Since January I have been part of the design team given the task if designing the set for the show The Beano. Throughout the months of design I have undertaken a number of different production roles. This evaluation is going to analyse these roles discussing what my responsibilities where, what health and safety I had to follow and how I felt I did in each of the roles.
Research/ Mood Board and Sketches
The first part of the process is to carry out the research that is relevant to the topic. For this part of the process my production role was as researcher looking up things like beaches in Victorian times, Bass Brewery holidays, Scarborough in the Victorian times, Scarborough pier and pavilion and beach entertainment in the Victorian times. During this production role I felt my strengths were the fact that I found a large number of sources that can be used on the mood board to help us come up with ideas. The only weakness I feel I had was the fact that I could of done more precise searches to get more accurate research that will help us in coming up with ideas. Once I completed the research my next production role was to do sketches. To do this I had to use the mood board to take inspiration and then draw it what I felt. The strength I feel I had was the fact that I was able to improve my drawing skill and my perspective drawing skills. I feel I had two weaknesses the firs to was the fact that I don’t think I came up with enough ideas that could be used when coming up with the final ideas. The other weakness I feel I had was the fact my drawing was I’m my opinion not that good on some of the drawings.
After completing the research and idea part of the process you then move on to the model making part. In this part of the process you have to first create a rough card model of a set idea and then once that has been okayed by the director you can then do the completely accurate scale model. When making the models they are made in a 1:25 scale. During this process I had to carry multiple production roles at the same time. To make the rough aced model my first production role was to produce the rough card model of the pier and pavilion with Jake. I concentrated on the pavilion whilst he did the pier. After doing the rough card of the pavilion, which was eventually used as the real thing I then moved on to make an accurate model idea of the back structure. Once all of the models were made and the directors had okayed them I took on the role of repairing certain models and ensuring that they were accurate so that construction could use them. The final production role I took on when doing the model making was the paint of all of the models. To do this I had to use the learnt knowledge about painting techniques to accurately paint them.
Throughout the model making process I feel that I had a number if strengths but I also had some weakness. The strengths I feel I had during the model making process was the fact that I could autonomously create a model using the research carried out to ensure that the models were an accurate representation of things at the period the show was set in. Another strength I feel I had was the paint of the models which I feel I did successfully using the different painting techniques I had learnt. The final strength I feel I had in the model making was how structurally put together my models were. I feel that I really understood the correct amount of the glue to use on certain parts of the model, which help to make them accurate. In terms of weakness I feel the main weakness I had was the fact that some of the models I made when we were making the 100% accurate models were not accurate which meant I had to redo them which cost the team time. I feel this weakness was down to the fact that I made stupid mistakes when it came measuring out the materials.
When making the models you have to follow Health and Safety rules. During the process I used a scalpel and when using it I had to ensure that I cut with it using a cutting mat to stop the table being ruined, I had to ensure that I was not cutting towards myself because if I slipped I could hurt myself and if I broke a blade I had to ensure that I disposed of it in a sterile tub to prevent people from hurting themselves on it no also to ensure that if I had cut myself on it people would not pick it up and then catch something from me if I was ill at the time of using the scalpel. When painting the models I had to ensure that I didn’t eat the paint as it would cause harm to my body.
Once the model had been okayed we moved on to the next part of the design process which was the tech drawings. The tech drawings are what are given to construction to help then build the set. During this process I took on one production role which was to draw the ground plan of the set. A ground plan is a birds eye view of a set which is used to place the set in a theatre space. To carry out this production role I used the model box to work out were all of the set should be finally placed on the ground plan. Like the models tech drawings are drawn out in the scale 1:25.
During this role I feel I had a number of strengths and no weaknesses. The main strength I feel I had was the fact that I was able to autonomously draw out the plan of the theatre and then trace in all of the set elements so that they were in their correct places. Another strength I feel I had was the fact that the tech drawing in my opinion was completed to an accurate standard that could be used successfully by the construction team when they place the set. The next strength I feel the ground plan had was the amount of detail I had on it as I included all of the fire exits and the detailing in the dock. The final strength I feel the ground plan had was the fact that I was able to place all of the set models in the correct place, taking into account the roller in the rig and the size of the different parts of the theatre (for example the dimensions of the dock). I do not feel that the ground plan had any weaknesses in my opinion it was a very accurate drawing.
After the tech drawings are complete and construction had placed the set in the space we moved on to the final part of the design process which was the scenic paint job. For this part of the process I was given a number of different production roles. The first role I carried out was the spraying of the gauzes. To do this us used the walls in the model box to get the correct look on the gauzes. During this role I feel the strengths I had were the fact that I was able to improve my skills when using the spray gun which in turn helped with another strength I feel this role had which was the effectiveness of the gauzes which made them look like they did in the model. The only weaknesses I feel I had were the fact that it took longer then I felt was needed to get myself used to the spray gun and I also feel another weakness was the time it took to spray all of the gauzes.
Another role I under took which involved the spray gun was the spraying of the floor. It took a lengthy discussion in the design team to decide to use the spray gun to do the floor and I feel it was a good choice because when it was completed it look very close to the floor design in the model. Again using the spray gun helped to improve my skills when using the spray gun. When using the spray gun there are health and safety rule which I had to follow. The main one was to ensure that I was always wearing a mask whilst spraying to stop the paint fumes getting I my body and causing illness. I also had to make sure that I wad also aware of the cable from the air compressor as it could cause me to trip. To stop this from happening I ensured that I had someone assisting me so that I didn’t trip.
The other role I undertook was the priming and painting of the pavilion. I used the model to ensure that it look how we decided when we painted the model. I feel the main strength of the pavilion was my use of the painting techniques (forced blending and stippling) which helped to make the pavilion look effect. The only weakness I feel I had was that on some parts of the pavilion I may have stipples in to much detail which in my opinion ruined the pavilion. The only health and safety rule I had to follow was because j was working at height I had it make sure that I watch were I was stepping all the time so that I didn’t fall of the 3 metre high platform.
In conclusion I feel that overall I have performed all of my production roles throughout the design process to a high standard, which has helped to create a set which in my opinion is ambitious and effect and is exactly how the design team wanted it to look.
