Download Looking for a designer - The Society Of British Theatre Designers

LOOKING FOR A DESIGNER :
A SHORT GUIDE FOR EMERGING DIRECTORS
1. DOYOURRESEARCH
Whatprofessionaldesignshaveyouseenthatyoulike?
Whatdidyoulikeaboutthem?Eg.theminimalistaesthetic,theuseofmaterials,thecolour
palette,theflexibilitythespaceofferedtheactorsanddirector?
2. BEVISUALLYAWARE.
Attendexhibitions,gatherrandomimagesthatyousensehavesomethingtodowiththe
wayyouthinkyoumightliketomakethepiece.
Sharethesethoughtswithadesignerwhenyoumeetthemandallowthemspaceto
respondandtosharetheirownthoughtsandideas.
Youwillfindoutalotaboutwhetheryouarepotentialcollaboratorsfromthisprocess.
3. GIVEYOURSELFPLENTYOFTIMETOLOOKFORADESIGNER
Asadirector,yourclosestcollaboratorislikelytobeyourdesigner.
Tryandarrangetomeetseveraldesigners.
Acupofcoffeeandfocussedtimespentlookingattheirportfolioandaskingabouthow
theyliketoworkwillallowyoutofindoutmuchmoreaboutoneanotherthanprescribing
intoomuchdetailwhatyouthinkyouwantthemtoproduce.
4.SPENDTIMELOOKINGTHROUGHDESIGNERS’GALLERIESONOURWEBSITE
http://www.theatredesign.org.uk
Youwilloftenfindlinkstodesigners’ownwebsitestherewhereyoucanfindoutmoreabout
theirwork.Designersarelistedonthewebsiteinthefollowingways:
PROFESSIONALdesignerswillhaveatleastfouryears’experience,usuallyfarmore.
GRADUATEdesignerscouldbebetween1and3yearsoutoftraining.
MosthavetrainedonAssociationofCoursesinTheatreDesign(ACTD)recognisedcourses.
Youcanfindatlistofthesecourseshere
http://www.theatredesign.org.uk/training/undergraduate-courses/
http://www.theatredesign.org.uk/training/postgraduate-courses/
Bytakingthistime,youcanstarttogetasenseofthekindofworkthatdrawsyou–allour
tastesaredifferentandweoftenrespondinstinctivelyorintuitivelytowhatwelike.
4. ASSISTANTDESIGNERS
WealsohavearegisterofAssistantDesignershttp://www.theatredesign.org.uk/designers/assistantdesigners/
Manygraduatedesignersfindtheirwayintotheprofessionbytakingpaidpositionsassistingmore
establisheddesigners.Thismeansthatthestandardoftheirmodel-makinganddraftingskillsislikelyto
behigh.Theymayalsohavegainedexperienceofworkingwithintheatrebuildingsliaisingwith
wardrobeandconstructionteamsinawaythatisnotpossibleonsmallerscaleproductions.
Italsooftenmeansthattheyarekeentoutilisetheirskillsonprojectsthatofferthemtheopportunity
tomakeworkasdesignersintheirownright.
5. BEHONEST
Beclearandhonestaboutwhatyouareofferingwhenyouarecreatingyourdesignbrief.
Youwillfindasimpletemplateheretohelpyoutostructurethat.
6. INVESTINTHEDESIGNERBEFOREYOUINVESTINTHEDESIGN
Designersareresourcefulcreatures.Byinvestingfinanciallyintheirtimeandknowledgeyouwillgeta
moresuccessfuldesign,evenifyourproductionbudgetismodest.
YoumaynotbeinapositiontobeanIndependentTheatreCouncil(ITC)approvedcompanyasyetbut
thisissomethingwewouldrecommendworkingtowards.TheITCofferparticularlyclearguidelineson
fees,subsistenceandcontractshttp://www.itc-arts.org
7. YOURBUDGET
Alwaysseparateoutthefollowingareasofyourbudgetinyourdesignbrief.
Bearinmindthataperiodshowislikelytobemuchmorecostlyoneverylevelthanacontemporary
piecewheremostelementsofcostumecanbesourcedfromHighSt.storesandsecondhandshops.
•
•
Designer’sfee
Designer’sexpenses
modelboxexpensesifamodelisrequired.
travel(eventravellingbytubewithinLondonaddsupovera4
weekrehearsalprocess)
subsistence(ifyouareaskingthedesignertostayawayfrom
home)
Materialsbudgetconstructioncostseg.timber,paint,hardware,fabric,fireretardant
Additionallaboureg.budgetforasetbuilder,costumeorpropmaker
Transportationisitlikelythedesignwillbebuiltinadifferentplacetowherethe
showwillbeperformed?Movingitisacostthatyoushouldaccountfor.
8. DESIGNER-MAKER
Adesignermaybewillingandabletodosomeorallofthemaking(inthisinstanceyour
briefshouldsaythatyouarelookingforadesigner-maker).
Forthistobethecaseyoushouldconsiderofferingadesignfee+aweeklymakingrateor
anadditionallumpsumformakingsothatthedesignercanchosetodothiswork
themselvesorofferthisaspectoftheworktosomeoneelsewithspecialistskills.
TheITCofferssomeclearguidelinesonthishttp://www.itc-arts.org/rates-of-pay
9. CREATEACONTRACT
Alwaysdrawupawrittencontractthatyoubothagreeto.
ThereareverygoodrecognisedcontractsofferedbyEquity,ITC,UKTheatre
andSOLT(SocietyofLondonTheatres).
Ifyouareunabletoaccessthese,youcancontactusforfurtheradvice.
10. ALLOWENOUGHTIMEBEFOREREHEARSALSSTARTTOMEETREGULARLYANDOFTENWITHTHE
DESIGNERYOUHAVECHOSENTOWORKONTHEPROJECTWITH.
Yourwholeprojectwillbenefitfromspendingthistimedevelopingasharedlanguage.
Wewishyoueverysuccessinyoursearch,andifyouthinkwecanhelpinanyotherway,please
[email protected]
CHECKLIST
COMPANY:
PRODUCTION:
SHORTDESCRIPTION
VENUE(S):
BUDGET:
SET:COSTUMES:PROPS:
DIRECTOR:
PRODUCTIONMANAGER:
LIGHTINGDESIGNER:
NO.OFACTORS
STARTOFREHEARSALS:
GET-IN:
PRODUCTIONWEEK:
TECHNICALREHEARSAL:
DRESSREHEARSAL:
FIRSTNIGHT:
FIRSTCALLFORDESIGNER:
EXPECTEDDESIGNERAVAILABILITYDURINGREHEARSALS:
WHITECARDMODELDEADLINEOREQUIVALENT:
FINALMODELDEADLINEOREQUIVALENT:
TOTALNUMBEROFMEETINGSANTICIPATED:
Beforerehearsalsstart:
Duringrehearsals:
DESIGNER’SFEE:£
EXPENSES
Travel
Subsistence
Modelboxexpenses
ADDITIONALMAKING@£perweek