Research Project: Dark Road

Dark Road Get-Out - Revolve stage 

On 20th October, I was involved in the get out of DARK ROAD at the Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh. 

It was a set that was on a revolve and I was lucky to have been able to see the skeleton of the revolve. These are the images from during the get out. 

This video on how a revolve is constructed by the company - The Revolving Stage Company - who provided this service to the Lyceum Theatre. 

Finally, this link from the same company is interesting in that the technological advancement allows for the software to be sold to theatre or event companies to control up to eight revolving stages. 

http://www.therevolvingstagecompany.co.uk/encoding/

Research Project: Topic Proposal #2

Topic Proposal: Revolving Stages

I have been tossing ideas in my head on the topic of my research project.

After watching a video on a stage production of the Hobbit it got me excited about revolving stages or alternative stages.

I watched this Youtube video: The Hobbit at The Grand Theatre - time lapse of set build and it showed two separate revolves – an inner and outer – which must have been very challenging to build and rewarding to see its completion.



There was another Youtube video: Underwater Stage Lifts for Le Reve (Handling Specialty Stage Lift Solutions) that showed how dynamic a stage can look using hydraulics to elevate actors and sets. This one even brought the stage underwater.



I can draw on my experience working on two sets that have invested in revolving stages: A Taste of Honey and Dark Road at the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh.

The use of the revolving stages added to the performance of the actors, the story line and a dynamic sense of time and movement. Dark Road especially used the revolving stage to change sets and whilst doing so, the movement of the walls become projection panels to continue to tell the story while in between set changes – all this is due to the revolving stage.

The floor of the stage and its ability to revolve, move up and down, can add to the props, set and actors.

Research Project: Topic Proposal #1

Topic Proposal: TV and Film Sets

I had been considering for my research project the area of study for sets on TV and film, However upon thinking further and looking through the questions posed on the Proforma, I realised that this might be too ambitious due to the following reasons:

1. Accessibility
I do not have contacts in the industry of TV and film who might give me the relevant information (bulleted point 4)

2. Strengths
I do not have prior experience in set making in TV and film and will therefore not be playing up to my strengths,

But my gut tells that this might be potentially very exciting to me as a project subject. More on this soon.

       

Learning: Steps

Constructing Steps

The past few weeks, I have been working on the 5m long steps for the panto. This has been a big challenge. While building the step I have learned how to make a template to cut out all the formers to create the shape of the steps.

Also the steps have wheels underneath them. I have learned how these are assembled and attached to the steps. I have attached some photos of the completed steps.

Completed steps

Complete - before paintwork

Single Wheel

Wheels added