Software Considerations This screen capture is the second of two pages of renderings and production shots for the musical Assassins. The collage on the right allows viewers to select the images that appeal to them by changing the larger image on the left as they roll the cursor over the collage. The use of the collage here also brings continuity to the site structure by mimicking the smaller collages in the portfolio menu. The collage also allows the grouping of related images and characters into meaningful arrangements that give the viewer a better sense of the feel of the production. PowerPoint slides work as a storyboard. In this sample, the concept narrative, research, costume sketches, and production photographs for the show Epic Proportions are conveyed by twelve slides that explain visual choices and emphasize the design elements. Epic Proportions was written by Larry Coen and David Crane, directed by Davis Robinson, and produced at the Lyric Stage in Boston in 2002. Costume design was by the author. Hand coding my Web pages also makes them more streamlined and therefore faster loading. The commercial programs add a lot of extraneous code that isn't really needed and that extra code makes the pages load slower. 30 THEATRE DESIGN & Creating a digital portfolio can be as simple as taking digital photographs of an existing portfolio and saving them on a CD. Today, Mac and PC computers have comparable programs that allow picture viewing-as thumbnails or as a slide show. It is recommended that the pictures be numbered in the order intended (for viewing) so the sequences make sense. For more formal presentations-such as an exhibition or a lecture demonstration- programs such as Microsoft's PowerPoint are recommended. PowerPoint comes with various layout options; images and text can be imported into a template and can then be saved to a CD and presented as a slide show on a projection screen or monitor. People who are new to the technology need not to worry if an information technology department or a technician is not available to help; most software programs come with tutorials and Web links to provide help. What is important is to take the time to experiment and practice. TECHNOLOGY F A L L 2006