Leisure and Entertainment - SET DESIGNER

Set Design and the Budget! (ideas from Reuban West, ACU Education student)

Primary Middle

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Numeracy

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Critical and creative thinking

Cooperative Learning Activity

1. All set designers, even professionals, will follow budgets for their films or plays. Your class is holding their annual yearly play. This year the production is based around Ancient Egypt.

You and your partner have been given the job as the set designers.

As the play is based on the Story of Tutankhamun, you need to research about this Pharaoh by viewing the following video. It is long (35mins) but you need to get a very good overview of this person and Egyptian life at this time.

YouTube: Tutankhamun - The Golden King & The Great Pharaohs
https://youtu.be/BRIA_8oscIA

This video can only be viewed on YouTube.

2. As set designers, you need to scope the area where the play is to be held. You need to create a model of your set. This entails measuring the school stage and creating a model that is 25 times smaller. The rest of the class will need to see what you have envisaged the school stage will look like.

School Set Design Model
(Source: Belvoir)

As you can see from the model above, your model only needs to let the cast and helpers know what you think the stage will look like.

3. As the class set designers, you have been given a budget of $300 with an extra $50 if needed. Your job is to use the money and other resources wisely but not to go over budget.

There are things that need to be considered in this budget:

• Every year the school keeps the same back drops which are painted for the next years play. One teacher has agreed to paint the sets but will need paint and brushes. A good paint costs $50 a can. A set of brushes has been advertised for $20.
  
• Another teacher has volunteered to make any other set props needed. For Ancient Egypt you have to come up with an idea for the pyramids.
  
  Currently the idea has been to use a set trolley (a large portable staircase) but you need to decide whether to use this teacher, who will be able to make a pyramid using $60 worth of new wood and some wood from the school supply. However the arty teacher is offering to buy a new canvas and paint a pyramid.
  
• The canvas will cost $80 but could be used again while the wood would need to be returned and cut after the play has finished.
  
• The set will need lights. The school has some lights left over but no rig, which the second teacher has voluteered to make one using $80 of strong durable wood but there is an option to hire a metal lighting rig from $60 along with some lights which will cost an extra $30. You have the option of using both options for each choice but remember you only have a small budget!
  
• The set also needs other props - pots, palms, fans, and, hieroglyphics! Estimate the cost of these props using local or online nurseries or hardware shops.
  
• How will you make sure that the audience knows the play is about Tutankhamun?
  
• What music do you need to buy to set the mood for the play?

3. Draw up a budget and the estimated costs. Make sure you have some monies left over - just in case there are things you haven't thought of.

Share your budget with your other classmates and your teacher.

Break a leg!

Christmas Ads - can we do better?

Secondary

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Critical and creative thinking

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Literacy

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Personal and social capability

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Ethical Understanding

Cooperative Learning Activity

1. Each year in Australia we are bombarded with advertisements from the major retailers to buy at their shops for Christmas. It is an important time for retailers. Set Designers are employed now to create TV advertisements that will help with selling products at Christmas. You and your partner are to create a TV advertisement but with a difference!

Look at the following Australian Christmas ads...especially noting the set design. Which ad did you think appealed the most to you? Why? Share with a partner your ideas and opinions.

You Can't Overcook Christmas | ALDI Australia 2021 
https://youtu.be/YybK4XSTakc

Coles Christmas Australia Ad 2019
https://youtu.be/x_kXIfenJVc

Woolworths Christmas 2019
https://youtu.be/stIW43MsoD0

2. Research the ideas in the following article - The Conversation 9 December 2016

You with your partner are to view all the ads (YouTube videos) within the previous article and decide on the best set design (art design, production design). Use the following list of questions to help you develop the criterion to base your decisions:

• How do we know what kind of story we are about to embark on?

• Should we take events seriously or see the humour in them?

• When should we be concerned for characters in this story?

• When should we feel relaxed and confident that all will end well?

• How can we tell what a character is feeling?

• Where have these characters come from?

• What has led them to this point in their lives?

• How do we know if we can trust them? (Source: The Conversation: 18 March 2014: Explainer: what is production design?)
  

3. Which ad did you consider the best as far as set design? Why? Did your partner agree? Why? Why not? What was the difference (if any) between these ads and those showing Australian ads? Share with your partner.

In the UK, John Lewis (a retail outlet that has been around since 1926) has a different idea about Christmas and promotes "thoughtful giving". Their ads herald the start of Christmas focus and everyone anticipates them. They sell lots of products because of this approach.

Research the ideas in the following article and view the two Christmas ads [2016 & 2011] within: The Conversation 11 November 2016. What ideas are presented here? How will you create an ad with an Australian flavour but with the story telling of the John Lewis' ads?

4. You are to create a story about an Australian Christmas that has the same or similar elements of the John Lewis' ads. You are to make sure that it is an ethical ad and can be shown at family TV time. What music will you use to convey your message? What is the name of your retail outlet?

Use Pixton to create your storyboard: [use the free version] and have as many notations as possible about your vision for the set design.

5.  Share your ad with the others in the class. Can they add suggestions to your production design ideas?

Theatre in Action - The Ant and the Grasshopper.
 Middle 

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Critical and creative thinking
Australian Curriculum General Capability: Personal and social capability
Australian Curriculum General Capability: Literacy




Teacher's Notes

(Created by Kristie Fuller, New York) PDF
An analysis of this lesson plan with numerous ideas and examples from the Educational Theatre Association.

Local Copy: 14 pages PDF

Created for Diversity Students in Years 9 - 12.


Students are to:

* Compare and Contrast the two characters
* Designer Analysis
* Create a Vision Board
* Give a Presentation





How to create an exhibition in your classroom (developed by Australian Museum)

Primary Middle 


Australian Curriculum General Capability: Critical and creative thinking
Australian Curriculum General Capability: Personal and social capability
Australian Curriculum General Capability: Literacy
Australian Curriculum General Capability: ICT Capability

Cooperative Learning Activity


Teacher

Local copy: 6 pages Word doc

This is a cross-curricula and project-based learning activity.

Teacher: you will have to divide the class up into groups of 3 - 4 students and allocate each group a part of the exhibition.

Frances: The best exhibition of art work I have seen is at Cambell High School and Marist College Canberra. Beautiful artwork but wonderfully exhibited! If you contact these schools I'm sure they will send you pictures.



Process in this activity:

1. Plan the theme
2. Develop sub-themes
3. Design your exhibition
4. Develop text
5. Construct your exhibition
6. Launch your exhibition
7. Other complementary ideas - digital; create a tour or an exhibition trail.



A simple primary school exhibition in the reception area
(Source: The Studio)