How to pre-design a Set for a Stage Play?

I wanted to know whether there is a technique or a Specific Software with the help of which I can Pre-Design a Set for a Stage Play. This would actually help me playing around with different things and props, thus concluding to the best setting.





If there is one, kindly do mention the name of the Software. It would be great if you can help me out with this question.





Thanks for your time to my query.





Take Care.


Theo Allan.

How to pre-design a Set for a Stage Play?
I don't know of any actual computer software that would aid you in this task. However, I have had some experience in helping to build stage sets and props and so fourth. Here's an idea, just a suggestion. Call your local college or university or even a local high school and even the local theater group and ask them who is in charge of their theater productions. Go and speak with the person and tell them what you need. With their experience and expertise they probably could steer you in the right direction better than most anyone else. At least thats what I would do if I were you. All I kn ow is a lot of people simply look at stage designs from photos of movies or past plays and they built it. I've never seen any software out there that would aid in this before, but, thats theater for you, secrets of the trade are well protected.


Just trying to be helpful.
Reply:Most professional designers use AutoCAD or VectorWorks Spotlight but they both take time to learn and are very expensive.





Punch Architectural series offers much easier tools that allow you to quickly build walls and add furniture that result in relatively good 3D designs that you can virtually walk thru and see from all audience viewpoints. You don't have the full flexibility of the more advanced tools but it is much easier and cheaper.





I think you can download a free version of Punch and try it out.
Reply:DESIGN.





All the scenery, furniture and props the audience sees at a production of a play make up the set design. The set designer's job is to design these physical surroundings in which the action will take place. The overall look of the set also gives the audience information about the director's concept of the production.


The set should:


suggest the style and tone of the whole production, create mood and atmosphere, give clues as to the specific time and place of the action and offer creative possibilities for the movement and grouping of the actors.





The set may also need to be designed so the backstage areas used by the actors and stage crew are kept out of sight from the audience. This will depend on the effect the director wants to create with the staging and on the type of stage the production uses.





All the things appearing on the stage other than the scenery are called stage properties, or props. Set props like furniture, draperies and decorations are the types of things that complete the set and they need to be part of the set design.





The set designer will normally read the script many times, both to get a feel for the flavor and spirit of the script and to list its specific requirements for scenery, furnishings and props. The time of day, location, season,historical period and any set changes called for in the script are noted. The set designer's focus here is on figuring out everything that may be needed based on the dialogue in the script. Stage directions tend to be ignored at this point in the process.





Collaboration


The set designer will meet with the director and the design team (set, costume, lighting and sound designers), to discuss the details of the set and the director's interpretation of the play. The set, costume and lighting designers also meet and work together to ensure the creation of a unified look and feel for the production. A lively exchange of initial ideas and first impressions helps clarify the steps that each person needs to take in this intensely collaborative process.





Designer's tools


Set designers use several tools to communicate their ideas to the director and the other designers. These include:


a rough sketch of the set in the preliminary phase, floor plans drawn to scale showing from above the general layout of each set and the placement of the furniture and large props, front elevations giving a view of the elements of the set from the front and showing details like windows or platforms, miniature three-dimensional models showing how each set will look when finished.





These visual aids help to ensure that all the theatre artists involved in the production understand each other.





Once the show opens, the designer's work is essentially complete. Now it's normally the job of the stage manager and backstage crew to make sure that every aspect of the production runs just as the designer intended, time after time, until the production closes.
Reply:I'm not sure if this will help, but here is a link for you to check out. It might help you...

flower names