Speak Digital Media Lesson

ENVIRONMENT LESSON

Lighting and Scenic

OBJECTIVE: Students will demonstrate their understanding of creating environment through lighting and scenic designs by creating a research collage and lighting image for a setting from “Speak” as a group.

UTAH THEATRE STANDARDS:

• Standard L2.T.CR.2: Conduct research to inform the design of sets, costumes, sound, and lighting for a dramatic production.
• Standard L2.T.CR.1: Develop imagination to create artistic ideas and work.

NATIONAL THEATRE STANDARDS:

• TH:Cr1.1.II.b. Understand and apply technology to design solutions for a drama/theatre work.
• TH:Cr1.1.III.a. Synthesize knowledge from a variety of dramatic forms, theatrical conventions, and technologies to create the visual composition of a drama/ theatre work.

PRIOR KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS:

• Students have read the book Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
• Script Analysis Unit - Students know how to analyze a script, draw meaning, and create beats.
• Intermediate Drama Class

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:

• How do you create unique concept and artistic choices while still basing it in the text?
• How do theatre designers ideas transform and change to create a concept?
• Why do we need a scenic or lighting concept?
• How can you communicate a similar concept by representational or presentational theatre?
• How does a scenic/lighting design influence an actors choices?

MATERIAL:

• Computer Lab with access to the internet and powerpoint.
• Back up Plan: magazines, paper, for sketching out images and ideas
• Camera / Phones- for a camera
• Back up Plan: Keeping the students in the theatre to see other students work, or creating a cue for each group.
• A lighting instrument and Gel
• Lighting Console Patched to a rep plot in a theatre (like Nelke Theatre)
• With faders of basic lighting looks: cool/warm front light, cool/warm top light, cyc light w/ colors, pipe ends
• Back up Plan: A lighting instrument or a flashlight and Gel
• Environment Powerpoint

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1RxCW6PXMdpyQknD3zR1_zc6V6uQ8OBhg4pZsDvRmtsw/edit?usp=sharing

• Radium Girls Scenic Concept Example Powerpoint

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1jaAOdYVZVc_8kQy0BE_EiLlQjq2vRJGgR4F6-GGprBU/edit?usp=sharing

• Responsibility Labels document

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oPWgh-0eJ_Xe68TnetcmLe3tkEOZWq0t/view?usp=sharing

• Set + light design worksheet

https://drive.google.com/file/d/10xgYrbYbufS7neE4ktISdQgSE7llH2R2/view?usp=sharing

BACK-UP: WITHOUT TECHNOLOGY OPTION

• Collage to Poster/Sketching
• If computer and/or the internet is unavailable, we will create picture collages from magazines and sketches of how we want the stage to look, and what gave us inspiration.
• Could use more writing to explain.
• Lighting Console- Flashlight and Gel
• If we are unable to use the theatre, or the lighting  board stops working we can create an image with light on the model with a single stage light we plug into the wall, option to use gel and gobo’s etc. We could also just put gel over flashlights to create different pictures.

BACK-UP: FOR DIVERSE LEARNERS

• When pairing students into groups find a group with a helpful and kind student to join a diverse learner to help explain instructions and gather ideas with them.
• If a parent or aid is available you could create a group with all the diverse learners. This could help create an atmosphere where the group can go at a slower pace and receive constant assistance and monitoring.

PART 1: HOOK

Before students come into class, arrange the desk/chairs into groups of three (3) around the room.  As students enter the room, hand them a piece of paper that says: Discussion Leader OR Scribe OR Spokesperson. Have the students find people who have been assigned a different responsibility.  Each group must have a Discussion Leader, Scribe, and Spokesperson. Then, have the groups sit in chairs in the pre-arranged areas.

• Step 1—Have the students find people who have been assigned a different responsibility.  Each group must have a Discussion Leader, Scribe, and Spokesperson. Then, have the groups sit in chairs in the pre-arranged areas.
• Step 2—Distribute the Set/Light Designer Worksheet.  Have each group discuss the first question (What is a set designer?), with each member of the group fulfilling his/her responsibility.
• The Discussion Leader conducts the discussion
• The Scribe notates the discussion
• The Spokesperson will present the group’s conclusions
• Give the students 3-5 minutes to discuss the question and come to a consensus.
• Step 3—Ask for a volunteer scribe to write the points on the board while each group presents their conclusions to the class.
• Step 4—Repeat steps 3 and 4 for each of the following questions:
• What are a set/light designer’s responsibilities?
• What traits, talents, and/or skills does a set/light designer need?
• Have a new scribe write on the board for each question.

PART 2: SCENIC / RESEARCH

LECTURE

• Pull up the Environment Powerpoint
• Presentational vs Representational
• Who has heard of Representational or presentational theatre before? Can you describe what it means?
• Definitions
• Representational: relating to or denoting art which aims to depict the physical appearance of things.
• Presentational: relating to the way in which something is presented to an audience.
• Little Women comparison: Can someone pick one of these images of Little Women and describe what aspects of the production looks representational or presentational?
• With a partner sitting next to you, for one minute discuss the basic steps a designer takes to create a design (going from the first day of getting their assignment to design).
• Come back together as a class and discuss basic steps the students came up with for a designer (lighting and scenic)
• Possible answers

1. Read the script
2. Research the Play
3. Analyze the Script
1. Place/Locale, Time Period, Mood, Themes
4. Stay true to the story/purpose

IDENTIFYING SETTINGS/ENVIRONMENT IN SPEAK

• Now that we have all read the book and are familiar with the story let’s talk about the different locations the story takes place. The Powerpoint slide says: “Analyze the Script: What are some locations / settings from Speak?” Have the students shout out a location while you write them on the board.

• School Hallway
• Bedroom
• Art Classroom
• Janitor’s closet she decorated
• Cafeteria
• Mom’s Clothing Store
• Gym
• Forest
• Party
• Kitchen

• Split the students into groups of 4-5 and have them choose a location they want to explore, discuss, and design today. I will put some questions on the board for your group to discuss about the location you have decided. Have a scribe write down part of your discussion and discoveries about this locale.
• How would you describe this place?
• What is the vibe or feeling of the room? How might you help create that?
• Who’s in this space normally? How comfortable are different characters in this space?
• What colors are you imagining in the space? What kind of lighting?
• What is an essential part of this space? What objects or furniture are essential to tell the story?
• Ask the students: If you were to design this room would it be representational or presentational? Talk about both and the benefits and drawbacks of each. You have 2 minutes to discuss this.
• Tell the students we are going to continue to use these locations throughout the lesson to create a few different things in our groups before we share with the class.

RESEARCH IMAGES

• For the next few minutes we are going to focus on the beginning of the scenic process with research images. After you have read the script and researched the story/play a bit, designers need a way to describe what they’re thinking for a design, so they use research photos.

• What is a research image? Are there different types of research images? What might they show?
• Completely realistic? Concept/idea focused? Colors? feeling?
• Show examples from powerpoint and discuss different types of research images:
• HISTORICAL
• How might historical research photos be helpful? What do these research photos describe or help explain for a designers concept?
• Historical photos can help you find a basic feeling and atmosphere from the time period and reality. Now let’s look at pictures to describe what you might feel and the atmosphere you want through an image.
• ATMOSPHERE / FEELING
• Can someone pic one of these pictures and describe what it makes you feel? Follow up: What part of the image makes you think that?
• The objects? colors? lighting? Shapes? Line? Balance? texture?
• DETAIL
• Why would these research images be helpful?
• Why do you want pictures of specific objects?
• Historical accuracy
• Important prop/set piece to the plot of a story
• LIGHTING / COLORS / MOOD
• Talk about lighting and what you can show for research images (without using stage lighting pictures) -connection to later in the lesson
• What mood/feeling does each picture help show? How does it influence an object and create a feeling more than just an object in my hand?
• As a group create a google doc or powerpoint that you share with each other. For the next 5 minutes you will start to gather some research images for your location in Speak. Focusing on scenic design gather images to help show the atmosphere and feeling of the room, details for the room and give some historical context.
• Find 1-2 images for each category: Historical, Atmosphere/Feeling, Detail, Lighting/Mood.

DESIGN CONCEPT

Bring the students back together. Now one of the next steps to creating a design concept is some words to describe it. Let’s talk about Design Concepts.

• Word or phrase
• Support the director's concept
• Design will be based on text and supported- helps tell the story.
• Show examples from Radium Girls Scenic Concept Examples
• What do these images help the designer show/describe? What part of a concept do you understand better with these images? How do the images and Design Concept/phrase relate?
• Choose an image from this concept and help describe to the class how it relates to the Design Concept and how it helps this scenic designer communicate something in multiple ways.

In your groups brainstorm some design concepts for your design. Come up with a few single words, and some phrases. (2-4 minutes)

Now in groups we are going to create a collage of research images and words to help present your scenic design ideas for a location/environment from “Speak”. Put together a design concept/phrase and some research images you have gathered to show your concept. You can add or substitute a few of your research images to help describe or relate to your concept better if needed.

RESEARCH COLLAGE (ASSESSMENT- Part 1)

• Instructions (on PPT slide)

1. Compile a total of 7-12 research images

• Historical, atmosphere, abstract, details, etc

2. Create A Design Concept/Idea

• A word or phrase to describe your concept

PART 3: LIGHTING

LECTURE

• Review Functions and Controllable Qualities of Light.
• Show examples of productions and discuss theatre productions using the terms we have learned to talk about it.
• Lighting fixture and Model
• shadows vs stairs (reflection off walls)
• natural vs fluorescent
• Assignment Description
• Lighting Board Explained

LIGHTING IMAGE (ASSESSMENT- Part 2)

• Class Instruction: Each group will have 5 minutes at the light board. There will be a model/dress form on stage. You will use the faders on the light board to help show and control the environment of the room you are designing.
• Here are some of the controls you have access to:
• Intensity (bright or dim)
• Either warm or cool light … or both
• Either top light or front light… or both
• You also have a few angles (pipe ends or coves)
• You can also change the color of the back wall
• Creating Lighting Images
• While not creating a picture with the light board you will be discussing different options for your pictures.
• What are the angles of light you want to use? Warm or Cool color? Talk about the space you are creating? What mood are you trying to show? Is there a color that helps the scene give a sense of place, feeling, etc?
• Set up with the students the order each group will come to the lightboard in. Let them know… when they are done they need to create a phrase or sentence to describe their design for this location (scenic and lighting)
• Therefore, when you are not brainstorming you lighting options or with me at the light board you should be creating that board and getting ready to show your work.

PART 4: SHARE

• Gallery Walk/Share: Have the students set up the things below on the computer screen or 2 computers right next to each other.
• Scenic Research Collage
• Picture of Lighting Design
• Sentence concept
• Now let's wander around the class to look at other groups artwork and designs.

RESOURCES:

• https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiAmNzOkungAhXFCTQIHaFnDpYQjxx6BAgBEAI&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.com%2Fpin%2F63754150947711974%2F&psig=AOvVaw37G5mMeKeo8JQhDhlZQYDi&ust=1551811463922372
• http://www3.northern.edu/wild/th100/chapt9.htm
• https://slideplayer.com/slide/6041400/
• http://tedb.byu.edu/?page_id=4192 (warm up/hook)