Description
These are notes from Jennie Marino's prop design class at the 2011 Broadway Teachers Workshop.
Materials
Full Lesson Plan
Broadway Teachers Workshop
Jennie Marino, Properties Design & Creation
With some communication, a reasonable budget and a little drying time,
all things are possible.
Tips, tricks of the trade and new resources to help solve your prop dilemmas.
1. It takes 3 things to produce a custom crafted piece, time, talent and money. In any theatrical production you are lucky if you get 2 out of 3. Usually you get one, amazing is all three. The unsung hero of production, research and development, directs the fleet that you captain. RESEARCH is your first task. Discovery of your resources comes next.
– Your available talent and labor pool is usually an uncharted, untapped and underused resource. By providing your team, whether they are students, parents, coworkers, friends, or relatives with example photographs of what you need and samples of materials they should use, you will truly amazed be the quality of work produced and that hidden talents abound. Inexperienced but budding sculptors, painters, computer graphics artists, tailors, woodworkers, engineers and DIY’ers are all around us. What people need is direction and specific details of what you want. After that, their desire to achieve and own creative processes will generally produce the item or treatment you requested.
To direct towards success:
Identify the item and its use. What does it need to do? Bounce? Break? Dance? Make coffee?
Does the actor need to do anything special with it? Wear it? Throw it? Use it as a pole vault?
What is the place in history? What world? What time period? What economic? What culture? How long does it have to last?
Do we need to do anything to this item to make it safe to use or perform?
Google images of items that look or feel like the thing you are trying to create. Print out samples of what you want it to look and/or feel like.
Identify your building materials. Are you building boulders from brown craft paper and glue, or muslin, fiberglass, foam, tinfoil, rubber, & so forth?
By giving clear direction and providing the tools, you give your charges a comfortable space for personal growth and artistic discovery while promoting the success of the collaborative process.
2. Always build in time for tests. Some of the greatest discoveries are made in the “what if” zone. Some of the greatest failures are realized when you mix materials that aren’t compatible and destroy hours of work.
3. Study adhesives. Study labels. Study Chemistry. Building is adhesive dependant. Contrary to popular belief, hot glue does not work on everything. What works on plastic can eat through foam. Know and love your adhesives but consider use, drying time, and future complications before applying. And see rule above. Then proceed to rule below.
4. Don’t Glue what you can sew, wire or bolt together. A physical join connection like wire, thread, or a bolt will allow for repairs, reuse or recycling. Physical joins + adhesives = dependable.
5. Use your common sense and body wisely for repetitive and potentially dangerous tasks. While working with chemicals, using protective dual cartridge respirators in a well ventilated area is mandatory; but other tasks, such as carving with knives, rasps, or even sanding can be dangerous. Get in the mindset of protecting yourself for the long haul. Wear gloves to increase grip on tools and protect your hands. Use “green” technology whenever you can, not only for yourself, but everyone around you. Many new products are becoming available to replace some of the most beloved but highly toxic old standbys.
6. Think low tech, grass roots, form follows function. Design and make it as simply as possible and it will work every time, 8 shows a week.
7. Make your local hardware store your favorite hangout. Squint your eyes and scour the isles for things that look like other things. Look lovingly at empty packaging plastic.
8. The big home improvement stores carry construction foam, adhesives, paint, and knives, but the dumpsters behind them have the coolest packaging materials that can be used to make stage magic as well.
9. Order samples and small test kits when you can. Not many manufacturers offer free samples of their products anymore but there are some that still do. Companies now offer trial or sample kits that are extremely affordable and usually provide enough material to do a one small to medium size job, often enough for a school production. Be aware that many products have specific storage parameters and a very limited shelf life once opened so your investment won’t last forever.
10. Experiment. Craft and hobby stores have many wonderful kits for fake water or rock, gold leafing, or painting on glass. Simply follow the directions, run a test, and allow some drying time.
Best of Luck!
Jennie Marino
Some Favorite Resources
General Theatrical Supplies: http://www.rosebrand.com/
Glue Advice: http://www.thistothat.com/
Foam: http://www.albanyfoam.com/
Mold Making and Casting Supplies: http://www.smooth-on.com/ and http://www.polytek.com/cart/index.php
Fiberglass: http://www.aquaresin.com/