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DESIGNING FOR FRINGE

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WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO ACHIEVE?

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TIME AND PLACE
TONE AND MOOD
GENRE AND STYLE
EXPECTATIONS
STORYTELLING
FOCUS

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DESIGN IN PROCESS

Design led process.

Design is not an afterthought, everything is designed, everything is communicating a message. An empty stage is still a set design, actors in stage blacks are still wearing a costume. You may as well utilize these opportunities to enhance your storytelling. As a designer you should be apart of the process from the beginning, or if you’re doing it all yourself than you should be thinking about it form the beginning. The best design is when it feels like it’s an essential part of the show, it’s as doing as much work as the performers to tell the story. Design can be better at communicating some idea than a performer, design can solve problems.

If its scripted, you should have a set designed before rehearsals start, it can be altered and tweaked through the production based on how the show develops, or what does or doesn’t work. But you should be starting with a complete concept. And then as a designer it’s your job to make sure the director and actors, are utilizing it the best.

All devised process look different but the designer should be in the room from the start, as much apart of the process as anyone else. They are a collaborator.

Always test things, bring mock ups or stand ins to rehearsal, get in put from the actors, director, stage managers, other designers. Don’t waste your time getting something perfect and completed only to find it doesn’t work in the show. Be as prepared as you can be for pack in.

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DESIGNING

FOR FRINGE

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SMALL/ZERO BUDGET
SPACE SHARING
LACK OF RESOURCES (TOOLS, WORKSHOP SPACE)
LACK OF TIME
SIZE OF VENUE
VENUE’S RESOURCES

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SMALL BUDGETS

Broad strokes, sometimes bigger and poorer quality is better than smaller and higher quality. What will give you the highest impact for the lowest cost.

What materials do we have ready access to that are cheap or free? Every designer has done a cardboard set, find what people are trying to get rid off. What dramaturgically makes sense for your play?

Take the time to scout materials and do research, go have a wonder of bunnings, pete’s emporium, trash palace or the dump shop. There is good stuff out there it may just have a different intended use.

Ask around, you never know who has stuff (spring awakening gun, horse). Facebook groups can also be helpful for this.

If you can make a choice seem intentional no one will know it was out of necessity. Many show’s have successfully leant in to the low budget look and established an aesthetic that embraced it, such as the bacchanals.

Tips

Resene and most other paint shops sell mis coloured paint for cheaper
See if places have memberships (Resene)
If you need very large sheets of cardboard, ask bike shops
Drop cloths can be very cheap ways to get a large piece of plastic or material.
Take flyers with you, and If it’s a small business, drop into conversation that it’s for a show, sometimes they give you discounts

ANY OTHER COST SAVING TIPS?

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BROAD STROKES
WHAT’S AVAILABLE?
GO SCOUTING
ASK AROUND
LEAN INTO IT

Broad strokes, sometimes bigger and poorer quality is better than smaller and higher quality. What will give you the highest impact for the lowest cost.

What materials do we have ready access to that are cheap or free? Every designer has done a cardboard set, find what people are trying to get rid off. What dramaturgically makes sense for your play?

Take the time to scout materials and do research, go have a wonder of bunnings, pete’s emporium, trash palace or the dump shop. There is good stuff out there it may just have a different intended use.

Ask around, you never know who has stuff (spring awakening gun, horse). Facebook groups can also be helpful for this.

If you can make a choice seem intentional no one will know it was out of necessity. Many show’s have successfully leant in to the low budget look and established an aesthetic that embraced it, such as the bacchanals.

Tips

Resene and most other paint shops sell mis coloured paint for cheaper
See if places have memberships (Resene)
If you need very large sheets of cardboard, ask bike shops
Drop cloths can be very cheap ways to get a large piece of plastic or material.
Take flyers with you, and If it’s a small business, drop into conversation that it’s for a show, sometimes they give you discounts

ANY OTHER COST SAVING TIPS?

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SPACE SHARING

To best share space you have to know it well. Know your venue well, make sure you get you visit it if your not familiar with it. Ask lots of questions, can you hang things from the grid, can you screw into the walls or stage, can you paint the walls or stage, what unique features does the space have.

Establish how much space you have to store things between shows, and establish exactly how long you have for your change over.

Get in touch with the shows you’re sharing with, can you work together, are there things they want that you also want, can you pool your resources.

If you are the first show of the night you will likely have more time to set up, but less to strike, if you are last of the night, you’ll have less time to set up and more time to strike. If you’re in the middle, that sucks. Longer to set up means you can get more onstage and set up more specifically, longer to pack up means you can make a mess and have more time to clean up.

Hanging things is quick and effective. A French brace and a sandbag goes a long way. Same with budget, what’s giving you the biggest bang for your buck, if you’re limited by how much you can put onstage, then everything needs to be a lot of work.

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KNOW YOUR VENUE
COLLABORATE WITH THE OTHER ARTISTS
MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR ORDER
BE ECONOMICAL

To best share space you have to know it well. Know your venue well, make sure you get you visit it if your not familiar with it. Ask lots of questions, can you hang things from the grid, can you screw into the walls or stage, can you paint the walls or stage, what unique features does the space have.

Establish how much space you have to store things between shows, and establish exactly how long you have for your change over.

Get in touch with the shows you’re sharing with, can you work together, are there things they want that you also want, can you pool your resources.

If you are the first show of the night you will likely have more time to set up, but less to strike, if you are last of the night, you’ll have less time to set up and more time to strike. If you’re in the middle, that sucks. Longer to set up means you can get more onstage and set up more specifically, longer to pack up means you can make a mess and have more time to clean up.

Same with budget, what’s giving you the biggest bang for your buck, if you’re limited by how much you can put onstage, then everything needs to be a lot of work.

ANY OTHER TIPS FOR SHARING THE SPACE

Hanging things is quick and effective. A French brace and a sandbag goes a long way.

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REMEMBER THAT IT’S FRINGE

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SET DESIGN CHECKLIST

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DEFINED SPACE

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FLOOR TREATMENT

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HEIGHT

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LEVELS

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INTERACTION WITH LIGHTING

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TRANSFORMATIVE ELEMENT

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STAGE PICTURES

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WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON?