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Perhaps because it has an amazing physical set that someone took the time to design and carpenters had to actually build and not projections."
You are the biggest dumbass I have ever met. This is coming from a scenic designer, who knows how hard it is to both draft a large set, and yet thinks projections are just as innovative. Obviously you have no design experience. The purpose of a scenic design is to serve the story. It's not about which design looks prettier, it's about creating a design to serve the plot. If it doesn't, then it's frankly not a good design. I don't care how pretty certain designs may look, but when it comes down to the whole reason for creating the set, many designs fail. South Pacific's set served it's story greatly, but Sunday in the Park with George's set became just as much of a key point in the show as the actors did. That is when a design is effective.
To say projections, and not a largely built set, do not take time and effort is more than ignorant. It shows a lack of mental capacity. To use projections, and to use them effectively, is extremely complicated and contains a very fine line. It takes time and effort to create the projections, they don't just pop up out of nowhere. To use a minimalist design (which is often times more effective than a grand and flashy design) is extremely complicated. To set the story in a room (so to speak) and transform the room through two different time periods is brilliant. Sure it's been done before, but to show how close the situations were by setting the story in one room, but transforming the room into the environment of the time period through projections shows another level of design. Projections usually are not the scenic design, but are used to enhance it. In this show, projections are the scenic design and the actual built scenic elements are used to enhance it.
I am happy that South Pacific won, as it did have a great design. Both designs are incredible, and both deserved to win. However, to say no time or effort was put into a design because it is minimalist and does not use elaborate built sets, is preposterous and shows the true ignorance of many theatre goers and voters. It may not be until someone understands the process that any designer goes through (no matter what the design consists of), that they will understand how challenging it can be.
I am in the process of designing for 'The Shadow Box'. The design contains both a large physical set and projections, and let me say that it is harder to bring the projections to life.
"Light the candles! Get the ice out! Roll the rug up, it's today!"
Updated On: 6/16/08 at 11:42 AM
