Chapter 8The Visual Collaboration

Working with Designers

Wainstein, STAGE DIRECTING A DIRECTOR’S ITINERARY

Realizing the visual concept

1. Producer hires the director and designers.2. Director and designers research3. Informal meetings4. First design meeting (sometimes by phone)5. Work on sketches, drawings, thumbnails6. Second design meeting7. Refine the plans8. Final design meeting – present models

Collaboration

Types of Collaboration

• Designer has no ideas• Designer forces their ideas on director• Collaboration

Meeting with designers

Build on informal discussions that precede the first design meeting

SOMETIMES, these informal meetings are brainstorming sessions to “get the juices flowing.”

Design Meetings

• Informal…meetings in hallway, over coffee, by phone

First Design Meeting

• Called by Production Manager or Producer• Director shares concepts• Everyone discusses their working ideas• This is a free exchange of ideas

Words to remember

Don’t be afraid to speak up. Once a design is finalized, changes are hard to make.

Second Design meetingDesignmers present their sketches. Director and designers agree to revisions and a date is set for a final meeting.

HINT: The director should compliment the designers for their work. Be honest. Ask for what you need.

Final Design Meeting

Final renderings, models are presentedDeadlines for changes are setDesigners move onto the implementation phase.

From Design to Tech

Rough sketches and thumbnails

RENDERINGS

MODELS

Ground Plans

Elevations

BUDGET

The TD, sometimes the PD budgets the materials and labor needed to build the show

Drafted Plans

Schedule

Building process

LOAD-IN

Technical Rehearsals

Realizing the Costume Design

Thumbnails of Characters

Research

Final Renderings

Rent, Pull, Shop or Build

Process work

• Measurements• Fittings• Costume Parade

Publicity Shots

The run

LIGHTING

Create the plotHang and focusFinal plotFocusWrite cuesSet cuesRun

CHANGES

“Changes must be soundly reasoned, affordable and able to happen given the time and labor available. It is easier to change something if it hasn’t been built yet.” (68)

Final thoughts

• Respect your collaborators• Understand their work and process• Visit the shops frequently• Keep channels of communication open