Show Case. Developing, Maintaining, and Presenting a Design-Tech Portfolio for Theatre and Allied Fields

247 Pages·2012·40.15 MB·English

by  Rafael Jaen (Auth.)

P A R T O N E
WHAT IS A DESIGN-TECH PORTFOLIO?
A PORTFOLIO IS A SHOWCASE OF …
ARTISTRY, SPECIAL SKILLS, AND PROCESS …
RAFAEL JAEN
C H A P T E R O N E
WHAT IS A
DESIGN-TECH
PORTFOLIO?
3 WHAT IS A DESIGN-TECH PORTFOLIO?
A design-tech portfolio is a well-planned, portable case The Winning Design Portfolio
of documents and visual representations of procedures,
Each page of the design portfolio tells the story of a
conceptions, and materials related to various projects.
specific project. To be effective, each layout must include
All these items are carefully organized so that when the
a wide range of aspects that speak about the special
portfolio is presented to others, it can serve different
skills and personal style of the designer; the project
functions:
resource allocation and budget distribution; and the
1. It can serve as a showcase for the artistry, special collaborative process with the director and the company.
skills, personal style, volume of work, and artistic In the next few pages we’ll look at a few sample page
process of a designer or a technician. choices as a way to introduce some effective practices.
We’ll continue to look at more samples and go into more
2. It can be used as a reference archive in which the
depth in later chapters.
designer or technician features the processes that
led to ingenious design solutions.
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3. It can work as a storybook that emphasizes the
In the following pages, we see samples of various
individual’s history, professional growth, and
designers and technicians; they include drafting
versatility.
and superb photos. We start with Kristin Hayes, who
Well-executed portfolios showcase a volume of work,
won the 2007 KCACTF Region 1 Barbizon Award for
processes, special skills, and personal style. Well-
Excellence in Lighting Design. Hayes says: “In showing
executed portfolios can open doors to new opportunities
my larger portfolio to a number of people, I found that
and create winning situations, such as gaining entry
there were a number of professionals who wanted to
to graduate school, obtaining a desired job, or reaping
concentrate solely on my photographs and paperwork
accolades.
and regarded the research pictures as extraneous and
The process of developing and maintaining a design- distracting. Thus I created a smaller, more portable
tech portfolio is not different from the process that portfolio (8½  11 inches) that has the same photos and
takes an idea from a two-dimensional drawing to reduced plots, with shorter descriptions and no research
the tri-dimensional product or that takes a concept pictures. This document was created using Microsoft
from original rendering to realized production on the PowerPoint, which allows me to reprint pages easily if
theatre stage or set of a film. To create an effective I need to send a small sample of my work to a prospective
showcase, designers and technicians need to include employer. Also, it means I have the start of a digital
conceptual ideas, the process by which the idea became portfolio!” (See Figures 1.1a through 1.1d.)
a reality, and the finished product. They also need to
edit materials and organize layouts in a way that best
features their work.
4 SHOW CASE
F I G U R E 1 . 1 A
Award-winning lighting designer Kristin Hayes starts each new project layout
with a title page.
(a)
F I G U R E 1 . 1 B
Hayes includes drafting samples that can give the viewer a sense of the scale
and complexity of each project. She also has actual-size drafting in the portfolio’s
back pocket.
(b)
5 WHAT IS A DESIGN-TECH PORTFOLIO?
F I G U R E 1 . 1 C
Hayes includes excellent photos to showcase her lighting design approach.
(c)
F I G U R E 1 . 1 D
Hayes includes sections that clearly show the variety of angles used in her design. Her
drafting meets U.S. Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) industry standards.
(d)
6 SHOW CASE
Costume designer Jessica Champagne-Hansen creates inspiration for the set was an old-fashioned, wooden
storyboards that tell the story (from the costume rollercoaster combined with a shooting gallery from an
design point of view) of The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary amusement park. Included in her portfolio layout are
Blackwood. She won the 2004 ACTF Barbizon Design the paint elevation of the floor (Figure 1.3a) and a photo
Award for Region I. Champagne-Hansen’s layout shows from the show (Figure 1.3b). The images are mounted on
her inspirations and notations, as well as the realized black matte board.
designs (Figures 1.2a through 1.2c).
Sometimes it is important to combine research,
Scenic designer Janie E. Howland favors a hard portfolio. process, and layout technique in a portfolio page to
She has received many awards, including the IRNE contextualize a design approach. For example, costume
Award and the Elliot Norton Award. She was also a designer William Henshaw created portfolio pages for
founding member of CYCO SCENIC, a successful NE the show American Tragedy: The Case of Clyde Griffiths,
production company. Howland explains: “By ‘hard mounted at San Diego State University in April 1996.
portfolio’ I mean a portfolio with separate pages as Henshaw says: “The premise of this show was that
opposed to an electronic portfolio.” Her first sample it was yellow journalism; therefore, the renderings
is for the show Assassins at the Lyric Stage Company were left uncolored and very grainy so as to resemble
of Boston, directed by Spiro Veloudos. The overall newsprint and pictures from the 1930s. Preliminary
F I G U R E 1 . 2 A
Award-winning costume designer Jessica Champagne-Hansen’s The Shakespeare Stealer
portfolio, page 1: Project introduction, cast photo, and book cover.
(a)
7 WHAT IS A DESIGN-TECH PORTFOLIO?
F I G U R E 1 . 2 B
Champagne-Hansen’s Shakespeare Stealer portfolio, page 2 (clockwise): Character
sketches, including Robert Armin, Thomas Pope, and William Shakespeare.
Photos: Pope and Shakespeare, Shakespeare, Armin, and Hamlet.
(b)
F I G U R E 1 . 2 C
Champagne-Hansen’s Shakespeare Stealer portfolio, page 3 (clockwise): Production
photos of character Widge in beige, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Elizabeth’s dress on form,
and Widge in blue. Production sketches of Queen Elizabeth and Widge.
(c)
8 SHOW CASE
F I G U R E 1 . 3 A
Set design production photo for Assassins, designed by award-winning scenic designer
Janie E. Howland, at the Lyric Stage in Boston.
(a)
F I G U R E 1 . 3 B
Howland’s scenic portfolio page for the show Assassins at the Lyric Stage in Boston.
(b)
9 WHAT IS A DESIGN-TECH PORTFOLIO?
F I G U R E 1 . 4 A
Costume designer William Henshaw’s costume rough sketch for American Tragedy at
San Diego State University, 1996.
(a)
F I G U R E 1 . 4 B
Henshaw’s final costume design page for American Tragedy.
(b)
10 SHOW CASE
sketches were done all on one page to resemble a layout is clearly labeled and arranged by scene. Right after the
for a newspaper (Figures 1.4a and 1.4b). Research for photos for The Idiot, he showcases his atmospheric and
the show was presented on boards to give the feel of a soft lighting for the show Mud by Maria Irene Fornes
newspaper layout.” (Figures 1.5c and 1.5d). The photos show contrast in
Vargelis’s design abilities.
Some of the design-tech disciplines are more abstract
and therefore difficult to explain visually in a portfolio; Anthony Phelps is a set and lighting designer. He
this is true, for example, of lighting design. To properly holds a masters of fine arts (MFA) in design from
present projects for this discipline, good photos showing Minnesota State University, Mankato. His professional
clear angles, color fillers, and shadows are desirable. memberships include United Scenic Artists, the
They will help emphasize the special talents and International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees
sensibilities of the designer. For The Idiot, adapted and (IATSE), and USITT. His portfolio contains what I call a
directed by Alexandre Marine, lighting designer Nicholas classical storyboard approach that proves very effective
Vargelis used white light and sharp angles to add to the for his personal style (Figures 1.6a through 1.6b).
high emotional tension in various scenes. The photos
For a sound design portfolio, designer Andy Leviss
in Figures 1.5a and 5b are from the portfolio sequence
recommends including one-block diagram samples
for this show. To best show his lighting choice, Nicholas
of the sound system for a show—one, two, or more,
uses photos sized to 8½  11 inches and printed on
depending on the show. “This is the most visual that a
quality photo paper.
sound design portfolio often gets,” he says. “It has the
Nicholas Vargelis’s lighting portfolio consists of a series benefits of both being very obvious in what it is, even to a
of large (81⁄2  11-inch) photographs. The sequences nontechnical producer.” (See Figure 1.7.)
show his range of design for various plays; each show
11 WHAT IS A DESIGN-TECH PORTFOLIO?