Theatre Design & Technology - Fall 1993 - 21

ro create mote represemative clothing.
The major problem in this area is that
there are few programs that can execure
the complex geometry ro simulate folded fabric. One possible solurion ro this
problem is ro take a pattern generating
program such as JipparelC1D" and use
the shapes of the pattern pieces ro "construer" a garmem around a mannequin.
This process can also become the initial
line of communication from the designer ro the cmters and drapers. If the computer-generated model can be equated
ro a white paper model, then the computer-generated garments could be
equated ro muslin mock-ups. In any
evenr, all membets of the production
team, and evenrually the acrors, will see
the how elements of the cosrume
designs interacr with each other and
with the set design.

THE LIGHTING DESIGN
nder normal conditions for the medium-sized theatre, the majority of the
scenic and cosrume design work is complete before the show goes inro rehearsal.
The lighting designer is a part of the proces as well but has not yet been able ro
conrribute a great deal ro the world of the
design. His or her visual cOIHribmions in
these early stages of the produerion process have been mainlv limited ro verbal
concepts supporred by images such as
painrings and phorographs. Sketches and
srory boards can express ideas and perceptions for significant dramatic
momenrs, but they are static images. So
much of the lighting designer's work in
the theaue consists of underscoring the
aerion of the play via the lighting effeers.
Demonstrating these lighting effeers has
been, at best, difficult and woefully inadequate, if not impossible.
.
Traditionally the lighting designer
must wait umil he or she has plotted,
hung, focused, and cued a show on stage
before being able ro demonstrate ro the
direcror and the rest of the produerion
team (or even for him or herself) how the
lighted show will appear. sing the cene
designer's rendered 3D Studio model, the
lighting designer begins ro light the how
by placing lighting in trumenrs in their
appropriate places. Sihe is, in essence,
creating digital magic sheets. Quick low
resolution renderings showing the effeer
of the distribution are made as the plot
develops. Over time, the designer can
develop a model box "rep plot" that can
be imported inro new models and then
modified ro include special lighting positions and fixtllres for specific shows.
Once the plot is complete, the lighting

designer can develop images at higher
levels of resolurion for final preseIHations
(Figures 8 and 9).
Not only can the lighting designer
light key dramatic momenrs of the show,
bur sthe can demonstrate the transitions
conneering the momenrs with 3D animations. Scene changes, actOr crosses.
and lighting fades may be presenred in
teal time animations. Before the scenery
is built, the lights are hung, or the aerors
have begun rehearsing, the lighting
designer can show the direcror and fellow
designers how sthe plan ro light and cue
a produerion.
Although the ability ro demonstrate
lighting effects early in the produerion
design process is certainly advanrageous,
translating these ideas to the light plot is
currently not a seamless process. The
instrumenrs lighting the model do not
transfer direcdy to the plot. ormally the
plot will have many more fixrures than
can be used to light the model.
Generating the light plot is still a separate
step and remains fundamemally a separate 2D drawing (once more based on
the original model of the serring), however, advances in the software and hardware
platforms should allow the separate processes to merge more in the futllre.

Theatre Consul ting
& Design

Architectural
Lighting Design

Audio Visual

A NEW GRAPHIC LANGUAGE
It is importanr to note at this poim that
the renderings and animations created in
3D Studio are in no way offered as substi[Utes for the more traditional, handpaimed renderings. It seems ro us that
these drawings or models will not be
replaced as the definitive expression of
the design concepts for a theatrical produerion in the foreseeable furure. The
rationale for the computer modeling and
rendering system suggested ro this poinr
is not to turn out finished sketches of
costllmes or ettings, bur to aid in the
communlcanon process.
The aim of the Interaerive Digital
Design Srudio is to allow a more complete understanding of the look and
mechanics of a produerion significantly
earlier in the planning stages than is curreml\' possible. 1\ lore errors and potenrial
problems should reveal themselves before
the show is built, rather than after when
correerions are difficult at best. All participaIHs in the process arc working from
a single model and should be able to see
where they are going more easily. In
poinr of fact, a new language has been
created, not a symbolic one but a graphic
language. The members of the production team are now "speaki ng" wi th one
rongue. There should, furthermore, be a

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1993 FALL

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