Guidelines for All Design award categories

These guidelines are presented in the hope that the students' selection of material will reflect their creative process; that they will be encouraged to display the development of their design, as it reflects their unique vision – while demonstrating an understanding of industry standards in each area of design.

Process

• A demonstration of process is key to a good design display. Respondents at the regional and national levels look for specific documentation of the steps taken to arrive at the final design.
• Respondents often have difficulty in relating the final design to a particular script. The relationship between the script, design idea, design approach, and the final design should be made as clearly as possible. It is recommended that designers include at least three drawings showing progression from initial idea to final design.
• All entries should include as much documentation of process as possible.

Design Approach

• A concise statement of the design idea or approach, also referred to as a concept statement, to the production should be included.
• The design statement should be presented in a clear and readable format, mounted separately from any other documentation. Statements should not exceed one page. (See sample design approach statement for “The Count of Monte Cristo”)

Photographic Documentation

• Poor quality photographs plague the displays and hamper the evaluation process.
• Extreme care should be made in selecting production photos for display.

General Display Guidelines

• Each region shall determine its own display size limitations. Such space shall be not less than 16 square feet. Designers are responsible for checking with individual regions for all specifications and restrictions.
• Room for models and three-dimensional pieces may be provided, as determined individually by each region.
• Appropriate design materials may be arranged on multiple mats or panels, as long as they are no larger than 24” x 40”, and fit in the available display area provided to each design entry.
• For design areas other than sound, the use of any electrical device (lights or anything needing an electrical outlet) is firmly discouraged.
• All design materials must be labeled with: the play title and playwright; act and scene; and the student designer's name. Wherever possible the name of the designer's college or university should not be visible on the front of any materials. The designer's return address should be on the back of each item of the entry.