Stage Design

The Theater is not dead!!


Ask Richard Finkelstein. He is a scenic designer, or stage designer. He's completeed a number of projects, most of them being very popular shows.

from "A Tale of Cinderella" design by

Richard Finkelstein

sketch for "Amadeus"

by R. Finkelstein

"Amadeus" completed

R. Finkelstein

"Chaucer in Rome"

 R. Finkelstein

"The Lark"

R. Finkelstein

"Lancashire Lad"

R. Finkelstein

"Ordeal by Innocence"

R. Finkelstein

"Peter Pan"

R. Finkelstein

"Urinetown"

Perspective by:

R. Finkelstein

All photos came from Richard Finkelstein's portfolio website: 

http://www.rfdesigns.org/1776.htm

keep sketching

Alana

Shelter: a necessity to human nature.

It starts in the cave dwellings of ancient man: Cro-Magnons. When men started living and dwelling in caves, in other words troglodyte architecture, it sort of became the dawn of organic architecture.

They used the environment around them to make shelter for themselves. Such places were porus mountains where they made those pores thier homes. It is the ultimate way to living amongst, around, and within nature, or organic architecture.

This is basically just a reminder of how we as humans used to be so much closer to nature. Our relationship with nature has gotten more and more distant, yet we still need as much as we may think we don't.



Where to go, What to do?

If you're like me, finishing up with school and trying to find a job in a city that best fits your needs (that would include a film industry), maybe this can help you out.

It seems like if you wanted to get into the film industry, you have two choices: New York City or Las Angeles. This is not neccessarily true. Although NYC and LA are still making movies, there are other places on the rise in the US, and Canada for that matter, that are getting bigger and bigger as we speak. Why? Well one reason is for sure: tax incentives. Or in other words, a tax break for filmmakers.

I found a website that gives a state by state breakdown of where the taxes lie. It is always possible however that these numbers have already changed and been updated with the economic turn. Here is the link::

http://makingthemovie.info/2006/07/tax-credits-for-filmmakers-state-by-state.html

I bet you wont believe this: Louisiana is the premier state for film and television making because of these tax incentives. This satate also offers a diverse landscape and several cities and historical areas that can be nicely caught on film in within a reasonable distance.

So next time your thinking about where to move, think about the market that is going on in that are and how it could affect you, and do some research on where that market could be heading in the near and distant future.

A few more good sites that can help with your research::::

http://louisianaentertainment.gov/film/default.cfm
http://www.marketresearch.com/browse.asp?categoryid=795&g=1
http://www.ifp.org/
http://www.globalmarketproductions.com/

Art Nouveau: Biodynamic

Art Nouveau, 1890-1914, explores a new style in the visual arts and architecture that developed in Europe and North America at the end of the nineteenth century. The exhibition is divided into three sections: the first focuses on the 1900 World's Fair in Paris, where Art Nouveau was established as the first new decorative style of the twentieth century; the second examines the sources that influenced the style; and the third looks at its development and fruition in major cities in Europe and North America.


(http://www.nga.gov/feature/nouveau/exhibit_intro.shtm)

Art Nouveau was also considered a form of organic architecture. This style had a biodynamic form to it - meaning its filled with curves, waves, organic shapes and forms. The idea was to turn to another direction of building than of the past; to make architecture feel more like the organic space around us instead of just building on top of it.

Art Nouveau was also a very innovative and fresh style...

The style fell out after so long, but if you look at the characteristics of this type of design and art, the same characteristics still exist within some designs. It doesn't have center stage anymore but it it still around in modifications.

Art Nouveau is a very inspiring style to artists and designers. 

So don't forget to keep sketching, and keep them fresh and innovative.

Alana

Switching Gears

Designing and building can be creatively satisfying for those of you who really love to art it up. Reaching as far back into your mind as you can to come up with an new and innovative way for a space to work and feel. For some of us though, it's not enough. But it's okay! A profession exists for us. A profession that combines designing and building for an imaginary world. Sounds great right? Well what is it.....

Production Design. It lies within the film industry. The above sketch was done by Guy Dyas, the Production Designer of Terry Giliam's film The Brothers Grimm.

Basically the Production Designer is in charge of the Art department on a film project and the Art Department is in charge of creating the physical world that appears on the film. It is important that the designer knows how to create and design something that is far out there, creative, and reflects what the director sees in his head and can still be realistically built. 

Guy Dyas' sketch (above) ended up being built almost exactly like the image for the film. And as whimsical as it looks it was still possible to build. This is why you might see architects or interior designers making their way into the film world, they know how to design something that must be realistically built. 

"The Tower" by Guy Dyas

Production design is really a great way to execute one's creative skills and satisfy their love for designing and building. I don't know about the rest of you, but it's my dream job, and so it looks as though I should practice my sketching.  Thank you Guy.

"Cavaldi's Carriage" pencil sketch by Guy Dyas

Director Terry Gilliam (left) and Guy Dyas (right) on set shooting 

The Brothers Grimm

Photos and information on The Brothers Grimm and Guy Dyas from http://www.smart.co.uk/dreams/grimguyd.htm

More to come on this subject.

Keep Sketching guys.

Alana

Bio-Architecture

Get it Started

As society keeps growing, people, we need to keep building. The only problem is space is limited on our planet. So how do we continue to build and take up space without completely annihilating the natural beauty of our planet?

My concept, as well as others’, as you will see, is to not place a building somewhere instead of nature, but merely working both synthetic and natural structures into a single space with each other. To go along with this idea is the concept of learning how to design more efficiently from nature’s own designs.

Someone who inspired me, and who I don’t doubt will inspire you as well, is someone who has been practicing, preaching and writing about this concept for quite sometime now.  You’ll probably notice quotes or ideas from him throughout my blogging career. His name is Javier Senosiain.

Javier Senosiain is an architect and the author of Bio-Architecture.

It’s sort of the Bible of how to look to nature for design ideas, the Alpha to Omega of natural habitats and structures and why they’ve lasted for ages, what works and what doesn’t work and why we should pay more attention to nature when trying to design more efficiently.

And not only are Senosiain’s theories inspiring and interesting but his designs themselves are pieces of art that reflect everything he is trying to convey to the rest of the design world.

  

Exterior of The Nautilus House, Mexico.  Architect: Javier Senosiain

Interior: The Nautilus House

It’s just amazing what we can do now.

More to come on similar subjects.

Alana

Hello World

 If you are someone that cares or just happened to Stumble-upon this page, my purpose here is to display an array of ideas, information, news, or even inspiration that is ignited around the globe in the design world.

I’ll mostly be incorporating two passions of mine within design: production design and bio-architecture.

In other words, we’ll be looking at two different ends of the design spectrum: cinema and environmental friendliness and of course everything in between.

I hope you all benefit from this and have fun exploring the design world with me.

Alana