QUT Technical Production Showcase | Standing By 2017 Stimulus
The stimulus for this years showcase has been that the current graduating cohort are the next generation of technical production and the next generation of live performance artists and technicians. With this in mind we concentrated on what was unique and ‘new’ about our cohort and aimed to build a show around these concepts.
The new. Tying in our current cohort being part of the new technical production course, we aim to build a show around the concept of a life cycle in live performances.
Creative Intention
Through this work, we wish to showcase not only the collaborative nature of live
performance but also the collaborative nature of our cohort. We are a diverse cohort who are capable and comfortable working across the creative, managerial and technical pillars of the Production Arts. In order to deconstruct this, we will be showcasing the journey of our process to reach the final product of not only past shows but showcase itself.
The performance we will use to present this will be similar to a David Attenborough narrated documentary following the development of the life cycle in a live performance and the
‘organisms’ which live within it an make it possible at each stage. Although the exhibit will include content from previous shows and content made specifically for showcase, the
performance itself will concentrate on the process of Standing By 2017, showcasing how the space the audience is occupying was imagined, designed and then built collaboratively.
As a cohort, we propose the following order as the ‘life cycle’ of a live performance shown in the way the exhibit is laid out. The layout of each sections are not placed in order, thus creating a non-linear path of the ‘life cycle’. Markings on the floor will be placed to guide audiences in the linear path if they wish to follow it.
1) Concept and development 2) Pre-production
3) Rehearsals 4) Bump In
5) Plot / Tech / Dress weeks 6) Opening Night
7) Performance Season / Closing Night 8) Bump Out / Post Production
Through this narrative we want to show the professionals in the industry the process of how we as a cohort came to a final product, why and how we do it differently from others and what makes us unique as individuals. We also wish to show our friends and family what our careers as students and our future careers in the industry mean to us and why it has become
Standing By 2017
Group Proposal
V4 as at 1/10/2017
such a large part of our lives. We also wish to help them to understand the process of live production and what we are actually doing in the theatre / in the dark.Design
The starting point for this design was the split dome; due to the large real estate and strong geometric and futuristic image that they and their accompanying vision present, it was essential that we design a space that supported them and was supported by them in turn.
Pieces from individual students also featured naturalistic textures and colours, such as grass and trees. The overall design of Standing By ‘17 then needed to incorporate these extremes in futurism and nature. The design team collected inspiration from greenhouses, beehives and organic architecture.
This bio-mechanic design is expressed through the colour scheme (see Fig. 1) and a style guide applied to signage and supporting architecture throughout the space.
Fig. 1: Colour Scheme
Concept and Development Area
Central Image: Model Box (1:100) of Z9-130 in Standing By’17 layout.
The outside of the model box will be arted with student content and lit with set electrics.
There will be projection on the inside of the model box walls and floor as well as physical paperwork and other content from students on the black wall above and around this area.
also be physical and projected content in this area. During the performance, content pertaining to this area will be projected onto the concrete wall above the ledge over the Bio Wall.
Fig. 2: Concept and Development area
Pre-Production and Rehearsal
Central Image: 3/4 dome with projection mapping. Dome will be 4m wide, 4m deep and 2.3m tall allowing audience members to walk into the dome in order to view projection. This will include rehearsal footage, pre-production footage, paperwork, schedules and 360° footage contributed by various members of the cohort.
Fig. 3: Pre-production and rehearsal area
Standing By 2017
Group Proposal
V4 as at 1/10/2017
Bump in / Tech / Plot / DressCentral Image: A landscape of props taken from many shows across the cohort’s time at QUT. Timelapses will be projected onto the concrete portion of the wall above this area and physical paperwork will adorn the walls as well as potential digital paperwork on monitors or iPads. There is a sound and vision booth featuring Qlab files and work created by students for viewing and interaction during exhibition. There will be a dragon puppet which will be featured in this section on top of the booth which includes both electronically controlled parts and neck and body movement which is interactive during exhibition. In addition to this, there will also be a sound system setup with microphones and playback on various props in the room.
Fig. 4: Bump in / Tech / Plot / Dress area
Opening Night / Performance Season / Closing Night
Central Image: Quarter dome with LED lights. To make it slightly more creative, the
projection surface for this dome will be made of physical paperwork which will be collected from the cohort. Holographic projection will feature in this space for opening night. Although the stage will be split in order to facilitate holographic projection, a forestage will still remain for the David Whitworth Award presentation and other speeches which requires one. The control booth will also form part of this section, with a live feed of the stage managers and operators appearing above it during the performance, and physical objects and models displayed in front. This is also to assist with sight line issues during the performance as the sections are all on the floor meaning some people may not be able to see depending on the area during the performance.
Fig. 5: Opening Night / Performance Season / Closing Night area
Fig. 6: Control booth
Standing By 2017
Group Proposal
V4 as at 1/10/2017
Bump Out / Post ProductionCentral Image: Projected onto the concrete portion of the wall, this features playback of video displaying interviews conducted to reveal the emotion, passion and love each member of our cohort has for the performance industry or their particular craft. This acts as a final piece of humanity and enthusiasm not just for our family and friends but for professionals, again showing them how we are each unique.
Archival
Central Image: Bookshelf of binders and folders collated from graduates over the past 3 years. There will also feature a panoramic photo of the graduating students. This section will also include two monitors: one at the centre of the David Whitworth collection, and one that displays archival footage alongside physical archival paperwork.
Fig. 7: Bump out/Post production and Archiving area
Bio Wall
The Bio Wall is an OSC controlled system where audience are able to view a graduates bio, show roles and secondments by clicking on a iPad. It is currently in discussion as to whether this is a projection above the area or on a monitor. The wall will be used to display the ‘dead grass’ turf from Detroit which will act as a display surface and a frame for the Bio Wall’s interactive interface and a lit and decorated tree set piece.
Fig. 8: Bio wall area
Standing By 2017
Group Proposal
V4 as at 1/10/2017
PROPOSED TIMELINE
For the launch evening on Monday 6th November, we propose the following timeline:
Time Duration Description
17:50 00:08 Audience Arrive – waiting outside Z9-130 17:58 00:02 Doors Open
18:00 00:01 Doors Close
18:01 00:02 D. Attenborough opening address / housekeeping / Welcome to country / overview of the night
18:03 00:03 Performance Segment 1 : Concept and Development 18:06 00:03 Performance Segment 2 : Pre-production and Rehearsals 18:09 00:03 Performance Segment 3 : Bump in / Plot / Tech / Dress
Control Area 18:12 00:03 Year in review
18:15 00:10
Performance Segment 4 : Opening Night Speech 1 : Tony
Speech 2 : Third Year Address
18:25 00:03 Performance Segment 5 : Performance Season 18:28 00:03 Performance Segment 6 : Bump out
Third Year Headshot
18:31 00:09
Performance Segment 7 : Archival Speech 3 : David Whitworth Award
Speech 4 : Second / First year address / live feed 18:40
