During the group meeting we decided the living room would be 12 by 12 feet. Gregor’s bedroom would be 10 by 12 feet creating a slanted perspective to the end of the room.
We positioned ourselves as the objects in the room to see if the size and possible dimensions would affect our creation of a metaphorical narrative space.We decided that we all thought the bed should be a single rather than our first thoughts of it being a double bed, as this changed the perspective we wanted to create. We also came to realise that the we needed the walls to slant inwards, in order to make the room narrower to fit the size of the bed.
Saw Induction
Firstly we were introduced to the type of hand tools we would be using for the set build, using the right tool for a specific job, making it quicker and safer. This includes using the correct PEE, goggles, dust mask/ plaster mask, gloves, and safety boots and ear defenders. The hand held tools included a cut off saw, jigsaw, nail gun and routers.
Electric Saw- This sliding compound can be used to cut lengths of timber easily. The saw can be set to different angles in both planes. It can also be used to cut right angles and the base of the saw is movable allowing the angle of the actual base to be altered. When operating this piece of equipment, it is important to remember the two-button system. One allows the guard to be lifted up to check the blade matches the line marked. The safety mechanism is fitted to ensure the blade will not work unless the guard button is pressed at the same time. Next, I will have to check the position of the blade before plugging in and examine the area around to make sure it is clear with no obstructions. It is essential to always check the sliding guard is positioned correctly and fully operational, before cutting mark the cuts using a right angle before hand which makes it easer to ensure a straight cut. The saw also needs to be on a solid base so the movement of the stand is minimal. The panels for the set that are provided measure 4ft by 8ft, as our room required smaller flats that we would need to make these our selves from the provided flats. Before cutting, it is a must that I always test the cut against the line marked and when preparing, to cut press down on the wood adding enough pressure to hold it firmly in place. The handle behind can be loosen to change the angle of the actual blade.
Jigsaws are another hand tool used in set building, it is important that the correct the blade is fitted according to the type of material its going to be used on. When cutting, keep you’re hands away from the blade, both above it and below and make sure none of the wire cord is crossing your cutting line. It is important to make sure the blade is shape, check on a scrap piece of wood and also to not use large toothed blades. The teeth on the blades come in different directions and thickness for specific materials. To insert a new blade correctly, push it in and then it will lock in place. Jigsaws have a dial attached so the speed can be altered allowing more thinking time before actually cutting. When cutting wood, make sure to support it so it doesn’t move when leaning on the side you’re cutting, as this will cause an uneven edge and an untidy finish. Jigsaws are very mobile tools and can cut curves very effectively.
For screwing on timber or plastic use a cordless drill. However if the surface that is being used is hard, such as concrete, or metal use a corded drill as it has more power. Drills can also go anti-clockwise for taking out screws, so if a mistake is made it can be easily rectified. The speed of the drill piece can be determined through alteration. Before drilling the wholes check the correct drill attachment is secured, as well as in the right direction. For example, using 1 when putting in a screw makes it spin much slower and is less powerful. Using 2, on the other hand, increases the speed, making it much easier to drill holes, with the more pressure applied to the trigger causing faster cutting. After setting the speed, set the gear to 1 for screwing. Pre-drilling holes makes it easer to put the screws in and the shanks on screws allow for a bigger hole at the top, clamping the two pieces together rather than splitting the wood. It is important to check the drill attachment is the right one for the particular size of the screw head, for example, a Phillips screw, which come in a range of sizes from 6, 8, 10. The size of screw used depends on the work and material. For delicate work smaller screws are more appropriate.
Another hand tool used in set design is the Nail Gun. When using a nail gun make sure the size of nail is being used for the correct job as if the nail is too long it will spilt the wood and come out of the side. For safety, there is an inbuilt safety catch, which insures the nails aren’t fired unless it is pushed down onto the surface. We would be using nail guns to secure skins on to frames after gluing.
Group Meeting
We discussed our designs, pointed out what we thought were good ideas and made suggestions of effects we could add to particular pieces. The group decided to incorporate mould and a suggestion of damp to represent the change in the room and the we all agreed on the idea of it seeping in through the cracks. We wanted to show Gregor’s transformation and change physiology represented by seeping damp and mould, also suggesting that we incorporate this metaphorical presence around the Windows.
Presentation and group meeting
The original set design is from bird’s eye perspective. The living room measures 10ft by 12ft and Gregor’s bedroom measures 10ft by 7ft, 7ft being the narrowest point. The walls were made up of panelling flats measuring 8ft by 4ft. For this narrowing perspective to work effectively we will need to make sure the walls don’t come in to much. We thought possible it would be better to extend the rooms out further to make the most of the space. Furthermore, in the living room especially there is a lot of furniture we plan to put in, we allowed more space for this, as we didn’t want a cluttered look in this room.
During today the set constructor Henry Jones came in for our first construction lesson. He suggested ways in which we could explore the disturbances that Gregor undergoes through the aesthetics in the set. The group talked about our intention of making Gregor’s character visible and present within the architecture and ascetics of the set. We wanted to convey the father's sense of pride through his chair, indentations and wariness from its everyday use. The sense of paranoia going on in the living room we though could be created through constricted views within the set. We discussed the narrowing effect we wanted and how this could be achieved through slanted walls, doorways, and windows. It was pointed out to us we needed to discuss the initial idea of carpet in the set as it wouldn’t of been made to fit wall to wall as a result of it being set in the late 20th century. The art of Chiaroscuro was suggested to us as a way of delivering the narrative across through the use of light. This technical form using contrast between light and dark is used to highlight three-dimensional objects such as the furniture featured in our sets. Using light, we can also create distorted angles through racking a light across the set horizontally. Other key effects include shadows, which can be used to create a eerie atmosphere within the décor.
Fig, 1 The light captured in this photograph illuminates the area
This helped us scale up our drawings, which we then from made models of using foam board. This included the walls, which surround the rooms, one of them being the wall in the living room with the two windows I have designed and intend to produce.
Model set build
In my model, we stuck the walls together including the wall, which contained the windows I am going to make. From this I found the size of the windows worked well and therefore didn’t need to be altered.
These two photographs from a bird’s eye view show the layout of the furniture clearly, displaying the large amount of light sources we could use ranging from fitted gaslights to natural light sources. The light coming in through the doorways also gave an idea where the shadows will be in the room.
This photograph shows the transgression throughout the whole set from this single viewpoint. This view alone gives us a feel of what the rooms will look like and the dimensions of them.
Once we had put the model and everything in it we experimented with camera angles. From this we could see how effective the set looked with the furniture in its position. We thought it possible that it would be better to extend the rooms out further to make the most of the space. Furthermore, in the living room there is a lot of furniture we plan to put in, so we allowed more space to account for this, as we didn’t want a cluttered look in this room. Possible alterations were also considered to extend the rooms in order to cater for the amount of furniture we used.
During the morning session we were introduced into the making of flats in scenic art. The panels for the flats we would be producing measured 4 by 8ft. The first stage of making a flat was to screw the two 8 feet pieces and four 4 feet pieces together into the frame, to insure accurate assembling of the pieces make one end and take all the measurements from this end. On two pieces of wood, I marked out notches using a setsquare, indicating the 2 feet intervals where the horizontal pieces will go. On the horizontals pieces subtract the thickness of two pieces from the total of 4 ft this should be around 4cm.On the vertical pieces, we pre drilled the holes on both ends to ensure the wood wont spilt when applying the screws, making it easier to assemble the outer frame pieces. However, it is not essential to do this to the middle pieces, as they will not split. Using part threaded screws will also allow the clear thread section to pull tight.
The next step after assembling the frame is gluing the skin on. I used PVA glue, put in a bowl and applied the glue on to the frame using a paintbrush. After, I left it to dry and once dry I went around the edges and into the frame using a compresses air nail gun. This is an extremely powerful tool, and it was necessary for me to ensure to use it in one direction following the edge of the board to make sure the skin is evenly distributed over the frame. The gap to leave between each nail for optimal strength is a 4-inch gap.
Headers and Footers
I started by constructing the frames for the headers and footers. For this I used a tape measure, set square and a pencil. I needed to make two 3ft by 2ft footers and 2ft by 2ft headers. I did this by measuring out one 3 feet long piece and I then took replicated this piece 9 times to ensure accurate measuring. I then measured out one 2ft piece and subtracted 4 centimetres from the length, as it was the guide for the horizontal pieces. I marked out five more pieces from this piece including the inner sections of the footers, adding further structural support. I cut all the pieces out using the electric saw and predrilled the vertical pieces at either end. Starting from one corner to the other I drilled in screws to construct the frame. Once the frame was constructed I glued the skin on using PVA glue. After I went round the edges using a nail gun to secure it firmly.
For the headers I measured out one 2 feet piece of wood. From this I measured out another nine pieces, and cut them out using the band saw. I predrilled the vertical lengths of wood in order to make it easier for the screw to be drilled in.
After I had constructed the frame I repeated the same process for the footers and glued the skins on to the frames securing it using the nail gun.
Illustration list
Fig, 1 http://flipsideflorida.wordpress.com/2011/02/06/chiaroscuro-redux/
