"The Handbook of Set Design" is a comprehensive guide to designing scenery of all kinds for a wide variety of stages, large and small. From concept to final dress rehearsal and performance, it takes you through the practical process of turning initial ideas and sketches into final sets that enhance the audience's understanding of the play as well as providing a memorable experience in their own right. Many photographs of stage sets designed by the author are included, together with explanatory illustrations, stage plans, technical drawings, models and colour renderings for a wide range of productions. Topics covered include: various types of stage, stage directions and naturalism; style, colour, texture and form, realism and naturalism; both traditional and state-of-the-art digital techniques involved in stage design; tools and methods for hand drafting, painting and model making; moving and changing scenery; and scenic tricks and special effects.

Master the art and technique of blue and greenscreen compositing with this comprehensive how-to course in creating effective and realistic composited scenes in video formats. You get clear, understandable explanations of the different types of keying techniques and how they work, including real-world examples and tutorials. Topics include setting up a greenscreen studio, how to light the screen effectively, how to light the talent or foreground material, and matching lighting to the composited background plate. Complete tutorials of each of the major software keyers walk you through the process for creating a clean and accurate composite.

For readers who want to become part of the thriving wedding video industry, Wedding Video Handbook explains everything a wedding videographer needs to know. Each chapter explores a different part of either the business or the production ends, and covers topics including secrets for getting clients, selecting the proper equipment, and tips on capturing special wedding moments despite difficult filming conditions. The book includes handy primers on marketing and advertising, handling phone calls and appointments, pre-production preparations, what to shoot on the wedding day, interacting with other vendors, editing and packaging the DVD or video, and generating referrals. Fully up-to-date with information on the newest tools and equipment used in this rapidly-evolving market as well as the cutting-edge trends in wedding video products, Wedding Video Handbook is packed with practical advice from a pro who has spent years in the field.

Packed with more than 350 techniques, this book delivers what you need to know - on the spot. If you create graphics for television, this book is for you. 'Broadcast Graphics on the Spot' show you how to produce more compelling TV graphics. From gathering images for use in broadcast graphics to working with fonts, mastering keying and rotoscoping, or working with logo motion, this book includes step-by-step procedures for creating over-the-shoulder graphics for news anchors, lower thirds, titles, and full-screens that can be used in everyday news productions.

Dramaturgy and Architecture approaches modern and postmodern theatre's contribution to the way we think about the buildings and spaces we inhabit. It discusses in detail ways in which theatre and performance have critiqued and intervened in everyday spaces, modelled our dreams or fears and made proposals for the future.

This urgent and provocative study explores contemporary Shakespeare performance to bring a sense of theatre as technology into view. Rather than merely using technologies, the theatre's distinctively intermedial character is essential to its complex technicity; the changing function of gesture and costume, of written documents in the making of performance, of light and sound, and of the interplay of live and recorded acting complicate the sense of theatre as a medium. In a series of probing discussions, Worthen interrogates the interaction of live and mediated acting onstage, the impact of written media from the handwritten scroll to the small-screen app in acting as a techne, the work of Original Practices as an interactive modern theatre technology, the economies of theatrical immersion, and the consequences of an emerging algorithmic theatre, providing a richly theoretical reading of the stakes of theatre as an always-emerging technology.

Perfect for children, parents or anyone else keen to try their hand at face-painting anything from tigers, aliens and sharks to unicorns, rainbows and superheroes.

Nonlinear is a buzzword for every broadcaster and facility house worldwide. Systems range from the humble to the exotic, and despite the growing acceptance of the technology, many users, both new and experienced, find the complexity of the operation and the time spent loading the material and rendering effects difficult to manage at first. Non-linear editing also comes with its own specialist language, requiring each editor to be conversant with a new range of skills from day one. As desktop systems improve the role of the traditional editor is constantly evolving and expanding.

This is an operational manual for professional trainees and students in the post-production industry. It will also serve as a useful reference tool for producers and directors. Written in a concise and clear manner, the book serves as a practical guide to the efficient management and operation of non-linear editing systems. It describes the technology involved, the essential techniques to be mastered including on-line and off-line editing, project management, rendering effects, working with graphics and audio, and adding third party applications. Designed for quick and easy reference, this is a practical user guide to non-linear editing that comes complete with an extensive jargon buster that will get you fully conversant with the technology in a short space of time.
Patrick Morris is a Trainer in Post-Production for the Television Corporation of Singapore and the Singapore Broadcasting Authority as well as Chairman of the South East Asia User Group. He is an AVID Certified Trainer with a working knowledge of Lightworks, Media 100, Quantel, D Vision and other systems. Formerly a consultant and SeniorEditor for BBC, ITV and SKY TV, he also spent many years a Training Manager for BBC Wood Norton and as Senior Video-Tape Editor for Television South West.
A quick reference guide containing all essential information
Provides useful on-the-job' information
Basic concepts are explained in a clear manner for ease of understanding

Sergei Radlov started as one of the left-wing directors among the disciples and companions-in-arms of Vsevolod Meyerhold in post-revolutionary years. With Radlov, both the Academic Drama Theatre and the Opera and Ballet House were reinvigorated. In the former he directed Jack London, Ernst Toller, Evgeni Zamyatin, and updated Aristophanes. In the latter he did "modern" operas, such as "The Love for Three Oranges" by Sergei Prokofiev, "Der ferne Klang" by Franz Schrecker, "Woyzeck" by Alban Berg, "Der Rosenkavalier" by Richard Strauss, and Mussorgsky's "Boris Godunov" in its authorized version.
Most of all, Radlov cherished the studio theatre he had created himself which he considered his life's work and was madly protective of it. To save it, he refused to leave Piatigorsk with his first group of actors and found himself a German prisoner with the rest of the company. This event cast a shadow over the last years of his life.
In this meticulously researched book, David

Edward Gordon Craig's ideas regarding set and lighting have had an enormous impact on the development of the theatre we know today.
In this new and updated edition of his well-known study of Edward Gordon Craig, Professor Christopher Innes shows how Craig's stage work and theoretical writings were crucial to the development of modern theatre. This book contains extensive documentation and re-evaluates his significance as an artist, actor, director and writer. Craig is placed in historical context, and his productions are reconstituted from unpublished prompt-books, sketches, journals and correspondence. Most of the designs and photographs, and many of Craig's writings cited, are not available elsewhere in print. Readers will gain insight into a key period of theatrical history, the life of one of its most fascinating individuals, the nature of stage performance, and into revolutionary ideas that are still challenging today.

Here is help for actors, directors, stage managers, producers, and event planners who want to understand every aspect of technical theater-from scenery, lighting, and sound to props, costumes, and stage management. In this thoroughly revised new edition, the popular guide firmly embraces the digital age with new content about digital audio, intelligent lighting, LED lighting, video projection, and show control systems, all explained in the same approachable style that has kept this book in the pockets of industry professionals for many years. A brand-new chapter on sound design has also been added, and every chapter has been updated with more information about the basics of theater technology, including draperies, lighting instruments, microphones, costume sketches, and more. This book teaches: Who's who on a theatrical production team What is needed to know about technical theater and why What to look for when choosing a space for a show How to communicate with lighting, scenery, audio, and costume designers How to stage manage an effective show or presentation Covering both traditional and digitally supported backstage environments, this book is an essential guide for working with every technical aspect of theater! Allworth Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, publishes a broad range of books on the visual and performing arts, with emphasis on the business of art. Our titles cover subjects such as graphic design, theater, branding, fine art, photography, interior design, writing, acting, film, how to start careers, business and legal forms, business practices, and more. While we don't aspire to publish a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are deeply committed to quality books that help creative professionals succeed and thrive. We often publish in areas overlooked by other publishers and welcome the author whose expertise can help our audience of readers.

Women Writing and Directing in the USA: A Stage of Our Own features interviews with some of the most successful theatre artists currently working on and off Broadway and beyond. The book provides an insight on what it means and what it takes to be a successful female-identifying playwright and director in the USA, where the professional theatrical landscape is still mostly dominated by straight white men. The interviews explore a wide range of themes, including if and how the artists' female perspective influenced their art, the social and cultural significance of their work, and how theatre and women working in theatre can participate in awakening greater social awareness. Readers will learn about some of the most current and relevant American theatre artists, such as Young Jean Lee, Pam MacKinnon, Dominique Morisseau, Rachel Chavkin, and Martyna Majok. Written for students in directing and playwriting courses, Women Writing and Directing in the USA: A Stage of Our Own features inspirational and informative stories that will help young theatre artists find and pursue their artistic voices.

Now in its Third Edition, Scenic Art for the Theatre: History, Tools and Techniques continues to be the most trusted source for both student and professional scenic artists. With new information on scenic design using Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro and other digital imaging softwares this test expands to offer the developing artist more step-by-step instuction and more practical techniques for work in the field. New to this Edition: * material about dealing with digitally printed drops, coverings, etc. * more step-by-step illustrations and descriptions of common techniques and of examples showing a variety of techniques to produce a finished product * all updated information/techniques

The Cambridge Companion to the Circus provides a complete guide for students, scholars, teachers, researchers, and practitioners who are seeking perspectives on the foundations and evolution of the modern circus, the contemporary extent of circus studies, and the specialised literature available to support further enquiries. The volume brings together an international group of established and emerging scholars working across the multi-disciplinary domain of circus studies to present a clear overview of the specialised histories, aesthetics and distinctive performances of the modern circus. In sixteen commissioned essays, it covers the origins in commercial equestrian performance during the late-eighteenth century to contemporary inflections of circus arts in major international festivals, educational environments, and social justice settings.

The Cambridge Companion to the Circus provides a complete guide for students, scholars, teachers, researchers, and practitioners who are seeking perspectives on the foundations and evolution of the modern circus, the contemporary extent of circus studies, and the specialised literature available to support further enquiries. The volume brings together an international group of established and emerging scholars working across the multi-disciplinary domain of circus studies to present a clear overview of the specialised histories, aesthetics and distinctive performances of the modern circus. In sixteen commissioned essays, it covers the origins in commercial equestrian performance during the late-eighteenth century to contemporary inflections of circus arts in major international festivals, educational environments, and social justice settings.

Focused on the contemporary Anglophone adoption from the 1960s onwards, Beyond Scenography explores the porous state of contemporary theatre-making to argue a critical distinction between scenography (as a crafting of place orientation) and scenographics (that which orientate acts of worlding, of staging). With sections on installation art and gardening as well as marketing and placemaking, this book is an argument for what scenography does: how assemblages of scenographic traits orientate, situate, and shape staged events. Established stage orthodoxies are revisited - including the symbiosis of stage and scene and the aesthetic ideology of 'the scenic' - to propose how scenographics are formative to all staged events. Consequently, one of the conclusions of this book is that there is no theatre practice without scenography, no stages without scenographics. Beyond Scenography offers a manifesto for a renewed theory of scenographic practice for the student and professional theatrical designer.

For many people, even within the theatre industry, prop making is something of a 'dark art', practised by gifted individuals who manage to produce intricate works battling against short deadlines. However, the skills of prop making are relevant to many industries and contexts, whether for art projects, carnival floats, live action role-play (LARP), model railways or film and television. The options and applications are endless, but the traditional skills remain the same. The Prop Maker's Workshop Manual is a definitive guide to the materials and practices used within the professional performing arts industries, covering both traditional techniques and modern practices. Supported by original hand-drawn illustrations and over 300 colour photographs, topics covered include: paper mache and card construction; flexible canes and withies; timber and steel frameworks; sculpting, moulding and casting processes; texture and paint techniques; GRP and epoxy resins; thermoformable plastics, including Plastazote and Wonderflex and finally, an introduction to life casting.

Light for Arts Sake provides a basis for a level of professional expertise for lighting practice in museums. Rather than portraying conservation and display as having diametrically opposed objectives, the central concept is that the interaction of light and art media is the source for both the visual experience and the degradation of the artwork. Optimal solutions derive from understanding and controlling the interaction process, and the need is for the level of understanding among lighting professionals to be brought closer to that found among conservation scientists. It considers the conservation needs of an object in the context of the lighting design process. It includes philosophical, conservation, and practical aspects of lighting design for museums and galleries. Useful appendices provide details for easy access to materials and services discussed in the text.

Costume Design: The Basics provides an overview of the fundamental principles of theatrical costume design, from pre-production through opening night.

Beginning with a discussion of what is costume design, why do people wear clothes, and what is the role of the costume designer, this book makes accessible the art and practice of costume design. Peppered with interviews with working costume designers, it provides an understanding of what it means to be a costume designer and offers a strong foundation for additional study. Readers will learn:

How to use clues from the script to decipher a character’s wardrobe

Methods used to sketch ideas using traditional or digital media

How to discuss a concept with a team of directors, producers, and designers

Strategies to use when collaborating with a professional costume shop

How to maintain a healthy work/life balance

Courses of action when working under a limited money and labor budget.

Costume Design: The Basics is an ideal starting point for aspiring designers looking for ways to achieve the best costumes on stage and realize their vision into a visual story told through clothing.

Table of Contents

1. Text Analysis and Research 2. Beginning the Design Process 3. Development of the Design, Sketching, and Painting a Costume Rendering 4. Preparing for Construction 5. The Build Process 6. Tech, Dress, and Opening Night

The definitive guide to writing music for the stage, by the Composer-in-Residence at the Donmar Warehouse. Music has played a vital part in drama since the earliest days of theatre. For composers, writing music for the stage is an opportunity to exercise their utmost creativity and versatility: a good musical score will both support and enhance the play it serves, and can lift a prosaic moment into something quite extraordinary. In this book, Michael Bruce takes you through the entire process - from initial preparation, through composition, rehearsals and recording, and finally to performance. He covers everything a composer needs to know, including: * Getting started - spotting when and how music might be used in a play, doing research, considering form and content * Building a 'sound world' - finding and using source music, creating incidental music, choosing the best instrumentation, scoring, utilising technology, writing music to accompany song lyrics * Working on the production - understanding the composer's role in rehearsals, collaborating with key creatives, employing actor-musicians, getting the show on * Recording - knowing when to record, booking and working with musicians - and the studio engineer, running a recording session Throughout the book, the author draws on his own experience of creating music for a wide variety of plays at the Donmar Warehouse, the National Theatre, in the West End and on Broadway, including detailed case studies of his work on The Recruiting Officer, Coriolanus, Privacy, The Winslow Boy, Noises Off and Strange Interlude. The book is accompanied by online excerpts from his scores. An essential companion for all composers - amateur, student or professional - Writing Music for the Stage is also invaluable reading for other theatre professionals, including directors, playwrights, producers, actors, designers and sound designers - in fact, for anyone seeking to understand how music helps to create worlds and tell stories on stage. 'This fascinating book - like its author (with whom I've had the good fortune to work on three productions) - is bursting with practical advice, good sense and invention. A must-read for all those with an interest in how music works on stage.' Mark Gatiss 'A good score makes a world of difference to an actor. Read Michael Bruce's book and you'll understand why. He is a genius.' Judi Dench 'Michael's music is wonderful: inclusive, original, respectful and - in its rightness - sheer joy.' Josie Rourke, from her Foreword

Award-winning Lighting Designer Marcus Doshi investigating lighting design from a philosophical and aesthetic perspective, how it grew from the movements of the broader art worlds of the late 19th through the 21st centuries, and where it stands now, citing influences as diverse as Jennifer Tipton, Dieter Rams, and Dave Hickey. Written by a practitioner for practitioners and advanced level lighting students. Features color images to illustrate discussed concepts.

This book uses digital media theory to explore contemporary understandings of expanded scenography as spatial practice. It surveys and analyses a selection of ground-breaking, experimental digital media performances that comprise a genealogy spanning the last 30 years, in order to show how the arrival of digital technologies have profoundly transformed performance practice. Performances are selected based on their ability to elicit the unique specificities of digital media in new and original ways, thereby exposing both the richness and shortcomings of digital culture. O'Dwyer argues that contemporary scenography is largely propelled by and dependent on digital technologies and represents a rich, fertile domain, where unbridled creativity can explore new techniques and challenge the limits of knowledge. The 30-year genealogy includes works by Troika Ranch, Stelarc, Klaus Obermaier, Chunky Moves, Onion Lab and Blast Theory. In addition to applying a broad scope of performance analysis and aesthetic theory, the work includes artists' interviews and opinions. The volume opens important aesthetic, philosophical and socio-political themes in order to highlight the impact of digital technologies on scenographic practice and the blossoming of experimental interdisciplinarity. Ultimately, the book is an exploration of how evolutionary leaps in technology contribute to how humans think, act, make work, engage one another, and therefore construct meaning and identity.

A hands-on, step-by-step guide to directing plays - by one of Britain's leading theatre directors. Stephen Unwin has worked with hundreds of different actors in a multiplicity of different venues. He is the ideal author of a 'how to' guide to directing. As Unwin himself says: 'Directing plays is difficult. The aim of this book is to lay out what skills are needed, and to give some sense of how you might develop them. The emphasis is on the professional theatre, but the book is useful for directors in other contexts - amateur dramatics, university drama, school plays and so on. Directing is directing, wherever you do it.' Starting at the very beginning, Unwin takes us step by step through: * Choosing the play * Casting * Design * Rehearsal - Establishing Facts, Improvisation, Language, Character, Blocking, Using Specialists and so on * Running the Play * Putting it on the Stage * Opening Night

Scenic effects involving rotating turntables, tracking stage wagons, and the vertical movement of curtains and painted drops have become common in both Broadway and Regional theatre productions. The machines that drive these effects range from small pneumatic cylinders pushing loads of a few pounds an inch or two, to 40 horsepower winches running multi-ton scenery at speeds 6 feet per second or more. Usually this machinery is designed by theatre technicians specifically for a particular show's effect. Compared to general industry, this design process is short, often only a few days long, it is done by one person, design teams are rare, and it is done in the absence of reference material specifically addressing the issues involved. The main goal of this book is to remedy this last situation.
Mechanical Design for the Stage will be a reference for you that will:
* provide the basic engineering formulas needed to predict the forces, torques, speeds, and power required by a given move
* give a technician a design process to follow which will direct their work from general concepts to specific detail as a design evolves, and
* show many examples of traditional stage machinery designs.
The book's emphasis will be on following standard engineering design and construction practices, and developing machines that are functional, efficient to build, easily maintained, and safe to use.
* provides the basic engineering formulas needed to predict the forces torques, speeds, and power required by a given move
* describes the most common power transmission components used in stage
machines: roller chain, cable drums, bearings, gear reducers, etc.
* gives a technician adesign process to follow which will direct their work from general concepts to specific detail as a design evolves
* shows many examples of traditional stage machinery designs