• Created by Unknown User (marvel@mit.edu), last modified by Unknown User (egillam@mit.edu) on May 18, 2020 16:42

Overview

The set designer is, somewhat paradoxically, responsible for designing the set for a production. The design should be based on the director's vision and must conform to all fire/safety regulations. The set designer is also responsible for any artistic decisions made about the set, like choosing paint colors with the Scenic Painter.

Set designer is a rather front-loaded prod staff positions. Take this into account when figuring out your commitments for this semester. Despite being front loaded, the Set Designer is still expected to attend all prod meeting as the set will affect blocking and it's important to be there to answer questions the director or others may have. (Note: For the fall show, to help address this issue, it is suggested that emails soliciting people interested in being Set Designer should be sent out by the beginning of August.) 

Basics

The Ensemble performs fall/summer/IAP (?) shows in Little Kresge and spring shows in La Sala de Puerto Rico. Digital models of both places exist - for Sala go to Set Full.skp and for KLT go to https://drive.google.com/open?id=1_mEFC4XsoWmTdlxsAplu6cGjn0XIcrgK. See "semi-final deadlines" to see what to use these for! A quick note, apparently the pipe between 8V and 9V in Sala mysteriously isn't there. 

It is important to go look at the production space and see what can be utilized. In Sala, the most important initial decision is how to orient the space. Be mindful if you want to use the kitchen doors as entrances or if you want to use SpaceDock. When designing in Sala, you'll also decide how the audience will be laid out- galley vs. traditional seating, number of chairs, etc. Make sure the path from the audience entrance (large double doors) to the seats is straightforward and is large enough for a large flow of people (in case of fire). 

What's Involved in Designing a Set

Unfortunately, there are very few basic principles involved in designing a set. But the basic idea is that the set should look nice and there should enough space for the actors to act in. Fortunately, the director will very often have detailed ideas about what they want the set to look like. This can occasionally get annoying. But some basic principles to consider:

  1. Sight Lines
    This involves two main parts - left and right; up and down. The basic principle is that the audience should be able to see everything that is happening on stage. If this is not the case, either you are avant-garde or doing it wrong. Large, opaque items should therefore go at the back of the set. chairs, stools, potted plants that aren't too tall, are often nice to have in front.
    A slightly more subtle part of this is that the audience member is not all in the center. So angled set pieces can block sight lines for some audience members but not for others
  2. Acting Spaces
    Directors are really obsessed with the idea of levels. This is bound up with the idea of acting spaces. Directors will often have different parts on the stage that are supposed to represent different areas, or that different actors are supposed to use in different times. These can often be quite distinct, and perhaps the central problem of set design is to unify all of these desperate areas into one unified stage picture. Directors also like the idea of levels, so that actors can seem to be much higher than others. Places to sit are also often useful. To consider: a good height for one step is 8.5". For KLT, the plug in the front of the stage can be removed to create an open space – see pictures of the Tempest (Summer 2016) for what this looks like. Talk to the director EARLY to determine if you want to remove the plug. 
  3. Entrances, Exits, and Tormentors
    Another important thing to consider is where the entrances/exits are on stage. In La Sala, this is usually controlled by the setup of both the set pieces and the black curtains (also known as tormentors). You control (in conjunction with the technical director) the hanging of the blacks. DO NOT FORGET CURTAINS WHEN DESIGNING YOUR SET!!! They must be on pipes, but other than that can be anywhere. Also important to consider is the path from West Lounge to wherever you want the entrances to be. There are lots of options, but be aware of sight lines. The Kitchen Doors, the many entrances into La Sala, and judicious use of blacks are your friends. For KLT, you want to think of how deep you want to make the set – where will you put your back curtain? Mars is usually a pretty safe bet, but we've had different depths. Consider things like space backstage for storing set pieces and blocking when deciding this.
Complexity

The complexity of your set can change depending on a lot of things – director's vision, your technical staff, and your own time and dedication. Talk with the director very early to determine what is most important for them and then what is most important for you. Some directors will insist on one or two things that MUST be in the design. Some will ask for something more abstract, some will want something more obvious. This is very, very important to establish early.

Talk with your TD a lot to see what they think for the set. Don't go into the design thinking of specifically how something will be built. Have a big picture and goals for the TD, and let them tell you what they think they can make happen. Don't let important things of your design be swept under the rug, but also remember that the TD and MC are only human. Consider prioritizing set pieces – having things that are absolutely necessary for the flow/blocking of the show, things that are necessary for your vision, and things that could be cut if necessary. 

In the end, it is your design, and you should be proud and happy about it. 

Painting

Painting masonite to cover the floor in Sala is a must – think about what you want this to be! For KLT, CAC has decided they no longer want the floor/walls to be painted, but the Ensemble has figured out workarounds – masonite for the floor, linoleum for the walls. More info is in the TD wiki. Keep in mind that this is a possibility, but otherwise the floor and walls will be black (which imo is usually no problem unless you have a specific vision for it)

Designing a set in the round

Remember that you can't have any tall pieces or lines of sight will be broken. However, small pieces can be hung from the ceiling to help create an image.

It you have a square or rectangular set, people tend to want to enter through the corners, so have those be the entrances. To be clearer, have the set look like A not B. This also avoids the issue of circular seating. 

Also keep in mind that we don't have enough blacks to have some on all four sides.

As a side note, we strongly recommend against a theater in the round:

  • As an audience member, it looks cool as you enter but if your audience is only half of house, it looks very awkward and the fact that no one came is in the back of your mind during the whole performance
  • It makes lighting harder (actors need to be lit from all sides)
  • It's harder to fit in the space (Sala is a very narrow rectangle)
  • It's harder to stage (you need to make sure that all sides of the audience get as much action)
  • It's harder for actors to understand their entrances and where they are supposed to face

Before Auditions

The set designer should read the play and come with some general ideas for feel of the set and how the actors will interact with the set. They should then meet with or talk to the director about the director's concept for the set, and agree on a basic atmosphere as well as major set pieces (platforms, pillars, or other such things that will need to be blocked around).

The set designer should also become familiar with VectorWorks.

Rehearsal Period

Semifinal Set Design

The set designer should have a semifinal set design, preferably in digital format, by the date specified in their contract, this is often early in the term.

You need two things:

  • A drawing of the 3D set from a front view. This can be in whatever format you want: paper drawn, Google SketchUp, AutoCAD... etc.
  • A drawing of the set in VectorWorks. VectorWorks is a software that is free for students where you can draw the set design. VectorWorks is stupidly hard to use and all of your set pieces should be approximations for your own sanity – ie, a chair can be a cube that is the size of a chair. It is REALLY useful for the LD to be able to place lights and see where they go for each scene in a set. 

The semifinal design should be presented at the earliest possible prod meeting. The other designers, particularly lights, should give feedback how the design will interface with their departments. After the prod meeting, the set designer should meet with the TD to discuss the technical feasibility of the set. Remember that the TD has the final say in all structural/safety decisions.

The semi-final design should be sent to the show list.

Final Set Design

The final set design should be in a digital format, as shown above. The final set design should be approved by the TD and director if possible before it is presented to the production staff and should be as detailed as possible. It should include sight lines, the spaces that any moving objects (such as a door) will pass through, and anything other information that could possibly be useful. The design should also conform to all fire/safety regulations.

Make sure you and TD communicate often and are on the same page about ambiguous/shared responsibilities. Give the TD a final, complete list of set pieces so that they can run builds efficiently and instruct carpenters and actors well. 

Once the final set design has been presented at a prod meeting, it should be sent out to the show list and posted to the show dropbox/drive/other public storage option. All future updates should also be sent out and uploaded. Make sure that when you send it out and upload, you include dimensions that allow the space to be taped out, and that you include multiple file types. For example, ASMs will need an image/PDF of the floor plan they can easily pull up, but a lighting designer may appreciate a 3D model. 

Curtains: the curtains should be planned in advance of tech week, and ideally in advance of the final lighting design. They will be competing for pipes with backlight. Particular attention should be paid to the curtain plans if the set is at an angle with regard to La Sala.

Audience Design

The set designer should come up with an audience design sometime before prod week. The design must also conform to fire code.

The audience platforms that we can get from CAC are:

  • Germans: 78.5” x 39.5”. They can be at 3 different heights (15.5”, 23.5”, 31.5”)
  • Butterflies: 6' x 8'. They are at a height of 16"
Meeting with CAC

While the meeting with CAC is primarily the TD's responsibility, the set designer should attend if possible on the off chance the set needs to be changed. See the TD page for more information.

During Tech Week

Please be sure to visit space the Monday of tech week to make sure the set is set up the way you designed!

During tech week you should be available to the TD as much as possible. While your job is mostly done once the paint is purchased and the set is finalized, it's important to remember that you should be present if the TD has questions about the layout (and no matter how much the two of you prepare, questions will always come up). You should also be wedded to your design, which means you should be invested in seeing it executed well. Remember that all the actors and the TD are at least as hosed as you are during tech week and plan to help accordingly. If you aren't present and the set doesn't come out the way you like it, it's on you. If you are present and the set is screwed up, hopefully you can notice and fix the problems before they become too permanent, or better yet, prevent them in the first place. 

 

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