Compiled by Noelle Colant 2017; Original 2016
Description
What is a scenic painter?
The scenic painter is the one who paints the set.
What is a scenic painter required to do?
The scenic painter must paint all set items and large props and recruit others to help them.
Working with other positions (parts borrowed from E. Rosser’s Costume Stitcher Guide)
You are a member of the prod-staff (or production team) of the show. To present a cohesive vision onstage, you must work with a couple other prod-staff members:
- Lighting Designer (LD)- They’ll make sure your beautifully painted sets are seen in the, excuse the pun, best light possible. Have a meeting early on to talk color schemes with the LD, and try to choose colors and designs that will complement their color choices. When in doubt, show a swatch of that paint color to the LD to determine whether or not they’ll want to shoot you.
- Costume Designer and Props Master- In charge of all costumes and props for the show. Costume and props come in various shapes, sizes, and, most importantly, colors. Coordinate to make sure a chorus dressed in blue carrying blue ribbons isn’t in front of a wall in that same shade of blue. Again, try to choose colors and designs that will complement their color choices. Invite them to the color scheme meeting. Also, some large props may need to be painted, in particular banner/signs, may require some communication.
- Sets Designer (SD)- Likewise, they provide the canvas upon which your painting will appear. Invite them to the color scheme meeting.
You all have a boss, the Technical Director:
- Technical Director (TD)- Oversees all prod staff departments, assigns you helpers from the cast, bothers these helpers if they don’t contribute, and keeps an eye on prod budgets. Communicate all expenses to the TD, as well as the producer.
The entire prod staff and the TD all work with the Director to make his/her vision a reality:
- Director (That’s Herr Direktor to you)- Has a unifying vision that, hopefully, appears uniform and consistent throughout all areas of the show. Do your best to adapt to dir-staff expectation, but it’s okay to say it’s too late to change something. The best way to avoid these conflicts is to communicate and check in with the director often to make sure you’re all still on the same page.
Timeline
Starting Out
Interview - a scenic painter is chosen in “Round 2” interviews. This interview is highly informal. No prior experience is necessary for this position. If you would like (or not like) a friend to paint with you, be sure to let your interviewers know that.
If you accept the role - yay! Go to the first prod meeting. Coordinate with your TD to visit the set shop and inventory the MTG paint supply (including paintbrushes and paint trays). Throw out old paint. If the show is in KLT, make sure you have at least four cans of California Allflor black available (if there are not four cans, tell the TD to incorporate that expense into the budget).
Initial design stage - First, hear the director’s concept. Pay particular attention to things like time period, socio-economic class, mood, tone, and level of realism. Next, meet with the designers listed above to talk about the color palette. Then, do a little research to see what sort of patterns and colors are era-appropriate.
Final design stage - run your color choices by the designers you met with. Once you get their approval, you can probably stop going to prod staff meetings (but they’re fun so you should go…), though you should still read the minutes to make sure there haven’t been any changes that affect your color scheme.
Builds
Go to set builds. There won’t be a whole lot for you to do at the first few, but once things are built, you can paint them! Those initial builds are good times to purchase paint, brushes, and trays and bring them to the set shop (Walker-051). Once you start painting things, you can grab cast members to help you, but be sure to ask your TD first. If you take actors away from building, you will quickly run out of things to paint.
Check in with costumes, props, and sets (probably via email) to discuss changes.
Prod Week
Put-in- You are a member of the set team. This means you’ll be expected to help bring set pieces (that are hopefully painted…) over from the set shop. You should also bring over the paint cart with brushes, trays, and all of the paint you need. Initially, you will be asked to assemble set pieces. Basically, listen to your TD and do what he/she says. Eventually, there will come a point when most things are assembled. That’s when you break out the brushes, grab a couple actors, and get going. Be sure to communicate with your TD about what you can paint and what you can’t. Some things may be moving so having wet paint on them isn’t an option.
The rest of prod week- Paint everything else. The best times to do this are evenings after rehearsal and mornings, that way the paint is dry in time for rehearsal. If you decide to do some post-rehearsal painting, let the stage manager (SM) know and he/she can tell the cast to help you. The floor should be one of the last things you paint because it will get stepped on by dirty shoes throughout rehearsal (sweep it before you paint).
Performances
Opening Night - make sure you haven’t forgot anything. Check that all items are painted. Do final touch-ups if necessary.
House Seats - you get a house seat as a member of the prod staff. Go see the show!
Parties - there will be some social events to attend. If you think you’d like to spend more time with the Guild, you should go.
Post-performances
Receipts - Get them to the producer or treasurer before strike.
Strike- Help with set strike. Make sure all of the paint and set pieces find their way back to the set shop.
Post Mortem- if there was anything that went really well or really poorly. If you can go, go. If not, email any concerns to the producer.
Advice
Paint as much as you can before put-in.
Wash brushes and trays frequently.
Use textures to avoid large monochromatic patches on stage.
Avoid detailed designs. They never show up the way you think they will under the lights.
Use the twenty-foot rule: If you can’t tell that there is a smudge or that you painted a beautiful flower from twenty feet away (the audience), then it’s not worth it; leave the smudge and spend less time on the flowers.
Never paint alone. Make sure there is someone in the same room. They can be focusing lights or building sets, but always have a friend in case something goes horribly wrong.
Use the Tech to border the stage so that you don’t get paint on the floor.
Buy a can of Gojo in case you do get paint on the actual floor.