Broadcast/Video Production I

Television Scenery◦ Standard set units, hanging units, platforms and

wagons, and set pieces Properties and Set Dressings

◦ Stage props, set dressings, hand properties, and the prop list

Elements of Scene Design◦ The floor plan, set backgrounds and platforms,

and studio floor treatments

Television Scenery◦ Standard set units◦ Hanging units◦ Platforms and wagons◦ Set pieces

Standard Set Units◦ Softwall flats

Lightweight wood frame covered with muslin or canvas

10 feet high normally 8 feet high for studios with low ceilings 1 to 5 feet wide Twofolds (book) – 2 flats hinged together Threefolds – 3 flats hinged together Supported by jacks Weighted down by sandbags or metal weights

Standard Set Units◦ Advantages of Softwall flats

Inexpensive to construct Easy to move and store Easy to set up, brace, and strike Easy to maintain and repair

Standard Set Units◦ Disadvantages of Softwall flats

Difficult to hang pictures on them Shake easily when a door or window closes or

when something brushes against them

Standard Set Units◦ Hardwall flats

Much sturdier and most often preferred than softwall flats

Standard Set Units◦ Disadvantages of Hardwall flats

Heavy and difficult to store – never try to move one alone

Reflect sound easily, which can interfere with good audio pickup. For example, can make talent sound as though they were speaking inside a barrel.

Standard Set Units◦ Hardwall flats

Usually built for specific shows – such as newscasts, interview areas, and soap operas and remain set up for the length of the series

A must for HDTV or any other form of digital television that has a higher picture resolution than STV

Standard Set Units◦ Set modules

A series of flats and three-dimensional set pieces used vertically, horizontally, or in various combinations

Found in small TV stations where you cannot build new sets for every show

Versatile and can be used in a variety of configurations

Hanging Units◦ Supported from overhead tracks, the lighting grid,

or lighting battens Cyclorama Drops Drapes and curtains

Hanging Units◦ Cyclorama (cyc)

Most versatile A continuous piece of muslin or canvas

stretched along two, three, and sometimes all four studio walls

Some cycs have a scrim (loosely woven material) hanging in front of it to break the light

Better to have a light gray or beige cyc instead of a dark one

Hanging Units◦ Cyclorama (cyc)

Some studios have hardwall cycs that do not hang, but are built solidly against the studio wall

A ground row is sometimes used to blend the edge of the muslin cyc into the studio floor

Hanging Units◦ Drop

A wide roll of canvas with a background scene painted on it

Viewer is aware that it is an artificial setting Some drops consist of large photomurals A chroma-key drop is a wide roll of chroma-key

blue or green cloth that can be pulled down and stretched over the studio floor for chroma keying

You can make a simple and inexpensive drop by using a roll of seamless paper

Hanging Units◦ Drapes and curtains

Do not use overly detailed patterns or fine stripes that may appear smudgy or cause moiré’ interference when not using HDTV cameras

Drapes are usually stapled to battens and hung from the tops of the flats

Curtains should be translucent enough to let the back light come through without revealing scenic pieces in back of the set

Platforms and Wagons◦ Typically 6 or 12 inches high and can be stacked◦ Sometimes called a riser◦ Can be covered with carpeting to make it look

good and to absorb hollow sounds of people moving on it

◦ Can dampen the sound by filling the platform interior with foam rubber

◦ Large risers are often supported by a slotted-steel frame Durable, light-weight, easily dismantled, easily

stored

Set Pieces◦ Freestanding three-dimensional objects

Pillars Sweeps Folding screens Steps Periaktoi

Move and swivel on casters Painted differently on each side to allow for quick scene

changes

Set Pieces◦ Advantages

Easily moved Self-supporting Quickly and easily establish three-dimensional space

◦ Check to see if they need additional bracing Must be able to withstand bumps by people or

cameras Better to overbrace than to underbrace Do not forsake safety for convenience or speed

Properties and Set Dressings◦ Stage Props◦ Set Dressings◦ Hand Properties◦ Prop List

Properties and Set Dressings◦ Stage Props

Include furniture and items constructed for a specific purpose, such as news desks, panel tables, and chairs

You should have enough furniture to create typical settings

Simple chairs are more useful for an interview set than large, upholstered ones

Use chairs that are not too low to facilitate graceful sitting and rising – especially for tall people

Storage space may be a problem. Store heavier items on the floor and smaller props on shelves. Use a prop cart to transport heavy items

Properties and Set Dressings◦ Set Dressings

Determine the style and the character of a set Help give each set individual character Includes draperies, pictures, lamps, chandeliers,

fireplaces, flowerpots, plants, candleholders, and sculptures

Can be found in second-hand stores Can always raid your own office or living quarters

Properties and Set Dressings◦ Hand Properties

All items that are actually handled by the performer during a show

Includes dishes, silverware, telephones, radios, and computers

Must be realistic; use only real objects to avoid dishonest and ridiculous looks

If an actor is supposed to be carrying a heavy suitcase, make sure it is actually heavy

Properties and Set Dressings◦ Hand Properties

If you use food, make sure it is fresh and that the dishes and silverware are clean

Replace clear liquor with water, whiskey with tea, red wine with fruit juice

Even though you want realism, some substitutions are appropriate

Make sure that hand props actually work and are on set for the performer to use to avoid costly production delays

Properties and Set Dressings◦ Prop List

In small productions, the floor manager takes care of the props

In elaborate productions, the property manager exclusively handles the props

A prop list helps you procure props and ensure that they are available at rehearsals and taping sessions

Always double check that all props that appear in the script appear on the prop list and are available when needed by the performer

Properties and Set Dressings◦ Prop List

Mark all props and take photos of the set before putting them away if they need to be set up again later

This will give you an instant record of the props used and where they were placed

A missing prop or one that is placed in a different location can create a serious continuity problem for the editor

Properties and Set Dressings◦ Prop List

Most production studios have a collection of standard props – vases, plants, tablecloths, tables, chairs, couches, etc.

You can borrow most set and hand props when needed

If you shoot a period play, you can visit the theater department of a local college or high school or rent the props from a commercial company

Elements of Scene Design◦ Floor Plan◦ Set Backgrounds and Platforms◦ Studio Floor Treatments

Elements of Scene Design◦ You must know what the show is all about before

you design a set◦ Talk to the director about his or her concept for

the show◦ Define the necessary spatial environment for

optimal communication rather than copying what you see on the air

◦ Try to visualize the whole show in screen images and work from there

◦ Sketch the show out a fairly detailed storyboard

Elements of Scene Design◦ Floor Plan

A set design is drawn out on the floor plan pattern, which is literally a plan of the studio floor

It shows the floor area, the main doors, the location of the control room and the studio walls

The lighting grid or batten locations are drawn on the floor area to give an orientation pattern for placing the sets

The completed floor plan should convey enough information so the floor manager and crew can put up the set and dress it without the director and set designer

Elements of Scene Design◦ Floor Plan

The scale of the floor plan is normally ¼ inch = 1 foot All scenery and set props are drawn on the floor plan Simple setups do not need to be drawn to scale; you

can approximate size and placement Elaborate sets’ floor plans are drawn precisely to scale Templates that have cutouts of standard furniture are

available; normally have a scale of ¼ inch = 1 foot and are available in college book stores or art-supply stores

Computer- software to make floor plans and set designs is also available

Elements of Scene Design◦ Floor Plan Functions

The director uses the floor plan to block the major actions of performers, cameras, and microphone booms

The floor crew uses it to set up the scenery and place the major props

The lighting designer uses it for designing the general light plot

The audio technician uses to become familiar with specific microphone possible audio problems

Elements of Scene Design◦ Set Positioning

Try to locate the sets where the lights are, whenever possible and position them so that the back lights, key lights, and fill lights hang in approximately the right positions

An inexperienced designer sometimes place a set in a studio corner, where most of the lighting instruments have to be rehung for proper illumination, whereas in another part of the studio the same set could have been lit with the instruments that are already in place

Elements of Scene Design◦ Potential Problem Areas to Watch for When

Drawing a Floor Plan: Furniture and set pieces are drawn too small relative

to the background flats To avoid this design mistake, draw the in-scale furniture

on the floor plan first, then add the flats for the backing Use basic interior-decorating software programs to show

the most common pieces of furniture to scale and move them around on-screen until they are in the right place on the floor plan

Elements of Scene Design◦ Potential Problem Areas to Watch for When

Drawing a Floor Plan: During set up you notice that the available studio

floor space is always less than the floor plan indicates To avoid this design mistake, limit the set design to the

actual space available

Elements of Scene Design◦ Potential Problem Areas to Watch for When

Drawing a Floor Plan: There is not enough space to correctly position lights

and cameras and hard shadows are cast on the background To avoid this design mistake, always place active

furniture (used by the performers) at least 6 feet from the set so that the back lights can be directed at the performance areas at not too steep an angle. Also, the director can use the space between wall and furniture for camera placement and talent movement.

Elements of Scene Design◦ Set Backgrounds and Platforms

Helps unify a sequence of shots and places the action in a single continuous environment. It can also provide visual variety behind static foreground action. Most platforms are used to keep the camera at eye level with the seated talent.

Elements of Scene Design◦ Set Backgrounds

You can achieve scenic continuity by painting the background a uniform, low-energy color or by decorating it so that viewers can easily relate one portion of the set to another

A uniform background color or design, or props help viewers relate the various shots to a specific location

You need to “dress” the set by hanging artwork, posters, or other objects on the wall to break it up into smaller yet related areas

Place the set dressings so that they are in camera range

Elements of Scene Design◦ Platforms

Cameras are normally positioned so that they look down on seated performers

This point of view indicates a sense of inferiority and also creates an unpleasant composition

When recording events where the talent is seated most of the time, place the chairs on a platform

The camera can then remain at a comfortable operating height for the cameraperson, while allowing you to shoot the scene at eye level

Elements of Scene Design◦ Studio Floor Treatments

The studio floor may only be seen occasionally in long shots, but an untreated floor looks unattractive

Two primary considerations in dressing the studio floor are that: The treatment should not interfere with the camera and

boom travel The treatment should be easily removable once the

show is other

Elements of Scene Design◦ Studio Floor Treatments

Rugs and mats Rubber tiles Glue-on strips Paint Virtual floors

Elements of Scene Design◦ Studio Floor Treatments

Rugs and mats An excellent and realistic floor treatment Often get in the way of cameras and booms Tape the edges of rugs in place to keep it from bunching

up under the dolly wheels when the camera rolls over it Secure grass mats with tape so they do not slip on the

smooth studio floor The rug is usually the first prop placed

Elements of Scene Design◦ Studio Floor Treatments

Rubber tiles Make excellent floor patterns for offices, dance set, large

rooms, or hallways Available in contrasting, low-energy colors Easy to install Tape the outer edges so that camera travel does not

move them Clean the tiles with soapy water before camera

rehearsal and the final taping to remove footprints

Elements of Scene Design◦ Studio Floor Treatments

Glue-on strips Come in different patterns and have removable backing

like shelf paper Can adhere them side by side Easily removed Cameras and booms have no travel restrictions Quite expensive Used only for elaborate productions

Elements of Scene Design◦ Studio Floor Treatments

Paint Some set designers prefer to use water-soluble paint on

the studio floor Most paints last through rehearsals and videotaping, but

are hard to remove and leave some residue on the studio floor

Get permission from the studio supervisor before painting the floor

Elements of Scene Design◦ Studio Floor Treatments

Virtual floors Sometimes complex floor patterns are computer-

generated and digitally inserted in the scene Such procedures need highly-skilled creative and

postproduction people and are very time-consuming This type of treatment is rarely used in routine

productions

Main Points◦ Television scenery encompasses the three-

dimensional aspects of design

Main Points◦ There are four types of scenery: standard set

units, that is, hardwall and softwall flats and set modules; hanging units, such as cycs, drops, and curtains; platforms and wagons; and set pieces, such as pillars, screens, and periaktoi.

Main Points◦ The three basic types of properties are stage

props, such as furniture, news desks, and chairs; set dressings, such as pictures, draperies, and lamps; and hand props – items such as dishes, telephones, and computers that are actually handled by the talent.

Main Points◦ When a set must be struck and set up again for a

subsequent taping session, take digital photos of all set details to ensure consistency of the setup.

Main Points◦ A floor plan is drawn on a floor plan pattern and

shows the exact location of the scenery and the set properties relative to the lighting grid. The floor plan is essential for the director to prepare the preliminary blocking of talent, cameras, and microphone booms; for the floor crew to the set up the scenery and place the major set properties; and for the lighting director to design the basic light plot.

Main Points◦ Studio floors can be covered with rubber tiles,

glue-on patterns, or paint without interfering with camera movement. Rugs are useful only if camera do not have to move on and off of them while on the air. Virtual floors that can be digitally inserted in the scene require skilled and time-consuming postproduction.

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