Scenic Construction: Stags and Hens Synopsis

LX Free Java Design

Digital Designes

Sourced Materials for painting and decoration

 

 

<<< Used to sponge the squares onto the flats.

 

 

 

 

Tools and Equipment

Materials video

http://youtu.be/e80Lb6M5-vQ

 

Tools and Joints technique video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reF6IBcQxhE&feature=youtu.be

Scenic Construction: Scale Drawing

 

The Director gave me a very simple design brief. She wanted a male and a female toilet set with a performance space in the middle.

 

Going from this I designed the male toilet set on stage right and the female on stage left with a performance space in the middle. I also designed it so we could have real porcelain sinks and real taps however I could only have the real taps because the sinks were too heavy. Moreover I designed it so we could have the checker linoleum would cover the entire floor space and then curved up onto the rostra so the floor would look as though it continued. However this was not possible as it was too expensive. So we ended up using a piece from another set that just covered the floor with cut offs to suggest that it carried on. Also, as you can see from the scale drawing of the sinks I originally designed it so the sinks were held up with large metal brackets which I got inspiration from  worktops I had sourced online. However we could not do this as the flats would not be able to support the weight of the worktops and the actors wanted to lean on them, so I decided to build them as full work tops with doors and sides however I could not do this as the amount of wood needed would be too costly. I finally decided to just use 2 by one batons as legs instead and add rail supports with more 2 by 1 batons to give extra strength to the worktops and make it so it was somewhat possible for the actors to lean on them. This change also meant that I could not use the brackets. Using the extra wood I added as rails round the top of the sinks I was able to drill straight through them and into the flat to hold them into place, this also added extra support to them.

My Process Discussion: 3

1. When making the cubicle for the female set we already had flats we could use so this cut down on the cost of wood and time. I only there for needed to make a door. I did this by using the same wooden sheeting as the flats and made a frame for support. I used but joints at each corner with 2 by 1 battons. I did not put on the bottom so it could open and close efficiantly. 

2. I then used blue paint that we already had along with the cheepest spray paint I could find to do graffiti.

Spray Paint ^^^^

 

 < Blue Paint

I then realised  that I should attach a handle to the door for ease of the actors usage. I found a handle from the props cupboard. I did this by countersinking two holes and using wood screws.  

^^^ An example of the graffiti

 

^^^^^^^^^^

I attached the door using hinges I got from the PA technician.

My Process: Discussion: 2

1. When creating my set flats I realised that it would be too constly and time consuming to do as many as I wanted, which was 4 on each side. So I decided to make cut off flats that are commonly used to suggest that the wall goes on.

2. First of all I was going to use two wooden sheeting flats however it was sugested by julie that I could use one and use the reverse for the other side. I did this by using the jigsaw to cut a diagonal across the flat in a random pattern.

3. I then needed to make a frame for flats that would support the flat. I did this using the 2 by 1 battons. I used a but joint at the corner and then used the power drill, 1cm wood screws, a countersinking drill bit and a pilot hole drill bit to attach it to the board.

4. When I lifted up the flat I found it to be too wobbly and it needed support so I decided to add a diagonal 2 by 1 batton to add support. I used a cut of joint to do this. This is done by diagonaly cutting the additional batton so it can sit cleanly on an angle, e.g  (picture 1). I could have done this with a hand saw however time was limited so I adjusted the circualr saw so it could cut on a 45 degree angle.

 

Here is how it looked after it was attached.

 





My Process: Discussion 1

How I constructed the sinks for my set:

1. First of all I sourced the wood needed for the sinks tops and the legs. I asked the college PA technician for this as she had ordered what we'd asked for in regards to our materials video. I originally wanted MDF or hardboard for the sinks however this proved too expensive so I had to use what was available, which was chip board and 2 by 1 batons.

2. After laying the chipboard out on ????? I first started by measuring out the holes for the sinks to go in by drawing round black plastic washing up bowls that I was going to use as the sinks. I initially wanted real sinks however they proved hard to source, expensive and far too heavy for the work tops. After I drew the holes I used a 5 twist drill bit to allow the jigsaw to go through so I could cut round.

3. Once I had the sinks cut out I used the 25 and 32 spade drill bit to drill through holes so that the taps could sit into the sink tops. Doing this allowed me to cut round the circle and through the board with ease.

4. Following this I attached the legs to the sink tops. I did this by using the drill power tool with the twist drill bit, the countersinking drill bit and then the screw drill bit. I could have manually done this with a screw driver however that could not have been so efficient and would have taken a long time.

5. After this I decided that the work tops needed more support so I added another 2 by 1 baton to each side using the same method as before. I could have not done this however it would have been far too wobbly and unstable. However even after doing this I found the sinks still to be too unstable I would have added another bar to the middle of the legs to make a more durable frame but wood was limited due to cost.  I also originaly planned on making doors and side pannels on the sinks for extra support and a more asthetically pleasing look to them however due to cost of wood and the time shedual I was not able to do this. There for I decided that they could be drilled onto the back of the set flats, (through thesupport 2 by 1 battons I put on the sides of the sinks) once they were mounted on to the rostra.

6. After putting together the entirety of the sinks I coated the tops in Mahogany Varnish. I wanted to use white to create a more conventoional sink look, however the shop where I could get the varnish the cheepest did not sell and I wanted a shiney work top finnish so I used mahogany. Then I put the taps in place placed the bowls in to the sinks slots. However I noticed a mistake on one of the boxes, when drilling the holes I had followed the wrong line round which I had drawn which ment the bowls fell through. To resolve this I fortunatly still had the offcuts so I was able to use the jigsaw to cut a section of wood that was bit enough to fill the excess  and drill it into place from underneath the hole to make the gap smaller.

Scenic Construction: Health & Safety Discussion

Scenic Construction: Evaluation

 

 

Pros:

1. The cut off flats worked well because of how they extended the wall with out the extra cost and time of creating more flats.
2. I thought that the way in which the sinks were fixed together was very quick and looked okay. However I was not aware at the time of construction that the sinks had to be sat on and lent againts. So if I were to make them again I would have done more consultation with the shows director and tired to source stronger joints such as a dove tail joint. However within the time restrictions I could not have done such a complicated joint.


Cons:

1. The sinks worked well for the pourpose and I liked the harmoney of colours I had used dispite the use of mahogany instead of white for the work tops. However if I were to do it again  and if I had more wood I would have made side pannels for the sinks to make them look better.
2. I also did not like the final result for the level of the sinks compared to the pattern on the back I felt that because of the fact i factored in the height of the rostra when painting it.
3. I also felt very rushed through the process of it because I did not have a commited construction parter.  If I were to do it again I would have suggested more people to work on the set and maybe to have planned the full time of the early stages of the unit so I could prepare for construction. For example half way through painting I ran out of spray paint if I had been able to plan more efficiantly between 2 or 3 people this could have been forseen. I also found I had to ask other people to do simple things like holding wood steady so I could cut it more neatly and right on the first time. So I definaly would have needed a more commited constuction team and a more efficiant planning stage.