Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 1993 - 49

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Setting the Stage (video)
Scene Paiming Video Series by Rasco, 36 Bush Avenue, Pon
Chester, NY 10573, 1990. 539.95, 5119.85 (throe ,'ideos).

manufacrured by comperirors. or are
rhere any references ro oil-based painrs,
varnishes, bronzing powders, or orher specialry scenic painrs. However, rhe painring
sreps are clearly and experrly demonsrrared which is rhe real value of rhe videos. Ir
will be up ro rhe viewer ro subsrirure

Depanmenl of Technical Design and Production, The Yale
School of Drama/Repertor)' Theatre, Yale Uni,'ersi,j', 1992.
155N 1053-8860,265 pp., b/w ill., 550 paperback (also
available in hardback for 560).

There are rhree videos in rhis series prepared by Rosco. "Preparing rhe Surface"
"Technical Brief" srarred disrriburion in
(24 minures) covers basic prepararion of
1979 as a newslerrer ro disseminare solurhe flar, including coverrions ro many of rhe
ing, priming, flame proofrechnical challenges in
ing, base coaring, and
rhearre producrion. The
rransferring rhe design in
publicarion conrinues in
BOOK REVIEWS
charcoal and marker.
irs original form, wirh
"Painring Exreriors" (35
rhis volume, The Techniminures) covers simularcaL Brief CoLlection repreing brickwork, srones,
sen ring rhe body of
woodwork, foliage, and landscaping wirh
orher brands of scenic painr.
marerial published rhrough January 1991.
emphasis on highlighring and shadowing.
Compared wirh orher scene painring
This body is an assorrmenr of more rhan
"Painring Inreriors" (38 minures) covers
videos currenrly available on rhe marker,
100 arricles which have been organized
simularing woodgrain, marble, and srenrhese rapes are superior in rerms of rheir
inro 15 caregories. According ro John
ciled wallpaper.
Roberr Hood in rhe inrroduerion, "Techscripring and rheir very high performance
Carhy Poppe experrly hosrs and
and producrion values. The price is also
nical Brief" srarred as a projecr for a rechdemonsrrares rhe various painring rechwell wirhin any rhearre or library's budger.
nical wriring and research course ar Yale
niques. Carhy's presenrarion is brighr and
Each rape cosrs $39.95, roraling $119.85
so rhe preponderance of aurhors in rhe
nor unlike some of rhe do-ir-yourself profor rhe complere series. However, some
early issues were Yale graduare srudenrs,
grams on rhe Public Broadcasring Sysrem.
Rosco dealers offer a discounr when buybur as rhe publicarion progressed arricles
In each rape, rhe painring process is
ing all rhree. Unlike compering rapes
were submirred by academics and pracridemonsrrared sequenrially so ir is easy ro
whose price is equal ro or grearer rhan rhe
rioners from a wide range of insrirurions
sran and srop rhe rape ro demonsrrare
combined price of rhese rhree rapes, rhe
and rhearers.
individual processes. The srep-by-srep
The TechnicaL Brief CoLlection is rhe
buyer is able ro purchase rhe rapes over a
processes are easy ro follow, clearly illusperiod of rime as needed.
perfeer complimenr ro rechnical rhearre
rrared, and rhe finished producrs have nor
Ir is hoped rhar Rosco will conrinue ro
rexrbooks. Ir presenrs very specific applibeen significanrly alrered or fixed while
produce qualiry videos on subjecrs rhar ir
carions of rhe rexrbook conceprs and rherhe camera wasn'r rolling. The videos also
didn'r cover in rhis series of videos,
ories ro producrion problems in a formar
do nor wasre rhe viewer's rime relaying
including color rheory, preparing and
rhar serves as a model of analyric process
basic informarion rhar is readily available
painring large drops, scrim and rransluand a springboard for "brain srorming."
from a rexrbook on scene painring bur
cency painring, advanced painring rechIn some cases, I've rorally adopred rhe
spends rhe majoriry of camera rime on
niques or sryles, and rhe proper use of "Technical Brief" solurion ro a producacrually demonsrraring rhe painring rechrheir many orher brands of scenic painrs.
rion dilemma; for example Theodore
niques and processes.
Ohl's conrriburion of "Snowballs for rhe
There are a few silly momenrs in rhe
Ronald Naversen Srage" worked perfecrly for On the Velge
videos, such as a demonsrrarion of coverSoltthem ILLinois University and Curris Hardison's anicle, "Frosring
ing a miniarure flar wirh muslin, using
Plexiglass Windows wirh Beer and Epsom
blow rorches ro demonsrrare flame rerarSalrs," was used for BIIS Stop. In orher
danrs, and confusing references ro a varicases, rhe "Technical Brief" enrry has
ery of milk producrs ro describe painr
The Technical BriefCollection:
been rhe caralysr rhar has accelerared my
consisrency (Luckily painr and warer
Ten Years ofSolutlOns to
problem-solving process. For example, my
rarios are given ar rhe same rime). The
Recurring Problems in Technical
search for a rruly quier rype of casror conone major weakness of rhe series is rhar ir
Theatre
srrucrion was facilirared by reference ro
is an undisguised commercial for Rosco
Ediled by Ben Sammler and Don Harvey. Tew Haven, Cf:
Ray Forron's and Tom Bliese's arricles on
producrs demonsrraring
" ylon Rollers."
only rheir Off-Broadway
Each arride in rhis
Brand vinyl acrylic painrs.
book demonsrrares rhe
SYLVIA HILLYARD, EDITOR
There is no menrion of
deducrive problem-solvcommercial painr proding process which is
ucrs or orher scenic painrs
essenrial for successful

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TD&T

1993 SPRING

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 1993