frame
By 18.03.24- Build topper and put all pieces together onto the frame  and get it approved.
By 21.03.24-  Performance!!

Risk assessment

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1H5V8GV1yReaZDljdoJEMuCuaFwUFFqZi/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107232017825114989377&rtpof=true&sd=true

Fire Risk assessment for filming in studios

Fire precautions in studios are especially important. A Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) carried out under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order will normally be in place for the building in which the studio is situated. This FRA will take into account the fire safety and escape provisions for the studio as a shell unit and will ensure that any onward escape routes are in place and appropriately managed.

The specific risks within the studio itself will be subject to change as new sets, scenes, layouts etc are introduced. The fire safety and means of escape provisions within the studio layout must be suitable and sufficient for members of the production crew, for actors, for talent and for audiences where applicable to be able to make their way out of the set safely so that they can then go on to make use of the escape routes for the building as a whole.

What Can Go Wrong?

Fires Caused by:

• Overheated electrical cables due to overloading circuits or coiled reels

• Incorrect installation or use of electrical equipment

• Damaged, faulty or misused electrical equipment

• Lighting equipment

• Combustible materials too close to heat generating equipment

• Smoking materials, candles and other naked flames

• Special effects

• Production cooking

• Motor vehicles that are brought inside buildings can create the potential for rapid fire development

Persons at risk due to:

• Fire can spread rapidly in untreated set materials

• Fire starting and growing undetected

• Not enough fire exits

• Blocked or restricted exits

• Not knowing how to escape

• Lighting failure in a fire

Legal Requirements

• In England and Wales fire safety legislation is centred on the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order. In Scotland it is the Fire (Scotland Act) and in Northern Ireland it is the Fire Safety Regulations (NI). 

• All sets within the studio must be constructed and managed to ensure the safety in case of fire for all occupants of the studio, whether they be audience members, talent or production crew members. The safety of personnel within the studio is the responsibility of the Production. 

Studio and Set Materials

Timber

Any timber used in construction must be fire retardant. Any materials used as part of the set, scenery and stage must be:

• Non-combustible material such as metal, masonry etc.

• Timber, hardboard or plywood treated by a process of impregnation which meets the ‘surface spread of flame’ rating of Class 1 (BS 476-7) or Class C-s3.d2 (BS EN 13501-1)

• Timber framing of minimum 22mm nominal thickness

• MDF, plywood or chipboard not less than 18mm thick.

Any plywood, hardboard, chipboard or MDF that does not meet the above dimensions must be branded with a recognised stamp to certify the standard of flame retardancy achieved. Where the stamp is not visible, certificates must be obtained by the set designer / set construction company and retained in the production safety file.

Furniture and Bedding

• All furniture and bedding used in must be treated and tested to ensure that it is fire retardant in accordance with BS 7176.

• Notwithstanding the above, if items were purchased after the introduction of the Furniture and Furnishings Regulations in 1988 and are appropriately labelled then it would be reasonable to use these items for the short durations in which they are put to use even though this is a non-domestic setting.

• Any furniture constructed between 1950 and 1988 will contain highly combustible and toxic polyurethane foam and must not be used under any circumstances unless it is treated to a suitable fire retardant standard.

• Any furniture that pre-dates 1950 will not contain polyurethane foam and may be used without additional treatment to the upholstery or covering.

Curtains, Drapes and wall-hangings

All curtains and drapes used within sets must be fire retardant. Any materials used as part of the set, scenery and stage must be:

• Non-combustible material

• Inherently flame retardant fabric

• Durably treated flame retardant fabric

• Fabrics rendered and maintained flame retardant by a non-durable process provided that it is re-applied as appropriate in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions

• Appropriate certificates must be obtained by the set designer and retained in the production safety file

• Some flame retardant treatments may cause dermatitis or irritation to sensitive skins. It may therefore be permissible for sheets in contact with naked skin not to be treated provided that the sheets are kept clear of all potential ignition sources throughout the production

• Wallpaper and any synthetic substitute must be pasted to a flame-resistant surface in a manner which excludes any air space between the material and the surface to which it adheres

• All carpets must conform to BS 4790 (Hot Nut Test)

• Carpets may only be attached to a substrate which conforms with BS 476 Part 7 Class 1 and must be firmly fixed. They should not be used in the vertical plane (other than standard stair risers) unless fire tests have shown that they can be safely used in this way

• Floor paints must be, and (as far as practicable) other paints should be, water based.

Polystyrene

• The use of polystyrene block scenery should be avoided whenever possible. Decorative items and props made of expanded polystyrene must be enclosed by a non-combustible skin of, for example, plastered scrim, Artex or Rosco Foamcoat and care taken that this skin is maintained undamaged.

• The specification for polystyrene light reflecting boards used during filming and stored within the set should be consulted to confirm that the items conform to Class 1 fire retardancy. Where light reflection panels do not meet this standard they should be kept sufficiently away from light units with a high temperature and should not be left unattended when in use.

HEALTH AND SAFETY IN AN EDUCATIONAL SETTING

Conduct a risk assessment to identify any potential hazards in your drama studio or theatre. The inspection should include items such as:

• • the suitability of staging

  • floor surfaces

  • space

  • portable appliances

  • equipment

  • lighting, props and storage of items

  • suitability of areas for special effects, particularly pyrotechnics or smoke machines

  • assessment of any accessibility issues

• Any incidents or near misses must be reported and recorded by relevant staff members.

Code of Conduct

• Ensure that all students and members of staff are wearing suitable footwear and clothing.

• At the end of a lesson or rehearsal,  ensure that all equipment has been rendered safe, any appliances, props, or other items have been stored safely, and all electrical equipment used has been switched off.

Back Stage

• Back stage areas must be kept clear of obstructions.  Where this is unavoidable they should be clearly marked and brought to the attention of the staff and students.

• Ensure that all items are put away after use.

• Provide safe storage for costumes, make-up and similar items.

• Restrict access to the back stage areas at all times – especially when the stage is set for a production – and dissuade other students and family members from crowding in.

Electrical

• All electrical and mechanical equipment should be operated by a qualified and/or experienced operative.

• Electrical equipment should be checked regularly and checks should be recorded.

• Any portable equipment should be given a visual check by the user before use.

• Cables should be kept tidy, securely tied, and properly routed.

Stage Lighting

• Stage lighting must be inspected regularly and must meet the conditions set out in the current regulations.

• Any electrical work must be carried out by a qualified electrician.

Fire

• Make sure that staff, students and the audience are aware of emergency evacuation procedures. 

• All exit routes must be clearly signed, and any emergency lighting should be operative.

• Any stage curtaining must be flame resistant, or treated with flame proofing solution.

Special Effects

• Carry out a risk assessment for any special effects such as, for example, lasers, smoke machines and dry ice. 

• Risk assessment should also ensure that the environment, size of stage or room and proximity to audience is taken into consideration when planning any special effects.

• Make sure that your performers know about any special effects in advance of using them, and that they are aware of where to stand to keep themselves safe.

• Check whether any smoke generated on stage will cause fire alarms to activate automatically where smoke detectors are fitted in the building.

Will strobes or lasers affect any member of your audience who may be sensitive to such effects?

Stage Platforms and Rostra

• Ensure that any stage platforms or rostra are clipped or fastened together securely. 

• Make sure that all scenery, including flats, movable scenery, platforms and free-standing scenery is stable and secure at all times. Check this between each rehearsal and performance. 

Working at Height

• Any activity that involves working at height must be assessed carefully 

• Anyone working at height should use appropriate equipment, positioned safely and correctly, and should be aware of people below – possibly by creating an exclusion zone beneath any work taking place.

What I needed to prevent and how I did so:

Fire:  I used fire retardant and fire treated materials.

Eye damage: To protect your eyes from possible saw dust, I or whoever needed would wear an eye mask.

Inhaling dust: I wore a mask when using any tool for cutting wood.

Cutting yourself: I wore gloves and steel toe capped boots.

Swallowing toxins for example paint:  I used non toxic paint.

Getting crushed: at least 4 people should tip the build if it ever needed to be and it light enough to move with ease with 2. I also used a lot of light weight material when possible to minus the weight for if it were to fall on someone for whatever  reason.

Tripping: Power cords were used for power tools and glue guns so I tapped them down when needed.

I could of done better with having more people helping set up the frame/door building due to it could of possibly collapsed on me or Sam while building. There was also a few time wires weren't always tapped down so that should be more looked into next time.

Phone Box

When I knew I was building a phone box my first thoughts about it was how large this would be, meaning it was also going to be heavy. I knew i had to move it around easy so I decided to make sure it would be on wheels as a first thought. The space this would be using in was the theatre so I had to make sure it could work well in there and be able to be store behind the curtain. I already knew I wanted to reuse something previous students had made. Which was a door on a square platform with wheels on the bottom. However, the door was in the middle of the platform which I knew wasn't going to work. Though I already checked it was taller than the actor going in so it would work perfect as a base! I had a look at other items of material we already owned to help me interpret a design. My first plan was to do a frame out of wood and have the side panels as wood as well. However, after thinking about it, it was already difficult to find enough of wood to fit it but it would also make the build even more heavy which would make it difficult to move even with wheels. So I decided to use wood, fabric, cardboard, and foam that we already had in the theater, this helped reuse things and meant less money spent and being resourceful. The fabric was perfect due to it still having weight to balance out the door and hang nicely however not as heavy as wood so wouldn't make it difficult to move around. 

The door that I needed to move was something I wanted to deal with first. With the help of others, we unbolted the door and moved it to the front of the platform and got it to stay in place with brackets and deep and thick nails drilled into the door frame into the floor panel of wood.

We knew we now needed to weight out the door so we got more wood to use a frames due to it being heavy. I asked Sam for help mostly on the wood parts as his skill set in carpentry was far above my own. The whole frame was built by butt-joints and the help of support from brackets! 

When I decided to use fabric for the side panels, I needed to work out what paint I wanted and I went with matt to give a more realistic finish then glossy!
I also decided to make the top out of lightweight materials and be detachable. The lightness of the material was to not add too much weight so it moves smoothly, detachable so its easier to store as well as can get out the door still! 

Photos

Evaluation/Performance

In the performance we had to get the tardis outside which we discovered taking the top piece off was more fiddly then we thought, this was due to slight measurement mishaps which meant it was forced into place to come off and on, so if I was to do something like this again I'd double take measurements and keep checking as I went along that it fit. Not only that but the topper cardboard folded partially as the paint dried so I'll try to figure out a way to weigh it down without taking the paint off, for example double sided tape! The door also swung open as we tipped the tardis over to get through the door as the top would be tricky to get off. So if something has a door that is being tipped next time I'll have either more, or stronger magnets to keep it shut or another method to do so. We did however, did a good job using 4 people to tip it for safety reasons as with a fourth person they could keep the door shut as the others held a lot more weight then they did. Also with the topper the pieces of wood that you can attach the topper too and remove from had a few pop off when tipping the tardis on the way in, so next time I'll make sure to drill all wood in no matter how small as the hot glue had failed to keep it in place.

What went well was the choice of light and heavy materials as it made it easy to move about and less of a hazard, if it fell or went over someone's foot for whatever reason. I also made the right choice in a matt colour, not only for presentation wise but because if the lighting hits the paint in the recording it could flare or reflect in the camera lens. Another good thing is the wheels on the bottom so it could move smoothly on the theater floor, it not only makes it more easy for who ever moves it but also removes the risk of it falling as someone carries and either hurting an actor, backstage member or breaking. As well as I did a good job at being resourceful and keeping in the budget by using a lot of materials we already had in the theater that were already fire retardant and useful for the build.

In the performance it did what was needed, the actor had enough space to get in and stay inside comfortably and leave easily. It was nice to look at as well and the designer said it was really good and they liked my take on the information given and that it worked how they imagined it to! They enjoyed my choice of no windows compared to a normal phone box, as it separated it from them and made it its own thing but also that I left space for it if it was reused as a phone box people could add them if they wanted to! They also liked how it could fit behind the curtains as storage or in the corner of any room! Both of us can tell it will last a long time and even if the pieces on top snap off again they are a very easy fix with more hot glue!