During the previously completed project, focusing on
Euripides’ Medea, there was the
introduction to several processes and production techniques that were unknown
to me, but would seem to be of great importance in understanding how such
productions are developed and adapted to specified circumstance.
The first aspects I was introduced to, in order to begin
developing a production, was the creation of scene and character breakdown
charts, which became invaluable when structuring the layout of the performance,
along with gaining an understanding of the characters’ interactions and
motivations. The combination of both these elements allowed for the development
of deeper relations between the characters involved and, more importantly, the
order and manner in which they are to present themselves within their scenes.
Another part of the project that was new to me was the model-making
techniques that were used. While having model-making experience prior to the
project, the creation of wire armatures overlaid with sculpting clay was a new
experience in model-making for me, but one which I enjoyed doing and look
forward to developing further with other projects. There was, however, one
downfall with the materials I used to create the figures for the model box, as
I used a combination of soft clay, which requires heating up to harden, and air-drying
clay. The use of air-drying, along with soft clay, for the figures meant that
they could not be heated up together, as the air-drying clay would become
damaged and break during the heating process required to solidify the soft
clay. If I was to redo the figures, I would ensure that each individual figure
was constructed utilizing only one type of clay.
There are multiple pieces that I enjoyed producing and
developing skills in, primarily through experimentation, but the one aspect which
stands out as a particular favourite of mine, is the character costume
development. Designing the costumes allowed for a great amount of
experimenting, before finalizing to a method which proved to enhance each
character’s specific attributes, and was well suited to the era being depicted
in the final product.
I also enjoyed the complexity of having to solve various
problems, such as seating arrangements, stage positioning, and so forth, which
could arise from the style of production at hand; as it meant that a process of
experimentation, alongside trial and error, provided a variety of possibilities
from which the best result could be chosen.
For this project, I believe that my time management was
reasonable; however, there are certain areas in which it requires improvement.
From the beginning of the project, my main focus was on gathering the necessary
research to begin developing ideas for the project, but unfortunately, this was
not accompanied with the development of my sketchbook, which would have
benefitted from being utilized at the same time as beginning research,
enhancing its relevance and allowing for better time management, using the same
time to perform multiple tasks. Using another technique, rather than sketching
everything that was to occur, for the development of the storyboard may also
have allowed for better time management.