PRODUCTION DESIGN

 A note about the theatre process from Production Design:

After the initial presentation of the Directorial Concept, the designers part their ways individually and try to blend their own ideas of the play with the unifying element of the Directorial or Production Concept.

During this time of reflection, the designers will take their own approach to the production by writing a short Design Statement (even key words or concepts taken from the Directorial Concept is enough), in which they will explain how their contribution will help to tell the story, always inside the bigger umbrella of the Production Concept. By having a direction, the conversations can be more specific.

Then with the Production and the Design Concept in mind, the designer will look for images that will support those ideas. Pictures from the past production, or other media, nature, pictures of art, quick sketches, quick drawings, color or fabric swatches etc will be collected.

The first response to the Directorial or Production Concept should be low key and informal since this is the start the collaborative process of the designers and their conversations. In this first meeting, we are trying to set the direction and the unity of the show. each designer will talk briefly and show images that reflect their approach with the Production Concept in mind. The directorial presentation words and images are in the Director's folder in the drive if a refreshment of ideas is needed.

After this first meeting, the agenda of the following meetings will be elaborated by the stage manager that will lead the meetings with the necessities of the production in mind. Here is an example of a production's Production Metting, as I said to be taken with a grain of salt since every production is different: (The documentation's datelines of the individual designs can be found in the Production Calendar in the main folder of the Show)

Prior to 1st Production Meeting

- Director or Artistic Director Presentation. Conceptualization
- Production Presentation. Budget and Scheduling
- Identify and elaborate a plan to address special needs (i.e. Projections, Rentals…)
- Contextual and Conceptual Research Response from Scenic, Costume and Publicity
- Choose Palette, Textures, Materials, Techniques
- Elaboration of Basic Documentation from Scenic, Costume and Publicity

1st Production Meting (Eight weeks to opening)

(One Production meting a week unless otherwise needed)
- Scenic Concept Finalized. Presentation
- Publicity Discused
- Lighting Discussed
- Sound Discussed
- Props Discussed
- TD Check In

2nd Production Meeting

- Costume Concept Finalized. Presentation
- Publicity Plan Concept Finalized. Presentation
- Scenic Fix
- TD Check IN
- Cast Check
- Poster Design Finalized
- Lighting Discussed
- Sound Discussed

3rd Production Meeting

- Lighting Design Finalized
- Prop Design Finalized
- Sound Discussion
- Poster Fix
- Prop Fix
- Scenic and Costume Progress Review

4th Production Meeting

- Sound Design Finalized
- Publicity Design Review
- Scenic, Costume, Lighting, Prop Review and Fix

5th Production Meeting

- Scenic, Costume, Lighting, Sound, Prop, Publicity Progress
Check, Review and Fix

6th Production Meeting

- Scenic, Costume, Lighting, Sound, Prop, Publicity Progress
Final Check, Review and Fix

7th Production Meeting
- Paper Tech
- Tech Week Review and Final Detailed Plan

Stages of the designs during the production process. Sample

Commitment→Analysis→Research→Incubation→Selection→Implementation→Evaluation

Typical designer’s tasks during the steps of the process:

Commitment: Elaborate a realistic calendar for your work. Meet the components of the Production Team. Find out the level

of experience, working styles, and expectations. 

Analysis:  Focus on analyzing the play. Converse with the Director and other designers and bounce discoveries and interpretations. Read dramaturgical studies.

Research: The world of the play and the Production Concept both. Translate research into elements and principles of design.

Choose key images and rehearse your presentation for the team.

Incubation:  Reflect on your choices and be an active listener, searching for successful design choices that will improve storytelling.

Implementation: Produce the documentation needed to realize your and others' designs. Distribute timely and be ready and available to answer questions.

Evaluation: Double-check the parts of the design that are implemented and their fit with the total of your design and the

whole of the production.

Prior to 1st Production Meeting:

• Director Individual Meetings:

Scenic: Commitment→Analysis→Research

Costume: Commitment→Analysis

Publicity: Commitment

• Directors Presentation:

Scenic: Incubation

Costume: Analysis→Research

Props: Commitment→Analysis 

Publicity: Analysis

Lighting: Commitment→Analysis

Sound: Commitment→Analysis

Make Up: Commitment→Analysis

• Designers Response:

Scenic: Selection

Costume: Research→Incubation

Publicity: Research

Props: Analysis→Research

Lighting: Analysis→Research

Sound: Analysis→Research

Make Up: Analysis→Research 

1ST Production Meeting:

Scenic: Implementation

Costume: Selection

Publicity: Incubation

Props: Analysis→Research

Lighting: Analysis→Research

Sound: Analysis→Research

Make Up: Analysis→Research

2nd Production Meeting: 

Scenic: Implementation

Costume: Implementation

Publicity: Implementation

Props: Incubation

Lighting: Incubation

Sound: Research

Make Up: Research

3rd Production Meeting:

Scenic: Implementation

Costume: Implementation

Publicity: Implementation

Props: Implementation

Lighting: Implementation

Sound: Incubation

Make Up: Incubation

4th Production Meeting:

Scenic: Implementation

Costume: Implementation

Publicity: Implementation

Props: Implementation

Lighting: Implementation

Sound: Implementation

Make Up: Implementation

5th Production Meeting: 

Scenic: Evaluation

Costume: Evaluation

Publicity: Evaluation

Props: Evaluation

Lighting: Implementation

Sound: Implementation

Make Up: Implementation

6th Production Meeting: 

Scenic: Implementation

Costume: Implementation

Publicity: Implementation

Props: Implementation

Lighting: Evaluation

Sound: Evaluation

Make Up: Evaluation

7th Production Meeting: (If Needed)

Scenic: Implementation

Costume: Implementation

Publicity: Implementation

Props: Implementation

Lighting: Implementation

Sound: Implementation

Make Up: Implementation

Post-Mortem: ALL: Evaluation of Process and Product, and Archiving.

Ideas for a Post-Mortem

Theatre Process: Theatre is a collaborative art

“The process of learning is learning the process.”

PROCESS→ LEARNING→PRODUCT→LEARNING

Process = Research, analysis, and Documentation

                   Incubation and Documentation

                   Selection and Documentation

Product = Implementation and Documentation

                    Evaluation and Documentation

Functions of Documentation:

    Communication and Collaboration

Without Documentation:

Miscommunication, Frustration, Amateur theatre, Anxiety, No fun, No growth, Last Minute, Stress,

Tragedies without recognition, Felling of separation, I never do this again, “I wish I never left Nebraska”

About the Performance:

1)    General responses to the acting choices.

- Do you believe the actors in their roles?

- Does the performance help us understand the arc of the show?

- Are actors doing it out of motivation or directed? Are they having fun?

- Playing conditions Vs. action

- Authentic or indicating

- Invested in the acting. Investment.

- Emotional vulnerability.

- How are the stakes, betting high like in poker? Is this a matter of life or death?

- What kinds of choices are they making that hurt or help the characterization?  

- How does the character manifest? Example: how is an old neurotic woman

- How did the actor choice to run the script along

- Can you make your character more interesting?

- Stage business

- Motifs movement, example: Leaning to one side…

- Bold choices, the big stuff, taking risks, piking high apples

- Movement quality

- Vocal quality, register

- Very good energy drivers or Reactors

- What did the actors focus in the rehearsal period?

- Relationships, dialect, Style: Historical, local

- Could they be heard and understood?  

- Memorization

- Delivery of lines

- Clarity

- Pauses

- Diction

- Projecting, felling the space

- Could they stretch/push themselves more in their roles?

- More rehearsal needed?

- Motivation vs. habit

- Physically?

- Text analysis is being done?

- Is this “Deadly theatre” (Artaud”)?

- Do they seem to be working together well as an ensemble?

- Responding to each other, listening and reacting

- Chemistry, helping the other actors. Are the relationships valid and credible?

- Is the Blocking interesting?

2)    General Responses to the Mise’n Scene

 Does the design work?  Is it supporting the story and in what ways?  

Are the different design elements working in tandem with each other or do they feel disparate?

How is the execution of the design?  

How is the staging of the show?  Is it supporting clear storytelling and strong moments?  Does it flow well or feel disjointed? 

Unity

Stealing Focus

Collaboration is achieved in Unity?

Costumes Vs Scenery Vs Light…Sound

PRESS THE BUTTON BELOW TO SEE THE DEADLINE FOR EACH DESIGNER'S DOCUMENTATION