Set designers work behind the scenes. If they do their job properly, the
audience doesn't think about them at all. High-profile designers may be recognized
for their work at the Academy, Emmy or Tony awards.
Designer Kevin Allen says that accepting his Emmy has been his most memorable
moment as a set designer. That, and perhaps meeting Margaret Thatcher. "Having
the Secret Service told that I was to be given full access to a facility while
they were sweeping for bombs, prior to Lady Thatcher's appearance," was also
a glowing moment for Allen.
Set designers imagine, design and help build the backdrops for stage, film
and television productions. They work with writers, producers, directors and
actors to help make a show come to life by providing the perfect backdrop
against which drama can unfold.
According to designer Allan Stichbury, set designers are beginning to focus
on the commercial world. He points out that traditional theater struggles
for funding, while theme parks and pop-culture products attract a high-paying
audience.
"I think that traditional stage design, although it may feed you creatively,
is certainly a way to stay poor forever," he says.
Stichbury suggests that if a designer is flexible, a livable income is
possible. "I think that there's probably more [work] available in the commercial
world versus the not-for-profit sector, which is what people first think about
when they think about going into theater or design in any way."
The commercial world involves restaurants, TV commercials, museums and
galleries -- all of which require a planned space. "That is a growth area
and will continue to be," advises Stichbury.
Most designers love their work because it provides an artistic outlet.
The work can involve a lot of traveling -- renowned designers may be called
upon to stage a show in London one month and then be summoned to New York
or Las Vegas the next.
For Allen, set design is a fast ticket to the hangouts of the rich and
famous. "[It's] getting to go places where you really don't belong," he says,
"secure areas at the UN or the U.S. capital. Standing within several feet
of world leaders or celebrities."
Set designers usually work on a freelance basis -- 75 percent work alone.
They're among the first to be brought onto a project and are often handpicked
by the producer and director.
A set can be more than just the backdrop. In Miss Saigon, for example,
sets include a nightclub and an exterior of an embassy, and a giant fake helicopter
hovers through one scene.
Designers have to be comfortable working with a host of different materials.
A curtain may provide the backdrop, while wooden props, such as custom furniture
or doors, fill in the foreground. Actors may carry items made of metal or
plastic, and ropes and other rigging are used to make things fly or swing
across the stage.
Because sets can be so elaborate, designers begin by sketching out their
ideas, which they get after reading the script or talking to the writer, director
and producer. Many build 3D scale models or use computer graphics programs
to help the their clients imagine what the set will look like. Computer skills
are essential.
"Today I drew by hand and used six different software packages to transform
those designs into something the shop or client can work with," says Allen.
"I expect to be working quite late."
While competitive colleagues can be hard on the ego, set designers bask
in the optimistic attitudes of outsiders. Allen enjoys the occasional "Oh
wow!" from a stranger at a party. He adds that it is truly a pleasure to be
able to do something he actually loves and has a passion for.