By Daniel Buckland level 3
North Kent college: Miskin
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The christmas show
The dance show
TIE and level 2 show
The dance show 2
Getting a props list
Today we got given a list of props that we needed from the stage management tutor that got an email from a director of the Brainstorm show. Then while one person read out the list another person wrote down all of the props and then we made another list, but we separated the props into 3 sections props that we’ve got, props that we need to buy and props that need to be made, or we are unsure on. I made my own list of props in the 3 sections and then someone typed up the list on Excel to print off. Also, we need to remove the wheel off of the office chair that is being spun on the platform with an actor on so that the chair stays in the same spot and the actor doesn’t go off the platform in the chair. For the level 2 show which is set is an elderly folks home we need to go to charity shops to get puzzles, old photos, old photo frames and anything else that would be in an old folk's home. Then I watched rehearsals and learnt that every audience seat is going to have a QR code on a bit of paper that invites them to a group that with the actors as their characters texting in it that was told by an actor just before the interval which is 15 minutes long and some things that the audience members put on the group chat would be put on a screen after the interval. Then the actors practiced a scene where the audience had written out things on a bit of paper that they would have told themselves as a teenager, for example you don’t know this yet, but you are going to dye your hair which then the actors read to the audience and they want the papers to be collected before the interval and then put in a bucket high up that then pours out all the pieces of paper under the actors. Then the actors practiced another scene near the end where thay ask an audience member what their favourite song is which is then found and played quickly afterwards and then the actors dance to it while trying to get the audience members on stage to dance which is done with 3 favourite songs. Then I went to the prop store with the other people in stage management to grab some props which we knew that we had. So, we got some cushions for the actor’s to practice with but we haven’t bought cases for them yet and we got cuddly toys, a duvet, a pillow, beer bottle with a lid so liquid can be put inside, a bird cage, a washing basket, a box of clothes and a bucket for the colourful ping pong balls to go in. Then we moved the props that we grabbed into the studio for them to practice with. Then I went back into design to research some props to be bought so first I looked at red and green card that we are going to be made into cards with “T” and “A” on there is going to be one T and A card under each audience chair. I then found a pack of 50 red and 50 green cards for £9.74 on amazon which would be enough cards because we can get 4 cards from one A4 piece of card. Then I researched confetti cannons which we need 8 of them but there was no pack of 8 there was a pack of 4 and a pack of 12 so we decided to get the pack of 12. Then I researched a balloon ribbon and I found 450M of it for £9.99.
Props list I made
Watching rehearsals
Going to the prop store
Props grabbed and moved into the studio
Researching props to buy
Red and green card research
confetti cannons research
Balloon ribbon research
Watching all of Brainstorm
Today I watched a full run through of Brainstorm where I learnt that that we are going to pre set props hidden off stage that the actors grab to put in stage for it to stay. Then a bit later on there was a scene about teenagers having a messy bedroom which had a box of clothes next to a stage block and some cuddly toys around the other stage blocks. In this scene the actor’s throw all of the clothes, the colourful ping pong balls and homework papers all over the floor to create a big chaotic mess like a teenager’s bedroom and then the actor’s pick everything up on stage but one of the ping pong balls was stepped on and destroyed by an actor, an actor gave me as an audience member a ping pong ball and some weren’t picked up so we might need to order some spare ping pong balls. In the scene before everything is thrown the balloon ribbon is wrapped around the actor’s finger to create a circle to represent a part of the teenage brain but it took too long to wrap around every actor's finger, so some were skipped out and the actors were stepping over the ribbon too then it was done with string but it got tangled so the actor dropped it then mimed wrapping the string around everyone’s fingers. In the scene where the actors have the torches turned on and off meaning yes and no like a game which I had seen rehearsed before had a bit that I hadn’t seen before where they ask the audience to play along too. Also, the show's running time was 58 minutes, and the playing time was 1 hour and 13 minutes. Then I went back to design where the office chair that was being spun was moved into design and then I put the chair on it's side and pulled off the wheels so that the chair would stay in the same position when it was spun which was important because an actor is spun on the chair on a raised stage deck with no railing.
Box of clothes
Messy bedroom scene with prop thrown
Balloon ribbon scene
Removing wheels
office chair with wheels removed
Wheels that were removed
Clearing out the auditorium from open evening
Today I was helping with clearing out auditorium from the props and costume pieces from open evening yesterday, so I moved props like the profiterole tower, weapons and fingers to design which I took multiple trips moving smaller props, books and things on display from costume. Then I helped move the bigger props into a pile outside which were things like the funfair sign and scrumptious factory sign from chitty chitty bang bang. Once all of the bigger props we in a pile outside me and some others moved them to the big prop store. Then I moved a suitcase and a big lollipop to the prop store. Then I went back to design where I went onto the computer to find and print off A4 sized pictures of Harry Styles which was one of the needed props. So, I looked at images and then I added them to word where I made them bigger then I emailed the file to the stage management tutor to print off. Then I got one of the wheels from the office chair and I got a pair of scissors and I started to remove the dirt and threads that got caught inside the wheel from being in costume. Then I went to the production meeting with the directors, department tutors and other students where each department talked about how much how money they had spent and if they were over their budget which stage management were £100 over but some money from the lighting and sound budget can be given. Then we talked about the vapes and the actors will be using their own vapes, but we need to buy the nicotine free liquid, but we need to ask the actors how many of them vape and if any of them have a disposable vape because you can’t change the liquid to nicotine free in them. Also, there was going to be energy drinks drunk on stage, but it was decided to be replaced with juice. Then construction talked about needing 4 interactive whiteboards for the set and one to be on every side, which they had 3 of so they need to find another one somewhere in the college. Then the directors and sound talked about having a playlist of song which the parent picked as song that brings them back to being a teenager which one song would be chosen by someone in sound and a different song is chosen each night from the playlist which changes how the actors act, so the actors improvise a bit. Then the directors said that the treasure maps need to look hand made with glittery swirls which one of the character’s parents has made for them then we got told that 1 confetti cannon is used a night on the winner of never have I ever. Also, we got told that the amp doesn't need to be plugged in because it’s just apart of the messy teenager’s room and that the guitar could be acoustic which we have one of. Then I helped construction with making the seating areas and set for Brainstorm. First, I looked at the model box of the set which had a rectangle and two triangle stage decks in the centre with four screens coming down from the ceiling and with stage decks for chairs to go on every side. Then me and some others were measuring and then moving stage decks that were tiered so that there was 90cm of space on the stage deck floor which was then repeated a couple of times. Then me and someone else moved a stage deck and put it on it’s side then I used a wingnut spanner to attach the poles to the deck which was done on 3 of the corners because one of the bolts was broken. After the stage deck was put down, I lifted up a corner as someone else slid in a pole onto the corner that was missing a pole. Then I moved a triangle shaped stage deck with the poles attached next to the stage deck we just put pole on which was then bolted together. Then another group of people moved and attached a triangle stage deck to the other side. Then me and someone else moved a stage deck with poles already attached forward and against the wall then I held the end of a measuring tape as the construction tutor measured to another stage deck with pole on the same size and height. Then I started to put together the area for the seats on the other side. Then me and 3 others held up a stage deck that was being bolted to two stage decks either side of it. Then me and someone else moved a stage deck from outside and up some stairs to inside the auditorium and we moved some stage decks from outside that we didn’t need to move up stairs. Then me and someone else moved a stage deck onto it’s side where I attached the poles with a podger on all 4 corners and then we moved it to stand up with the pole in. Then I held a railing as someone attached it to a stage deck with bolts and a podger.
Props moved to big prop store
Harry styles pictures and wheels
The production meeting
Helping construction
Wheel with thread and dirt in
Model box of set
Area that audience chairs will go 90cm each stage deck
Raised stage deck with two triangle decks
Start on other side audience chairs area
Stage deck that I held while being attached
Stage deck that me and others moved and attached poles
Helping construction
Today I was helping construction and first I got a measuring tape which me and another person held up against the walls while being on a raised stage deck while the other moved some stage decks that were connected together that the audience chairs are going to go on this was moved so that it was in the centre of the room. Then me and another person moved a stage deck from outside to inside which was then turned on it’s side and I connected two poles onto it. Then I held the stage deck up as someone underneath the stage deck was adding and tightening the bolts with a podger. Then I grabbed nuts, bolts and a podger and I went underneath the stage deck where I put in the bolt which got stuck but after I moved it around a bit it went through the hole. Then I put a nut on with my hand and then I tightened the nut on with a podger which I then worked my way down while doing the same to the other holes. Then I got out from underneath the stage deck and I moved some tools back to the workshop. Then I went back to design where we started to make the red and cards with the T and A on. So, I got a pile of A4 red cards that I measured with a ruler, and I drew 2 lines to mark out 4 bits of card that were going to be cut with a guillotine which could have 2 or 3 cards underneath with had no markings on, so we had to mark less cards. I repeated making the markings on the card until I had ran out of cards and I was left with a big pile. Then I went to the guillotine, and I cut on the pencil marking I made with some cards not marked underneath which I did until I ran out of cards. Then I cut out the picture of Harry Styles that I found but for some reason the pictures couldn’t be printed A4 sized so a template was put on it through word that I cut pictures out of while leaving a white border around them. Then I put some oolong tea leaves into plastic bags to look like marijuana. Then I watched the actors rehearse in the auditorium on the set that was made which wasn’t painted yet and they were practicing a scene which I hadn’t seen before where the audience played a game called Who said it. The game worked by the actors saying a question and an answer and each audience member has 2 cards with T and A on them standing for teenager and adult which they hold up one of the cards after given 10 seconds to think about. Then at the end of the scene an actor says that all the answers were given by adults, but I thought that they were going to say all the answers were given by teenagers as the show is about teenagers also there were 6 questions and answers in this game.
Bit that was measured and moved
Stage deck moved from outside, attached legs and held
Bolt underneath stage deck
Card, Harry styles and fake marijuana
Oolong long used to make it
Fake marijuna in a bag
Harry Styles photos on template
Harry Style photos after cut
Pile of red cards marked
Pile of cut up red cards
Watching rehearsals
Weekly evaluation 1
This week I have gotten a list of props and organized the list, watched the rehearsals, grabbed cuddly toys, beer bottles and bottle lids, researched red and green card to buy, researched confetti cannons to buy, researched balloons ribbons to buy, watched the whole TIE show, removed wheels from an office chair, helped put back big props, small props, books and costume pieces from open evening back to correct place, researched and printed and cut out Harry Styles pictures, removed thread from office chair wheels, went to the TIE show’s production meeting, helped construction, cut red cards and I made fake prop marijuana in a bag. I solved the problem of me not knowing much about the TIE show by watching rehearsals and a full run through of the show. This was important so that I know what props I need for the show. This also helps to figure out if the props are over sized and cartoon like or normal sized and a bit cartoon like or realistic looking. I have improved on my knowledge of the TIE show by watching the rehearsals and the whole show which is useful to know so I know what the props are used for, when they are used and so that I can think of my own prop ideas. The show is very chaotic and interactive which makes the show unique compared to other shows. People say that the show is meant to teach the audience about how the teenager brain is different to adults but what’s shown in the it is the typical teenage behavior like having a messy room, liking videogame, being bored and getting bad grades at school and I didn’t learn anything from the show. This week I have researched red and green cards for stage management to buy online and I found a pack of 50 red cards and 50 green cards for £9.74 and I’ve researched confetti cannons where I found a pack of 12 for £19.99 but when they were ordered the communication went wrong and 12 boxes of them were ordered so we had 12 packs of 12 which gave 144 confetti cannons, and another 12 pack was ordered by accident which couldn’t be canceled so we accidently ended up with over 150 confetti cannons which now are trying to be returned. Another thing that I researched was a balloon ribbon which I found 450 metres of for £9.99. Also, I researched pictures of Harry Styles that I printed and cut out to go into one of the teenager’s bedrooms.