TH 2399
Production Practicum II
Assistant Scenic Designer
1 cr.

Curtis Phillips

Office: MPAC 146
Phone: 726-7444
Email: cphillip@d.umn.edu

Job Description:

• The Assistant Scenic Designer is responsible for assisting the scenic designer in their role. Specific duties and tasks will be decided based on the abilities of the assistant and the needs of the show. What follows is a generalized list of responsibilities.  

Planning Period:

• The assistant scenic designer should attend all design and production meetings. You also need to attend all tech rehearsals. Make sure the stage manager has all of your current contact information.

• Get a copy of the script and read it as soon as possible. Be sure that you understand the designer’s intentions in the design and always ask questions about anything that you do not understand.

• Pay attention to the production deadlines in the departmental production calendar. It will be your responsibility to remind and assist the designer in meeting these dates.

• Assist the designer in their research.

• In a professional situation the assistant often does the majority of the drafting and model making. In the university setting you assist the designer in these tasks.
  

Build Period:

• Assist the designer in going through the prop room to look for potential furnishings, props, and set dressings. One of your primary responsibilities will be to track furnishings and prop designs. The designer may ask you to design specific pieces for their approval. To track these, create a furnishings/prop plot (build, rent, borrow, have chart). After discussing this plot with the designer and your mentor, discuss with the technical director so that the prop team can schedule those pieces that may need to be built.

• Upholster or re-upholster furnishings as needed.

• Assist the designer in selecting all practical lights and getting them to the master electrician.
  

Technical Rehearsals/Dress Rehearsals/Performances:

• Help at paint calls if necessary.

• Assist the designer in preparing paint elevations as needed.

• During tech rehearsals take notes and separate them into construction, prop, paint, and designer notes. Discuss and clarify the individual notes each night at the production meeting. Make sure the technical director has a complete list so they can track how much remains to be done.

Strike and Post-Production:

• During strike help maintain order and a safe working environment. 

Grading:

• Final grade will be determined by the Faculty Supervisor after consulting necessary production team members with regards to how well the duties listed above were executed.  If areas for improvement are noted, you will receive a written explanation with what was observed and suggestions for improvement.  If position is repeated at higher course levels (i.e. 3399) closer scrutiny will be paid on improving performance in areas noted before as well as overall job performance.