Assessment Task 1: The Role Of A Set Designer

Assessment Task 1

The role of a set designer:

A set designer organizes the physical surroundings of a stage. They decide which furniture; décor; props and scenery will best portray an effect on the audience. The set of a production/play implies the style and tone of the entire production as well as sets the mood and creates a compelling atmosphere to the audience. The set also portrays time and place in which scenes are set. They must be careful to avoid any historical inaccuracy in the surroundings that could break the ambiance of the play. This is why they are so significant to production. The set designer designs and creates the set of a play. They decide which backdrop; props, decorations and accessories onstage will create the best
To do this they must design a concept, prepare models or sketches that accurately portrays the final set and prepare blueprints for carpenters, painters and prop builders to physically construct the concept they designed. They collaborate with the director to understand the perspective that they must convey to the audience in the director’s eyes. They then use this as inspiration to create a compelling environment in which actors can roam without disrupting the ambience and yet achieve the action necessary. The set designer is the key to communicating the context of the play. The set designer decides upon every element of the play’s “mise en scene” that the viewers are exposed to. This means they are responsible for all nonverbal ideas, concepts, symbols and messages of a play. They address the purpose of a play strictly through visuals. Without a set the actors simply don’t fit in with the stage. There is no alternate dimension created in which their stories take place and the performance is much less compelling as there is nothing to accent their acting. There is no element that draws the audience’s eyes to make the
This is purely because of the engagement with the audience that comes from directly addressing them through spoken word and how the director incorporated speaking in unison (along with props) to highlight the significance of the issues discussed. Furthermore, the set of MAD insists that the viewer focus on the actors and not on minute details that may distract them from the main moral of the musical: to raise awareness of social injustice. The fact that the set is constantly evolving is a metaphor for how the audience’s mindsets should also evolve and stop turning a blind eye to such significant issues. Also, the fact that it is set in a more recent era makes the set more aesthetically pleasing because of the difference in color schemes and lighting but also the fact that the set of MAD can be recognized and identified with. The familiarity of the setting draws the audience to connect and understand the plot and theme on a greater level, in my opinion. In conclusion, the set of MSW is a metaphor for how we need to peer inside homes and open our eyes to the realization of everyday social injustices whilst the set of MAD lures viewers into a performance of how the world around them is discriminating and objectifying women and how these