Production Design Charts

When starting a new project, it is important to gain an understanding of the script that you will be designing for. An effective way of achieving this is through the use of design charts, such as scene and character breakdown charts, which contain information that will be vital when designing the production. These charts are created with the use of the script, or text, using the information provided within to develop the charts.

Probably the most important charts for the production development are the scene and character breakdown charts.

Scene Breakdown Chart

To create the scene breakdown chart, the script was separated into key moments and sections of the story and assigned a scene number. All elements of each scene is recorded in the chart, ranging from events and characters in that scene to setting and lighting queues, with each element in it's individual column.

The first column indicates the scene number for each row of the chart, with the next one featuring a description of what is happening in the scene. The third column indicates where each scene of the script begins and ends within the text. After this column, the rest feature lighting information, setting and location and other information from the script. The final columns of chart are reserved for each character that features within the script of the production. These characters are represented in the chart using colour, with each bar indicating when they enter and exit the scenes.

This chart was created by folding two pieces of A1 paper, with the creases of each fold creating the rows and columns of the chart, before taping them together.

01. Scene breakdown chart (full view)

02. Scene breakdown chart (top section)

03. Scene breakdown chart (bottom section)

Character Breakdown Chart

The character breakdown chart is extremely helpful when attempting to understand to types of relationships and motivations of each of the characters within the script. These relationships and interactions in the chart are pieces of information that are found either directly or hinted at within the script.

Each character is listed along the top and down one side of the chart. Where each characters names cross over, the boxes are filled with what each character has to say about the other, and hints at the relationship dynamics between the characters. This chart clearly indicates that some characters in the script have more interactions and a deeper, more dynamic relationship within the story than others.

When the amount of information exceeds the size of the square, a strip of paper can be stuck to the section so more information can be added. This chart was created by folding an A1 piece of paper to create a 9x9 grid, placing each of the character's names along the top row and left column of the chart.

04. Character breakdown chart

Character Analysis Chart

As well as the scene and character breakdown charts, another helpful chart is the character analysis chart. Using an A1 piece of paper, a character outline is drawn on the page. Particularly significant pieces of the characters dialogue from the script are written as quotations inside the outline drawing, while on the paper areas around the outline, analytical meanings of the written quotes are featured. Alongside those outside of the character outline, other information about the character that is not a direct quote, but is hinted at by the script can also be written.

05. Character analysis chart of the Nurse

Stage Entrance & Exit Chart

Alongside the character and scene charts, another useful aspect when designing for the production was knowing exactly when each character was to appear in the performance area. This was achieved with the use of a stage entrance & exit chart. In the chart, the characters are listed in the first column while the scene numbers are printed along the top. This created a grid in which each characters' stage entrance and exits were noted for each scene. As well as indicated their entrances and exits, the chart also features some information about what the characters are doing during their time on stage per scene.

06. Character stage entrance & exit chart

Scale Figure Development Process

When it comes to developing the scale model figures, possibly the most important piece of equipment for this aspect of the project was an accurate scale ruler. This ruler needed to have a 1/25 scale section as that was the required scale for the model box design of this project. For the figures of this project, we began by deciding the heights of each individual character of the performance and drawing them with the use of the scale ruler on pieces of card. These sketches were then cut out, with stands added to the back, and placed on a scale model of a stage to gain an idea of how they would appear in a performance area.

01. Card figures on stage model

02. 1/25 scale card figures

For the final 1/25 scale model box, we were required to make a series of character figures to depict a scene of our choice within the play. These figures were to be constructed using wire and modelling clay. We began by using two lengths of wire, twisting and bending them into shape, to create a central wire armature for the figures. Once these were finished, the clay could be added to them. This was achieved by placing the clay on the wire armatures in small layers and sculpting them into shape. Eventually, the final layer is added to the figure and carved into shape. Once these were complete, they were placed in a mini-kiln oven and baked. After the clay had set and cooled, the models could finally be painted.

03. Wire armatures

04. Kiln ready clay figures

Set Design Process

For this first year university project, based on Medea, we were instructed to design the set and stage for a specific area of the university, known as the project space. Furthermore, we also had to use one of only four layouts for the design. the layouts of the stage were End-on, Thrust, L-Shape, and Traverse.

01. Example sketches of the 4 different stage layouts

With a specific performance space pre-selected, we were required to collect measurements of the area so that we could accurately calculate the size area for the performance and design the stage layout accordingly. The rough floor plan sketch (below) shows the measurements of each wall within the available space, the stage area for the performance and the seating areas for the audience. It is clear within this sketch that my initial design for the layout of the stage was based on the Thrust setup, with three separate seating areas for the audience and the stage protruding outwards.

02. Rough sketch of floor plan & room measurements

Once the floor plan was created, and the layout chosen, it was time to begin designing the appearance of the set. Using the research on the 1950s, I decided to design the appearances of the houses based on the traditional red-brick appearance, with a detached house for Medea (image #03) and terrace housing (image #04) to create the illusion of a street. I designed this layout for the set as the character of Medea lives separately from the other characters within the story, with her house in one area of the stage, a woodland at the other, and the street in the middle. The pieces of black paper taped to the image were used to represent the lighting of the stage, as only certain elements are to be seen at specific moments within the story. This image (below) was created on an A4 sketchbook page.

03. Medea's house & woodland designs

04. Terrace housing & street party design

After assessing the initial layout of the first design for the stage, I decided to design an alternative possibility for the stage layout. This new design would incorporate a platform which was to be used by the title character, Medea, throughout the performance. This was placed to make it clear that she was to be the main focus of the story, and could be used to suggest possible power dynamics between the characters of the script. In the sketches below, in image #05, I decided to experiment with the platform shape and position on the stage to see which worked best with the elements of the story. The other sketch below, image #06, is of the final chosen layout of the stage, with the new platform and other stage scenery, in a floor plan featuring both the available space and audience seating areas. This floor plan clearly indicates the change of layout from the Thrust design to the newly selected L-Shape (referring to the audience seating positions).

05. Platform shape and position experiments

06. Revised floor plan layout

Final Storyboard Design

Inspired to begin the storyboard process as soon as possible in, order to complete it before the project deadline, I used an A5 sketchbook, assigning a single frame to each page. I sketched basic shapes and positionings for each character with a pencil, still designing them with the appearances for a Classical Greece depiction of the story. 

As a storyboard should always portray the perspective of the audience for the performance, I positioned each frame to appear as though it were static as to fit the idea of the audience being seated in rows of chairs. Through these rough sketches I was able to determine the minimum number of frames required to depict the entire performance clearly, portraying the story within a single storyboard. 

Once the transposition of the text was complete and the costume designs were finalised, I returned once again to developing the storyboard, this time with the intention of updating the designs within to depict the performance more accurately. To achieve this, using a set of art pens, I coloured over the original pencil sketches before adding lines and details with a fine-tipped, black art pen. Each image of the storyboard features the scenes' characters, stage lighting and a short caption explaining what is happening in the scene.

01. Storyboard frames 01-04a

02. Storyboard frames 04b-06a

03. Storyboard frames 06b-08a

04. Storyboard frames 08b-10b

05. Storyboard frames 10c-12a

06. Storyboard frames 12b-12e

07. Storyboard frames 13a-14b

08. Storyboard frames 14c-14f

09. Storyboard frames 14g-15c

10. Storyboard frames 15d-15f

Storyboard Development Process

The first part of the storyboard development began with a group session, with the entire year group divided into small teams with each group focusing on a section of the story. These segments were then broken down further, with each individual of the group creating a single frame for their sequence. Each individual frame of the large-scale storyboard was developed using charcoal on a single sheet of A1 paper.

01. Group storyboard frame

This image, which I created, is one of the A1 size frames featured in the large-scale storyboard. It depicts the moment in the story when king Kreon, accompanied by his guards, exiles a pleading Medea from the kingdom as the Chorus watches from the background.

Within the image, there is a clear contrast between the two groups of characters, with one consisting of sharp, solid form, which could be seen to represent authority, and the other appearing softer, creating a more gentle perception.

This group exercise was created to introduce the students to the type of process used to develop a full storyboard for a script before they attempt to create their own storyboard based on their individual designs for the production.

Creative Research

When it came to the creative research for the script of Medea, and with the earliest ideas for the project being set during the plays origin, I began by searching for various items and images, within the local areas of Rochester and Margate, that could influence the designs for the piece of text.

After finding a description of the style of housing construction that existed in that period, I decided to photograph a section of the old Rochester city wall as it seemed to possess similar qualities.

01. Remnants of Rochester city wall

02. Images of Rochester city wall

03. Photo of tree, Hartsdown Park

  

04. Pillars of the Droit House, Margate Harbour

Similar to the style of construction from that period, I decided to find a woodland and trees in a local park to collect some reference images as the play mentions a section of the story featuring a wooded area. When searching for trees to photograph, I decided that they should possess features similar to those of classical columns so that they may be designed for the production with a dual purpose.

As well as these, I also decided to collect some images of architectural pillars, as quite often, these are designed with many similarities to their Classical Greece counterparts and influences. These pillars (image 04) were photographed at the Droit House located along the harbour arm in Margate.

Infanticide

With Euripides' Medea featuring the title character murdering her children as revenge against her former love Jason, it made sense to look at several more modern cases of infanticide to gain some sort of understanding of the circumstances or motive behind such an act. This is why several images of newspaper articles have been included as they could be used as a source of inspiration for the design of the piece.

05. Newspaper article about a case of infanticide in Berlin

06. Several articles about contemporary cases of infanticide

The article in image 05 would suggest that a certain degree of thought had been put into hiding the bodies, by the perpetrator, burying several remains over a period of 16 years, however, there is no indication of a possible motive for these actions. This raises the question as to whether the deaths were deliberate or accidental.

The articles in these images, with the exception of articles A and C (image 06), are of different contemporary cases of infanticide. The case present in articles A and C clearly indicate that the actions leading to the death of the infant were unintentional and caused by neglect. Article B, however, is a collection of various cases of infanticide in St Louis, U.S.A, spanning over 5 years.

Nowadays, with a greater understanding of psychology, many cases of infanticide are looked upon through sympathetic 'eyes' toward the perpetrator, usually the mother.

Charles & Diana

Euripides' play, Medea, is based on the events after the mythical tale of Jason and the Argonauts and their search for the Golden Fleece. The story mainly follows the title character, Medea, who is left with two sons and in no position of power after Jason leaves her for another woman. It can be said that this story of love and power has a similar sort of dynamic to the real-world scenario that occurred between Prince Charles and Diana. These sort of similarities are clear when observing the portrayal of their relationship, and the eventual breakdown of their marriage, through the various newspaper and press headlines and articles.

07. Newspaper article about Charles & Diana

This article clearly indicates at the popularity of Diana and the hopes of, not just the royals, but for the people's wish for a royal union for Prince Charles.

The headline 'Heartache of the prince...' is undeniably portraying the situation as one-sided affair, from the perspective of the prince, almost creating a negative attitude toward Diana, suggesting it to be her doing.

This article is a precursor to the gradual turbulent relationship that would develop between Diana, the Royal family and the press.

08. Front page of the Daily Mirror (1982)

Seen as 'A princess of the people', and a possible view into the privacy of the Royals, the press were always trying to find the best stories and images from possible sources of information about what was happening, even from behind closed doors.

This put great pressures on both the Royal household and the press, especially when photographs of intimate moments of privacy are placed on the front pages of newspapers.

09. Front page of the Daily Mail (1996)

The press intrusion was to a great extent, even during the eventual divorce of Charles and Diana, providing the general populous with great details of the occurrences taking place throughout.

The rather turbulent separation of the couple, with a single empowered authority on one side, shows great resemblance to that which occurs within Euripides' play, with Jason (Charles) being supported by the royal house of Kreon (the Royal family), opposed to Medea (Diana).

10. Newspaper article about Diana's first interview (1997)

The final article is told from a different perspective to the previous examples, from the view of a member of the press who interviewed Diana.

The article was released after the Princess of Wales' death, and with the highlighted phrase in the middle of the article, feels like it was told from Diana's perspective, baring a similar resemblance to the perspective told within the script of Medea.

Final Costume Designs

Using the research collected on fashion and subculture from the 1950s, and after experimenting with different types of media, it was time to create the final costume designs for each character within the play. These images were created on an A1 sheet of paper divided into four sections. I began each sketch with a simple pencil sketched figure, each in their own distinct pose and style, before using Docrafts Artiste watercolour art pens to fill them with colour. Once this had been achieved, I used black Faber-Castell art pens to create their outlines and specific details.

In each image, the inspiration from the 1950s research is clearly visible, with Aegeus' costume inspired by the appearance of 'Teddy Boys', the Nurse as a house-maid and several characters dressed in the general styles from that decade. With the play featuring a wedding between Jason and Kreusa, the designs within image number #02 are inspired by the types of clothing that would have been worn during such an occasion from that period. The Chorus' costumes (image #03) are designed to reflect the appearances of typical 1950s housewives, and the Boys (image #04) that of 1950s children.

The costume change depicted for Medea in image #01, is to reflect her change of circumstance and character within the play's text. At the beginning of the story, Medea is perceived as a down-trodden and mistreated housewife, whose husband, Jason, has left her and their children, the Boys, to marry another woman, Kreusa. This is why her costume has been designed in such a ragged way, to reflect this situation. Although this may be the case at the beginning of the story, this situation changes when she kills their children and leaves to live a new life away from the society she has now rejected. This is why her second costume is inspired by the appearance of 1950s greasers/bikers as they are viewed as being rowdy and rebellious, going against the social hierarchy of the 1950s.

01. Final costume designs for Aegeus, Nurse & Medea

02. Final costume designs for Jason, Kreusa, Kreon & Attendant

04. Final costume designs for the Boys

03. Final costume designs for the Chorus