Learning objectives:

• Finer scenic painting skills to be able to transfer across all projects
• Skill to design a build from a world of work
• Cross department communication

Working question: How can I help bring a small team together efficiently to build a set to film quality?

For this project we were tasked with creating a room, specifically a motel room, that could exist in the world of David Lynch’s work. We started with some images from our director, Vaughn, and then Nina did some searching into some room color pallets to go from for choosing paints. After some lectures from Vaughn we sat in with the 2nd year Actors we did some color tests for camera so we would not pick tones too harsh for the various skin colors. During the process of picking colors we also made some offers on room size, parts, and additions to finally get to the design we built off of. A room built 4 flats by 5 flats with a main door, closet door, giant window, and bathroom door which lead into a 2 flat deep bathroom. All with a canvas ceiling over the main room. It turned out to be one of the most ambitious builds for a small team I think the school has seen.

Our team was made of four people including myself with help from a few individuals in smaller tasks. However the one individual who helped out the most was certainly Therese Eberhard. She was a huge help in coming into the project to help as part of Art Department. We learned so many different painting techniques for degrading and aging not just sets but props as well.

The main thing we learned is just try something out, or as she says “Throw the kitchen sink at it”. The main materials she personally uses are shellacs and wood stains. They can come or be mixed to different levels of color or consistency for whatever your use is. Also the point of layering was incredible. It takes quite a few washes before something sometimes pops.

In my workbook pages you can see some of the tips we learned talking with her as well as the parts of the project I personally helped build. Most of the scenic painting was spearheaded by Therese and Nina from our department.

Wall effects:

• Washes of Iron Bark stain
  • Made from Iron Bark stain mixed with water in a garden pump
  • Spray water on walls from a different garden pump
  • Spray Iron Bark bottle at walls from an angle
  • Use a large deck brush and softly move from top to bottom or vice versa
  • Only do this in smaller manageable sections
  • Spray with Methylated Spirits (Meths) to help break up patterns and help blooming
• Mold and effects
  • Created using combinations of different stains and shellacs
  • Watered down Dark Ebony wood stain in spray bottles
  • Amber shellac mixed with wood stain
  • Clear shellac was sprayed on watered down walls to mimic wall sweat

Over the course of the project I helped keep us on track and lead in speaking when the director or the 2nd year actors would come down to the set. I found myself at times leading the charge in what we need to work on next in building, pack in, or pack out. Nina was basically in charge of scenic painting whenever Therese was not around and I ended up being the other person generally looked at for next building steps.

Working in such a small team presented some challenges when we needed to move larger pieces of the set. We got around this by just asking some of the 1st year Set & Props students who were available to help spot. As well we had them and the 1st year Designers for pack in, then the 2nd year Actors helped in pack out. For both pack in and out we had to deal with a large canvas frame hung horizontally from the grid in the theater. For that we had help from a 1st year Manager and Manager tutor, along side myself and Harry. We would announce as we would enter the grid and everyone below would need to leave the area unless they had a hard hat on. I unfortunately could not take photos because for full safety we can’t have anything in our pockets when we go into the grid.

For the whole production I truly think I could have stepped more into a role of leading. However we did not decide on a over all leader per say, and Harry had taken up the responsibility of going to production meetings as well as the build schedule. It did end up happening even though Harry was in that role that I had to step in and lead as well as communicate with Vaughn on occasions. I did my best to stay as professional as possible working with the director and crew to attempt to elevate the production to industry standard. I am not sure I always succeeded but am striving to push myself more in that area on my next production role.

Sketchup Models used to help visuals our process

• Bathroom model
• Window in room model