Lesson 5 - Understanding Scripts - 28/11/16

Read a script three times
The first time is a simple read through to just take in the story. The second reading is where the designer would begin to document initial thoughts and questions. The third read through is a more in depth analysis where the designer really starts to come to terms with the themes and ideas of the play.
Questions
1- What is the plot? 2- What is the theme? 3- What is the logic and does it make sense? 4- What is the exposition (context)? 5- What are the complications (drama)? 6- What creates the tension? 7- What is the cause of the action? 8- what is the resulting action? 9- How does it conclude? 10- Protagonist? 11- Antagonist? 12- Most interesting character? 13- Where does it take place?
1- What is the intent of a particular scene? 2- What are the major plot points? 3- What is the climax (turning points?)  4- Resolution? 5- Conclusion? 6- Important lines of dialogue? 7- Who controls the scene? 8- Where does the story change?
Discipline Questions
Time of day?
Target audience?
How long does it run?
Rehearsal period?
House or touring?
Intended style?
How much are you getting paid?
What is you exact job description?
Who are you going to be working with?
How much artistic control do you have?
Big or small crew?
Study Task - Read and Respond to 'Last night on Earth' and 'The Mountain Top'
What would the set designer be looking for?
What would the costume designer be looking for?
What would the lighting designer be looking for?
What would the sound designer be looking for?
The last night of the world
- Set designer
There is not much background information given in this segment so the set designer will primarily be looking at any set descriptions. For example, they would see the 'parlor rug' and so possibly look at sitting rooms and private houses in 1969. This would give some indication on what the average parlor would have looked like.
- Costume
Once again there is very little to go on so the costume designer may want to look at the context they do have. For instance, it is revealed that the male speaker (M) works in an office so it might be assumed that they would be dressed more formally. For the female speaker (F), they could look at how housewives (assumption) dressed in the 1960s and base their designs off of that.
Additionally, we know that they have a parlor and a fireplace. From this, it can be guessed that the couple may be slightly better off than average and so will be dressed accordingly.
- Lighting
The segment appears to be fairly melancholic so the lighting designer could possibly look at softer and more warm colours. Because it is set in a home and not outside, they would want to stick with a more natural colour pallet. There are also references a fireplace, little lights and green hurricane lamps. It would be important to not choose any colours or light that would over power or clash with these. Because fire is forbidden on stage, they would have to look at alternative ways of depicting the glowing embers.
Sound
The scene appears to be mostly silent so the and naturalistic so the designer for sound look for more subtle cues like the radio and the sound of running water.
The Mountain Top
The Lorraine Motel, Memphis, Tennessee
- Set Designer
- Costume Designer
As the show is based off a real historical figure, the costume designer would be able to look at how Martin Luther King, Jr dressed and so base their designs off of that.
When designing Camae's uniform, they would be able to look at the uniforms of people working for The Lorraine Hotel during that time period.
- Lighting Designer
It is revealed early on to be night so the designer would look for ways to depict this. When lighting up the hotel they would likely choose more artificial lighting.
- Sound Designer
The play is set during heavy rainfall.
Plays and Shows
Betrayal - Harold Pinter
The play is set in London and Venice, from 1968 and 1977, with the action takes place in reverse order.
The playing around of time in this piece can become quite confusing, with the audience unsure as to whether or not they are in the future or the past.
To overcome this, Colin Richmond incorporated revolves to serve a thematic purpose. In this production the direction of the rotation would indicate the direction of time travel. For example, a clockwise rotation would mean the play is moving forward in time, while anti clockwise rotation would show that the action is moving backwards in time.
I liked this technique because revolves are usually used to serve a purely functional purpose and this method gave them an added meaning and served to make the story clearer.

Deepcut - Philip Ralph

Deepcut is a perfect example of how stories are used to inspire change within a society. The play tells the the story of four suspicious deaths within the military community base, Deep Cut, between the years of 1995 and 2002. All four deaths were originally ruled as suicides, despite a lot of evidence that points otherwise.
The play caught the attention of Liberty, a charity that aims to promote human rights and civil liberties. With their aid a further investigation was opened to look into the deaths of the soldiers, specifically Cheryl James.
A much larger investigation was held that ultimately ruled that the cause of death for the soldiers being suicide.
In regards of the set specifically I liked the damage done to the wall as it suggested to me that the deaths and the lack of any proper investigation left regular family homes completely destroyed. Initially I had thought that the stains looked almost birdlike, which gave the set an almost animalistic atmosphere. This natural imagery contrasted the brutal nature of the deaths.
A Verbis ad Vebera - From Words to Blows 

This was my favorite of the three third year shows because of it's audience participation and use of rope in an abstract and powerful way. Although I wasn't completely always sure of the plot I felt that the actors gave off a sense of emotion and you were still able to identify with the characters. Personally, I thought that the play relied more on emotion and feeling than actual plot. I liked this effect because it meant that you didn't have to understand what was going on to be able to feel for the characters. It had a form of universal language that made it much more powerful. The lack of any permanent set meant that the audience weren't tied down to a particular set and were able to be taken all round Britain. 
The House of Small Cubes - Kunio Kato

I am including The House of Small Cubes because it is another example of a story that relies on visuals rather than words to convey thoughts and emotions. In this film, the audience is taken on a journey back through time as an old man travels through the floors of his house that have since become flooded. This animation uses different colours to depict different time periods and how they are perceived. He uses darker colours for the present and contrasts this with softer shades of brown when looking back in time. This makes the entire piece more bittersweet and suggests just how much things have changed as well as how cold the present is compared to the past. The growing size of the rooms show just how much the old man has lost, as well as how small his present life has become. 

Continuous line drawing

I have begun to really enjoy the continuous line drawings as I am able to see a vast improvement in my sense of scale and perception. I am now more able to more accurately capture details and proportions. 

Back to back drawing
I had a lot of fun during this task despite the discovery that I have awful communication skills. It was a lot harder than I first thought it would be and definitely showed that I have far to go in the world of accurate and reliable communications.
I found it hard to give instructions (as is evident by the resulting picture) and even harder to follow them. I had absolutely no clue what I was doing (as is even more evident). 

Lesson 4 - Process of Design - 22/11/16

Steps to Design

Step 1 - Read Script/ Commitment

This is the first interaction the designer will have with the project. Upon reading the script they will decide whether or not to work on the project. They will also decide if it is within their capabilities.

Step 2 - Analysis

This stage is for the creation of questions and ideas. It's all about exploration and the designer must try not to limit themselves. It is during this early stage that the designer will ask the director any questions they may have about the script, and begin to do their own research into the plots, themes and characters of the piece.

"The way i have been taught to read a script is:

read it once just to take in the story.

then read it a second time to analyze characters, plot, message, era ect.

Then a third time to take notes on props, set, costume any possible sound and light effects." - Hadley Taylor

Step 3 - Research

This is the point at which the designer would do their own research into the time period, as well as grow any existing ideas. It is important to get outside and look at external influences, such as architecture and natural formations, than to spend all your time looking at a computer screen. At this stage it is important to not limit yourself and to come up with as many ideas as possible. They may want to look at previous productions of the play and look at the theatrical style and genre.

Step 4 - Incubation

During the incubation period the designer continues to process ideas. They may start to create mood boards and look at the types of emotions they want to inspire.

Step 5 - Selection

At this point the designer is ready to start selecting and trimming down the ideas they want to use for the production. They will meet with the director to discuss their ideas and together they will choose the designs that most fit the director's vision. Choices will be more instinctive.

Step 6 - Implementation

This is the implementation of the ideas for the actual performance. The creative team will choose the mediums (wood, tiling, foam...) to be used, in addition to beginning to source anything that will be needed for the production. A materials list may be written up.

Step 7 - Evaluation

At the end of each production it is a good idea for the designer to look back over the production and think about the areas that worked well, as well as the ones that didn't. This will allow them to improve for the next production they work on, in addition to helping them develop their own style.

Study Task

Read and respond to Henry V

Scene 1

Archbishop of Canterbury speaks to Ely about possible tax that would leave church penniless. There's a plot to instead get Henry to invade France.

Henry's birthright - Henry is entitled to rule France through his mother's side. The French kings are pretenders that have less right to the throne.

Henry is backed by his younger brothers who fill him with fiery pride.

French ambassadors mock Henry by giving him tennis balls. Henry declares that he is coming for France and sends the diplomats on their way.

Scene 2

NYM, BARDOLPH and PISTOL

Context that PISTOL married the woman that NYM was previously engaged to. They threaten each other but are eventually subdued by BARDOLPH.

Three traitors:

Richard Earl of Cambridge

Henry Lord Scroop of Masham

Sir Thomas Grey, knight, of Northumberland

All are brought before Henry and their treason is revealed. They had all given information to the French in return for money. He sentences them to death.

Throne room

DAUPHIN wants war, while the French king is more concerned with defensive measures. A diplomat from England arrives. Speech of consequences should the King fail to turn over his crown.

France offers tiny dukedoms and one of his daughter's hands in marriage. Henry rejects this deal.

I thoroughly enjoyed the script because of the colourful language and use of rousing speeches to highlight the charisma of the leaders and the patriotic feelings of the general population. 

Extras

They Shoot Horses, Don't They?

Simple design consisting of a thrust stage layout, a wooden frame with fairy lights, and a basic platform with a microphone. Most of the scene changes rely on the position of props to break up the set and represent different areas. I thought that this was a great move as it was a simple but efficient way to take the audience to the different rooms. Props and scene decoration reminiscent of the 1920s when the play is set. 

I liked the set because of it's simplicity and faithfulness to the time period. I feel like they really captured the look and feel of a 1920s dance hall. I thought that the acting was superb and really helped transform the set from a theatre to dance hall. After reading Henry V and reflecting on the piece I felt that the opening chorus from Henry V also fit well with this production as imagination and dialogue played an important role in transporting the audience back in time. 

Lighting Designer - Marty Langthorne

When starting a new show, Marty Langthorne will begin by getting an understanding of the ideas and themes of the show. This is obtained by speaking to key cast and crew, as well as going to as many rehearsals as possible. He tries to get to know the artist to try and see where their vision comes from. This dialogue serves to "focus his thoughts on the central ideas of the piece." - Analysis 

Research is important to see background and context. - Research

When creativity is stifled or he is struggling to solve an issue he goes to as many art shows as possible to try to unlock those creative juices. He regularly looks at oil paintings and old masters. He will also explore some form of colour pallet for the show through a painting. - Incubation

When looking at art he keeps an eye out for how light is represented in paintings. In reference to one particular piece he looked at images of natural landscapes and used fluorescent tubes to recreate colour combinations. 

References

Online, L.S. (2016) LampShopOnline meets Marty Langthorne. Available at: https://www.lampshoponline.com/advice/we-meet-marty-langthorne/ (Accessed: 28 November 2016).

Lesson 3 - Visual Story Telling - 24/10/16

Visual Communication

I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way—things I had no words for.

—Georgia O’Keeffe

"Visual communication is anything none verbal that expresses an idea. It is primarily presented on two dimensional images."

Examples

Signs - safety, directional, informational etc

Typography

Drawing

Technical drawings

Model boxes

Graphic design

Illustrations

Propaganda posters

Industrial designs

Advertising

Animations

Body language

Principles of Design

The principles of design describe the way artists use elements of art in a work of art.

Balance is distribution of objects, colours, textures and space. Balance to give design stability.

Elements of a Good Design

Rhythm
Rhythm is the way that our eyes are carried from one part of the design to another. This may happen abruptly through the use of jagged lines, abrupt shifts in colour or space, or in a flowing circular way. Repetition of design elements also contribute to sense of rhythm   

Emphasis

Harmony

Balance

Scale

Proportion

Tools

Line - horizontal, vertical, straight, curved, dotted, thick, thin.

Lines have a direction, be it horizontal, vertical or oblique (slanting). The direction of a line can affect the emotion of the viewer. For example, zig-zagged lines create an element of conflict, danger and action. Horizontal lines typically create feelings of stability. Multiple lines pointing the same way drags the eye and creates a focal point for each image. They can be used to emphasize points or distract from others. The sudden breaking up of horizontal lines creates an area of interest around that position. By contrast, vertical lines have much greater connotations of power and strength.

To the upper right is 'Something More,' by Alexander Rodchenko. Rodchenko often uses hard lines at an angle to create hard geometric shapes and a sense of unease. In this example they almost frame the action of the image show the audience where the most visually interesting point is. The unease from this image is gained from the slant of the lines as they suggest some form of conflict. In this image there is an almost contrast between the natural softness of the mother with her child, and the hard blackness of the lines, which come off as man made and unnatural.

Shape - Shapes are 2D objects that are created when multiple lines come together. Shapes have a size that may indicate significance or insignificance, strength or weakness. Geometric shapes are usually artificial and instantly recognizable. Geometric shapes include circles, triangles and squares. Geometric shapes can be used to give the impression of structure and order within a piece. Organic shapes are much more natural and free flowing. They may or may not be easily recognizable by the viewer. They are often irregular and/ or uneven. 

The area within a shape is known as positive space, while the external area is referred to as negative space. Designers may use shapes to organise information, 

The meaning of individual shapes may vary from culture to culture. For example, a red cross may be used to evoke patriotic feelings in England, while other places will get connotations of first aid and health.

Circles - circles are symbolic of cycles. They are almost universally used to depict the sun, moon and planets. The curves on a circle are typically seen as more feminine. They are used within art to evoke feelings of security, eternity, community and integrity. 

Squares - Squares are primarily used to suggest honesty, They represent formality and mathematics and rationality. Squares are often connected with solidarity and peacefulness. In Buddhism, the square represents a relationship with humankind and  divinity,  

Triangles - When used regularly they can suggest familiarity and organisation. However, when shown on their sides they can be used to depict conflict and unease.

Form - 3D, geometric, organic

Texture - Wavelengths of light

Colour

Space

Rule of Three

This is the splitting up of images into thirds in order to create a more visually interesting image. In theatre spaces, re arranging groups of threes can alter the flow and aesthetic of a space. It can determine the focal point and balance of a scene. In photography it means that an image should be split up into nine equal parts by two equally spaces horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines.
Golden Spiral

Colour Theory

Red - energy, passion, ambition, determination. Also anger and danger.
Orange - communication and optimism! Negative colour meaning attaches pessimism and superficiality.
Yellow - Colour of the mind and intellect. Usually optimistic and cheerful. Can also suggest impatience, criticism and cowardice.
Green - balance and growth. Suggests self reliance and possible possessiveness.
Blue - connotations of trust and peace. Can imply loyalty and integrity as positive traits, as well as conservatism and frigidity.
Indigo - colour of intuition. Colour theory suggests it stands for idealism and structure. Additionally, ritualistic and addictive.
Purple - suggests imagination. It has connotations of creativity or immature and impractical.
Turquoise - is communication and clarity of mind. Can also be practical and idealistic.
Pink - stands for unconditional love and nurturing. However, can be considered girlish, immature and silly.
Magenta - connotations of universal harmony and emotional balance. It is spiritual and practical, encouraging common sense and a balanced outlook on life.
Brown - friendly yet serious. Typically quite down to earth with connections to security, comfort and material wealth.
Grey - the colour of compromise. It is the transition between two non colours. It is unemotional and detached. It can be used to hint at indecisiveness.
White - Usually seen as the most complete and pure colour. It is the colour of perfection, and means innocence, wholeness and completion.
Black - black is the colour of the hidden, the secretive and the unknown, creating an air of mystery. It keeps things bottled up and hidden from the world.
Gold - the colour of success, achievement and triumph! Associated with luxury, prosperity, abundance, quality, prestige, sophistication, value and elegance. It implies material wealth, affluence and extravagance.
Silver - silver has a feminine energy and is strongly related to the moon, and the ebb and flow of the tides. It is fluid, emotional, sensitive and mysterious.

Study Task

References

Using horizontal lines in photography (2006) Available at: http://digital-photography-school.com/using-horizontal-lines-in-photography/ (Accessed: 27 November 2016).

Bradley, S. (2010) The meaning of shapes: Developing visual grammar. Available at: http://vanseodesign.com/web-design/visual-grammar-shapes/ (Accessed: 27 November 2016).