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.)
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).
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:
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 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)
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:
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.
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:
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.