Wainstein, STAGE DIRECTING A DIRECTORS ITINERARY

Chapter 8
The Visual Collaboration
Working with Designers

Realizing the visual concept

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Producer hires the director and designers.

Director and designers research
Informal meetings
First design meeting (sometimes by phone)
Work on sketches, drawings, thumbnails
Second design meeting
Refine the plans
Final design meeting present models

Collaboration

Types of Collaboration
Designer has no ideas
Designer forces their ideas on
director
Collaboration

Meeting with designers

Build on informal discussions that
precede the first design meeting

SOMETIMES, these informal meetings

are brainstorming sessions
to get the juices flowing.

Design Meetings
Informalmeetings in hallway, over
coffee, by phone

First Design Meeting

Called by Production Manager or
Producer
Director shares concepts
Everyone discusses their working
ideas
This is a free exchange of ideas

Words to remember

Dont be afraid to speak

up. Once a design is
finalized, changes are
hard to make.

Second Design meeting

Designmers present their sketches. Director
and designers agree to revisions and a date is
set for a final meeting.

HINT: The director should compliment the

designers for their work. Be honest. Ask for
what you need.

Final Design Meeting

Final renderings, models are presented
Deadlines for changes are set
Designers move onto the
implementation phase.

From Design to Tech

Rough sketches and thumbnails

RENDERINGS

MODELS

Ground Plans

Elevations

BUDGET
The TD, sometimes the PD budgets the
materials and labor needed to build
the show

Drafted Plans

Schedule

Building process

LOAD-IN

Technical Rehearsals

Realizing the Costume

Design

Thumbnails of
Characters

Research

Final Renderings

Rent, Pull, Shop or Build

Process work
Measurements
Fittings
Costume Parade

Publicity Shots

The run

LIGHTING
Create the plot
Hang and focus
Final plot
Focus
Write cues
Set cues
Run

CHANGES
Changes must
be soundly
reasoned,
affordable and
able to happen
given the time
and labor
available. It is
easier to change
something if it

Final thoughts

Respect your collaborators

Understand their work and process
Visit the shops frequently
Keep channels of communication
open