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Movie Geometry - Shaping the Way You Think

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Excellent work 8T! Puppets made with recycled materials ✨

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Excellent work 8T! Puppets made with recycled materials ✨

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Excellent application of make up design elements on this design!

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I can't wait to see what you come up with for this unit's 'Superstar - Above and Beyond' project!

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I can't wait to see what you come up with for this unit's 'Superstar - Above and Beyond' project!

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Lesson slides to catch up with work missed in your booklet

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Lesson slides to catch up with work missed in your booklet

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“Russell Dean’s masks shoot straight for the heart” Lyn Gardner, The Guardian

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Strangeface Theatre Company's latest work, The Hit, is set to play at the University if York this Friday (November 8th) and the Leeds Carriageworks this Saturday (9th - tickets here). The award-winning company produce a broad range of shows which seek to make accessibility and the exploration of complex ideas their core. I caught up with Artistic Director Russell Dean, whom the company cites as 'a writer, director, designer/maker, performer, project manager and facilitator on 9 productions and hundreds of workshops for Strangeface since 2001'. With that impressive CV and ahead of the Leeds stop of the tour, I've been busy questioning Mr Dean about all things mask theatre, puppetry and The Hit...

Let's start at the very beginning. What exactly first drew you to the arts and more specifically, mask theatre and puppetry?
I spent a lot of time in art rooms at school and was blessed with some very tolerant and enlightened art teachers who let me follow my own path. I always knew I wanted to work in theatre and, by a process of always saying yes, I found myself working as a designer for the legendary Trestle Theatre Company. Suddenly I had to make masks as well as designing sets and fortunately I fell in love with the process. I had always been a very slow set designer. The peak for me was finishing the model box. However, once I started to make masks and puppets, I couldn't wait to see how my work would come to life!

You wear many hats within the company, from writer and director to designer and performer alongside running workshops and actually making the masks. Do you have a preference for the kind of work you like to have filling your days?
I enjoy the links between the different disciplines. Some days I can be working in the workshop and speak to no one, whereas the next I may be in the rehearsal room or running a Q&A before an audience or performing. I believe there is something special in crossing the bridges between fields. There are patterns that resonate throughout all aspects of my work and I find it thrilling to discover how they inform each other.

That seems like quite a creative gift, to be able to work within and across the disciplines. I've been looking over the production shots for your previous shows and I'm absolutely gutted not only to have been woefully unaware of your work but specifically to have missed the likes of A Christmas Carol (which looks fantastic by the way) - which of your Strangeface shows do you hold most dear, if any?
The Last Resort was a black comedy about moral decline in a small community. We took that show to Iran to the Mobarak International Puppetry Festival and won awards for both Audience Enjoyment and Artistic Excellence. There were a lot of elements drawn together in puppetry and mask and it seemed to gel. It was the first piece we had developed with proper rehearsal time and ACE funding for theatres indoors. I'm also very fond of Shooting the Moon. This was the unreliable story of Georges Melies, one of the pioneers of early film. As a magician he saw film as an extension of illusion. Aside from the joy of producing a full mask show, it was interesting to note that in less than a hundred years we seem to have reversed that notion so that unless something has appeared on film it doesn't exist!

It's a struggle to find mask theatre and puppetry in the productions touring regionally so seeing The Hit advertised has made my day! For you, what is it about the puppetry dynamic in this particular tale which is set to make The Hit well, a hit with audiences?
Puppetry is necessary to the central theme of The Hit dealing, as it does, with ideas of identity, control and free will. The metaphor is obvious! Who would feel more in control of life and death than a hit man? Of all the forms of theatre I have yet engaged in, puppetry is the one which most frees the audiences' imagination. The ability to flip from New York to El Paso, and the Happy Time Steam Rooms to the baby monitor section of ToysRUs is breathtaking.

I am certainly looking forward to seeing that stage magic... So while puppetry is synonymous for most with childrens' shows, The Hit stands apart as a show with darker subject matter. Billed as 'a very black comedy', the show looks at a hit man and his exposure to 'parts of the brain he never thought he'd see' - how dark is very dark exactly and should audiences be warned of a blue hue to the material?
The 'dark' has more to do with the existential aspects to the show. A central theme to The Hit is cognitive dissonance and the ways in which we think we are in control of our decision making when modern psychology and neuroscience would suggest we have less agency than we would like to think. I wouldn't describe the show as blue, though the language is robust and there is a comically grotesque initiation scene.

If you think of Spitting Image back in the 80s or more recently War Horse, puppetry has been shown to be a form capable of expressing very mature themes. It is perhaps important to distinguish between thinking puppetry is childish and acknowledging that when done well it inspires a child like state of wonder, imagination and openness. It's also worth noting that puppetry has often been a potent vehicle for political dissent.

The Hit 'draws on the latest thinking in cognitive neuroscience to question the way we see the world' - do I detect a nod towards the topical theme of mental health or is the show set to explore ground more detached and scientific than socially resonant?
Not so much mental health as the process of perception. As the show has developed, the phenomenon of cognitive dissonance has become more topical. The rise of Trump, Brexit, fake news, rising public anger and frustration can all be attributed in part to Leon Festinger's theory. The need for a greater understanding of the way in which we deal with uncomfortable truths in the present climates (both political and literal) has never been more pressing. However, above all, this is a show with some good laughs, ripping yarns and outstanding puppetry. As one piece of feedback said 'its hard to laugh and think at the same time'.

Your masks have made their way onto many stages and sets to date. Which projects and collaborations hold pride of place for you?
I have been Vamos theatre's mask maker for over a decade now and they have explored some interesting ground, Alzheimer's disease, post traumatic stress disorder and, in their next show, death. I also designed and made the huge Margaret Thatcher puppet for Steven Daldry's Billy Elliot, which has been staged around the world. However I would say working with Mervyn Millar (puppet director for War Horse) and some of the War Horse team on creating this show has been one of my proudest collaborations to date.

What does the process of conceiving, designing and creating the masks and puppets, look like? I'm interested to know if the crafting of characters ever pre-dates the writing of stories, making the character design the inspiration for the story rather than vice versa?
For my own work I often start from an idea of a character. Then I will make a maquette of the mask or puppet face out of clay. After a while the maquette will begin to speak to me as I work on it. It may shout or whisper, wheedle or giggle. Whatever it does, if it wants to tell a story it's a promising design. There may well be a story the mask or puppet is being created for but I've learnt you cannot imprison these characters within a pre-existing text. They have to discover and assert themselves. It's quite possible to take a mask or puppet and allow it to develop its own story and I find our most successful processes have allowed the discovery of character, lighting, sound and music to all take the lead at different moments.

That's such a satisfying answer! The masks and puppets are so expressive and full of inherent character - I'm so glad to know they're such a strong individual influence within the wider process. Now, I am for ever trying to get more people to see shows with puppetry and mask at their centre - if it's not the likes of War Horse or The Lion King they glaze over, leaving me to enjoy Vamos and Odd Doll solo... What would you say to those who assume puppetry is not for those with driving licenses and mortgages?
Puppetry and mask are older than the wheel, older even than the plough. They fulfill something very deep in humankind. Assumption can be a very deadening habit, but then you can lead a man to War Horse, but you can't make him drink!

Very nicely put Mr Dean. And finally, what do audiences need to know about The Hit to get them booking?
Don't book if you are easily offended. Definitely book if you want to see some outstanding puppetry on an increasingly relevant subject. Imagine Scorsese and Breaking Bad in high-speed collision with Samuel Beckett's Krapp's Last tape.
So there you have it! The Hit plays York (November 8th 2019) and Leeds Carriageworks (9th) this week - you can find tickets here.

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Interview: Russell Dean Talks All Things Strangeface Theatre Company & New Show 'The Hit'

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Strangeface Theatre Company's latest work, The Hit, is set to play at the University if York this Friday (November 8th) and the Leeds Carriageworks this Saturday (9th - tickets here). The award-winning company produce a broad range of shows which seek to make accessibility and the exploration of complex ideas their core.

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Conveying character

Puppets can be used within productions as a dramatic device to represent characters. A well-designed puppet should allow the audience to suspend their disbelief , enhancing the storytelling within a performance.

Supporting the style of the production

The use of puppetry can help support the overall style of the production. For example, if a play has a design , then puppets should be simple but also representative enough in order to match the rest of the production, whereas a production with a more theatrical style may design puppets with more detailed characteristics.

If a puppet were used in a production, then it would be considered a prop rather than a dramatic device used to represent a character.

Providing practical solutions

Puppets can be used for practical reasons as well as artistic ones. For example, a production that requires a dog might use a dog puppet rather than hiring a real, trained dog.

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The purpose of puppet design - Puppet design - AQA - GCSE Drama Revision - AQA - BBC Bitesize

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Puppets can be used within productions as a dramatic device to represent characters. A well-designed puppet should allow the audience to suspend their disbelief , enhancing the storytelling within a performance. The use of puppetry can help support the overall style of the production.

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Punch, Judy, Sooty, Sweep and a life-sized horse puppet called Joey, you’ll find them all in our puppets collection…

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Great for strengthening your knowledge of costume design.

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As well as helping the audience to understand information about the character and the performance as a whole, performers can find it easier to 'become' their character once they try their costume on. Costumes can:

provide the audience with basic information about a character, such as their age, gender, occupation and economic and social background

reveal lots of information about a character's personality, eg a vain character might wear a flamboyant outfit to draw attention to themselves, while a shy character might wear plain clothes in dull colours

reveal information about a character's circumstances within the play, helping to tell their story, eg a character might begin the play wearing smart clothes but by the end of the play their costume might look creased and untidy to help communicate their journey and what they have experienced

Conveying the context of the play

Costumes can also convey the context of the play, including the time period and geographical setting, following fashions and styles that evolve from one decade to the next. Performers wearing dinner jackets, bow ties and top hats could suggest the historical setting of the piece before any dialogue is spoken. Through local cultural dress or references to the climate, costume design can also help to convey the geographical setting of a play.

Supporting the style

Costumes support the overall style of a production, along with the other design elements. If a production is naturalistic in style, then costumes should be realistic and recreate everyday life. However, a pantomime , which is far more theatrical, would feature grand and colourful costumes to support the overall style of the show.

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The purpose of costume design - Costume design - AQA - GCSE Drama Revision - AQA - BBC Bitesize

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As well as helping the audience to understand information about the character and the performance as a whole, performers can find it easier to 'become' their character once they try their costume on.

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original costume, mask and puppet designs

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What does a Costume Designer do? - Get into Theatre

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Read the latest advice from Get Into Theatre, including audition tips, advice on how to make a career in theatre, the different types of theatre careers and more.

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How to make a Costume Designer Portfolio 

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How to make a Costume Designer Portfolio 

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A portfolio should show a selection of your best work that you have created either in your spare time, at school or at work. Invest in a large folder that can hold all of your work, so that it's easy to carry around.

If you'd like to find some ways to develop your craft, look through our opportunities here.

What should a costume design portfolio contain?

Mood boards, research findings, rough drafts to show your process.

Photographs and drawings/sketches

Photographs of final costume design

Evidence of any productions that you have designed for - include the programmes

Production photographs of the actors in your costumes under the stage lighting

Any reviews or interviews that have included you in them

Any other examples of your work; paintings, clippings, diagrams, textiles

Showing your process:

This can be in form of a sketchbook, something that contains all your research, rough sketches and textiles that got you to the finalised product.

Models:

If you want to include a particular costume that is light and small enough to carry, then you can include this as part of your portfolio. However, if something is quite large then include photographs and small cuttings of fabric that you used for it.

Photographs:

Choose good quality images in colour. Include photographs of the costumes under the stage lights with the actors in character as well as some close-up images of finer details.

Reviews:

Have these printed out and, if there is a particular section that mentions your work or your name, then highlight this so it stands out.

Search opportunities here and Find jobs with The Stage Jobs here.

References

Photo: Royal Opera House

Published: 04 March 2019

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How to make a costume design portfolio - Get into Theatre

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Read the latest advice from Get Into Theatre, including audition tips, advice on how to make a career in theatre, the different types of theatre careers and more.

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Our costumes are made by our team of skilled costume makers in our restored and redeveloped workshops in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Our costumes can be on stage for well over 100 performances, so they need to be made to withstand the wear and tear of the stage. the skills we have inhouse include tailoring and costume-making as well as dyeing, printing, leatherwork, beading, corsetry, millinery, mask-making and jewellery-making.

We are one of the few theatres to have our own in-house armoury, producing breastplates, belts, swords and shields, as well as weaponry made from specially moulded plastic, leather, and unusual materials.

Our 30-strong team of costume makers moved back into the new workshop with some of the best facilities for costume-making, in summer 2021. The restored Grade II listed buildings now sit alongside newly created spaces with more space and daylight.

The costume journey

Once the production is up and running all the costumes have to be maintained on a daily basis by the Running Wardrobe team in the theatre. There's a constant list of running repairs and all shirts, tights, socks and other linens have to be washed after each performance.

Special knowledge is needed to care for delicate fabrics and elaborate costumes are dry cleaned as necessary. Most costumes aren't washable so we often use inner layers that can be removed and washed.

After the show

When a show comes to an end the costumes go into our Costume Store, where they may be reused by the Costume Workshop as well as made available to hire to amateur and professional customers.

Costumes from previous RSC productions have been hired out from the Company's Costume Store, appearing in films and television programmes including Shakespeare in Love, Gladiator, Braveheart, Merlin, Dr Who, Don't Tell The Bride and many more.

A career in costume

There are many routes into a profession within the Costume Department. All staff are trained to a high standard. Although some learn these skills on the job, most have a relevant degree-level qualification in addition to specialist professional training.

Alistair McArthur, Head of Costume, originally trained as a stage manager. He worked his way up in the costume field with positions at the Royal National Theatre and the Royal Opera House, in addition to employment as a freelance costume supervisor. "Once you leave any costume-making course, the best thing to do is to find a freelance maker who is willing to take you on as an assistant. You can only learn so much in a college and you learn much more actually doing the job."

The restoration and redevelopment of the Costume Workshop is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and The Government's Local Growth Fund through the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, with additional support from the Garfield Weston Foundation, Lydia and Manfred Gorvy, The Foyle Foundation, The Wolfson Foundation and other generous supporters

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Making Costumes | Royal Shakespeare Company

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We have a team of skilled costume makers in our specialist workshops in Stratford-upon-Avon

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Stage Directions: A Career in Set & Costume Design

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Costume Design for ‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’ 

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Costume Design for ‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’ 

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Everybody’s Talking About Jamie: musical theatre costume design

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Costume Design for ‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’ 

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Costume Design for ‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’ 

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Everybody’s Talking About Jamie: musical theatre costume design

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Video reveals the geometry of hit films and how they affect us

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YouTube channel, Now You See It, studies the influence of shapes on characters’ personalities in a new video and how geometry affects the visual storytelling of the films we love.

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Fill in any work you missed for this lesson by following the slides and using your booklet. See me if you are unsure.

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Answer a few questions and we will take you through the possibilities step by step

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Tidy booklet; tidy mind! Room to learn 🫶🏻

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Don’t forget to get a folder for your booklet.

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Don’t forget to get a folder for your booklet.

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What could a career in the theatre offer you?

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What could a career in the theatre offer you?

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Complete list of jobs in the theatre industry - Get into Theatre

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There are many different types of jobs in theatre and knowing where to start in your theatre career search can be difficult. Whether you want to be an actor, work within backstage & technical theatre or in one of the many supporting roles our list is a great starting point to learn what role in theatre would best suit you.

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Use this PPT presentation to help you fill in your booklet if you missed this lesson.

You can also use it to go over knowledge learnt in class to deepen your understanding and to revise for quizzes and assessments.

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Lesson 1 - Introduction to Jobs in the theatre

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I can't wait to see what you create!