DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY
DTM EXPO PRESENTATION TIPS
ATTENTION!: The design MUST have been completed in the calendar year before the current festival. (January-December) Designs in progress are not eligible and you will be disqualified if discovered at the festival.
You must have been a student in pursuit of a degree at the time of the design.
"I've enter my design. Now what?"
The following is a
guideline of what elements to include in your display and how to
present to the respondents:
Will
vary by category – but all should have:
Evidence
of appropriate research
Evidence
of appropriate inspiration for color / texture choices
Clear
verbal articulation in the design statement
Visual
information about design choices
These are beginning-level paper projects and may include selections of character study, location study, light exploration. (This is the student’s first or second paper project.) An emphasis on research, analysis and development is paramount in this category!
i. Text analysis
ii. Thematic content
iii. Production considerations
iv. Resulting design decisions
These are more advanced paper projects and non-ACTF realized productions. Equal emphasis is given to research, analysis, development and artistic expression in this category.
i. Text analysis
ii. Thematic content
iii. Production considerations
iv. Resulting design decisions
v. For realized productions, response to directorial approach
These are realized productions that are either ACTF participating or ACTF associate productions, and show evidence of more mature design work.
1. Concise and clear verbal articulation in the design statement (including the director’s approach to this production)
2. Design visually articulates the director’s production approach
3. Sophisticated use of design principles
4. Format / layout / presentation choices are well-considered
5. Command of technical skills in visually communicating the design intent (e.g. - costume rendering, drafting, perspective rendering, model building, etc.)
6. Evidence of appropriate research – well organized and thorough (research collage boards, notebooks, etc.)
7. Evidence of appropriate inspiration for color / texture choices – well organized and thorough
8. Area-specific organizational tools (scene breakdown charts, action charts, costume plots, magic sheets, instrument schedules, etc.)
9. Area-specific design communication tools (color chart, preliminary sketches, fabric swatches, painter’s elevations, ground plan, section drawing, elevation drawings, light plot, etc.)
10. Production photographs
Design Approach
Statement:
Should be a clear concise statement
NOT a chronological history of the
production build process!
What is this play about?
What is this production communicating to its
audience?
What did design team create together?
What are the artistic goals of the design?
You are presenting
a poetic verbal articulation of metaphor
Be clean, clear,
direct
Avoid
“isms”
Avoid
“I”. We work with other people. That should
be reflected in your statement.
Avoid “the
director said”. Designers are not puppets! Take
ownership of your work!
Double-check the
grammar and spelling.
Read
it out loud; have someone else read it. Does it make sense?
Does it say what
you intend to say?
The
Display:
Research and Inspiration
Begin
with initial imagery – what do you marry?
What
do you divorce and keep for another time?
Possible
formats:
Emotional
Response - collaged to capture the feel of the show
(this
is a useful tool in the design development process)
notebook, 3-ring binder, collage book, other
Annotated in some way – what elements
are important to you?
What
makes them relevant?
What
is the director’s point of view?
How
is it being expressed by the image?
Ask
questions – make sure you understand the director
Show us PROCESS
–
The
relationship between inspiration, research, early sketches and
resulting
design
choices should be clear
Take us on a journey. Reveal your
thought process. Map your progress.
Organize the display visually, to take us
through your process. Map us from A to Z
In
our culture, we read left to right and top to bottom.
This
is how we are accustomed to taking in new information
Use
that knowledge when you lay out your display.
Remember the
respondents have a short period of time to understand your work
Make it easy for them
Short simple design statement
Placed at eye level
12 pt. Font – clean font; easy to read
Process as journey – laid out logically
No need for “cute” display tricks
– just the straight scoop
The Critique:
Understand that the
design respondents have a very short-term relationship with you.
Your professors have a longer-term relationship with you, and may
be trying to guide you in a particular direction. So what
the respondents have to say may differ from your professor’s
guidance. Take it for what it is: another opinion.
The respondents are
not here to destroy you. They are here to celebrate your
work! Enjoy the dialogue you can have with them.
You should be able
to verbalize orally (if asked to) in 5 minutes the essence of the
design approach –
Streamline
your comments – hit the high points
Talk about the work
in a confident clear manner.
Tell
us about the meaning of the play – how your design responds
to the play.
This
is what the show is about / this is what we want to say about it.
Avoid
“isms”
Avoid
“I”. We work with other people. That should
be reflected in your statement.
Avoid “the
director said”. Designers are not puppets! Take
ownership of your work!
Excuses cripple
you. Don’t apologize!
No negatives about
the production team.
Don’t be
resistive of judge’s comments
There is always
something to learn from another viewpoint.
There may be a difference between what you intend to communicate, and what others perceive. This is an opportunity to learn how others perceive your visual and verbal communications.
Time is often
limited in the critique. Some respondents will be willing
to speak with you at length after the session; take those
opportunities! Squeeze all the juice out of the orange!
Eligibility /
Disqualification:
YOU: Must have been a registered student when the
work was done
YOU: Must install the
work (or have representative install the work)
YOUR: Work must be installed by 3:00 p.m. on the Monday of Festival
YOU: Must be registered at the conference and present at critique to receive comments. IF you cannot be there due to extenuating circumstances contact the Design & Technology chair BEFORE the Monday of festival.
The Respondents’
Criteria:
It is about IDEAS
– not equipment or facilities
Ideas that support
a production’s conceptual approach
Everything should
tie back to the statement!
We want to see how
you think –
How you explore
ideas –
How you make
decisions –
And that the
choices you make coincide with the team’s intent
Producers like to
see evidence you can get a design through the shop with integrity
Yes, there are
changes that happen in the process – that’s part of
theatre
How did you deal
with the evolution that occurred in the production process?
Other resources:
KCACTF Website:
http://www.kennedy-center.org/education/actf/
http://www.kennedy-center.org/education/actf/actfbarb.html
KCACTF Region VII
Website: