Help with a School Project

Sorry for the bump, I just really need help for this.

Why isn't this something covered on your class? Where is everyone else getting their info?

And as a teacher I will give you some more free advice. BEFORE you go to your professor, do some work, find some sites, think about them (pros and cons), and go to the professor with "I have looked at X, Y and Z, and they have some information but I didn't like [give your reasons]. Can you give me some direction to go in with this?"



You're welcome.

PerfidiousRaoul said: "I'm creating a set design for The Great Comet of 1812 (obviously unofficial), but for a touring production. [...and...] This doesn't need to be extensive, I honestly just need to brush over it."

You are the designer of the set, so only you know what materials you will need to build it. Have you (at least roughly) calculated its dimensions? Have you made a sketch of the design and decided what what materials you'll need to build it (i.e., wood, paint, fabric, yadda, yadda, yadda...)?

Once you've established the materials and dimensions of your set, you can then start calculating the quantities you'll need of each element. Always order more than you think you'll need. After that, you can google, or make phone calls.

As an aside, you mentioned that your set will be for a touring production. I'm not 100% certain of this (as I've never done a tour), but I believe that a touring set is more demanding to design and build due to the need for it to be constantly assembled, then disassembled, yet still be structurally sound and safe for actors/crew throughout the tour.

If your set were designed for a sitting production, you could get away with using cheaper materials that did not have to stand up to the rigors of a tour i.e., using faux materials like styrofoam moldings, etc.... Just a thought.

Thanks so much to everyone who replied, the sources have been immensely helpful.

And if anyone is wondering why I'm not asking my teacher it's because Design and Technology is a very broad course, most people usually make nick-nacky infomercial type of stuff for their major designs, and that's the sort of stuff my professor knows about (and the theory syllabus is rubbish). He doesn't know anything about theatre, and unfortunately where I'm from (Wagga Wagga, Australia) theatre isn't a big thing.

Thanks again everyone!