Master in Set Design

The main objective of the Master’s Degree consists of going into detail about set design as a speciality of design linked to set and audiovisual arts, dealing with the creation of space support for the theatre, opera, circus, concerts, dance, important events, television and cinema, from an artistic and technical view.

• Acquire the capacity to develop and direct a set project: from the interpretation of the dramatic text, the cinematographic script, the opera libretto, the script of a performance, to the space conceptualisation.
• Discover the main set plastics that make it possible to move from the script to the space, with professionals of the contemporary art scene.  
• Explore the implementation of this knowledge both in the live performance set and in recorded performances.
• This module corresponds to the current Set Design Postgraduate programme of ELISAVA- IDEC.
• Assimilate the technical functioning of different kinds of set spaces in order to know the features and possibilities of the spaces where the sets are inserted.
• Delve deeper into techniques and technologies related to set design, with a special attention in the differences between live formats and the recorded ones.
• Know the building, assembly and set production guidelines that influence on the set design.

Lessons and Lectures
Postgraduate participants will go into detail about the contents of the course provided by first-level experts in the set creation and production. They will share their knowledge and experience through lessons and lectures organized according to each content block.
 

Technical Practices
The students will be provided with every needed technical material to implement the skills acquired in the technical block such as lighting, sound and audiovisuals, among others, and to become familiar with the specific software and hardware.

Seminar
The seminar will be a specialized and intensive working area that aims to get closer to the abstract contents of the course in an agile and participative way. Taking the set design as a spatial support for the text –film and theatre script or libretto-, the seminar will deal with the relationship between text and space. Meanwhile, it will delve into those visual and communicative strength proposals capable not only of making the staging possible, but also of making it capable to reinforce the message, coherence or even proposing a revisit.

Project Workshop
In this course workshop, set projects guided by leaders and teachers of the workshop will be carried out. Projects in collaboration with entities and partners companies will be prioritized. It will allow students to test their knowledge within the scope of a real project.

Workshop
This activity suggests participants an immersion in set creation as a global process on spatial conceptualization and materialization of a text. It is about an experimental workshop framed in the research of a staging created from a concrete statement.

Monitoring of Works in Process
This activity, carried out intermittently through the course, aims to bring real projects closer to the students. These projects come from the Postgraduate’s partners companies (such as Gran Teatre del Liceu or Teatre Nacional de Catalunya) that are carrying out projects –theatre, shows or events- programmed for the 2015-2016 season. It will include the firsts meetings between the director and the stage designer, stage proposals, technical management meetings, building of the stage on the workshops, assembly and previous, and even the premiere of the play or event. The course participants will be able to see the creative process of different first-level stage productions from the hand of their authors. Due to the character of this process, we should take into account that most of these activities could be carried out off the school schedule.

Visit to Leader Set Spaces
Guided tours to set spaces and first-level set workshop will be carried out, for instance, tours to Teatre Nacional de Catalunya, Gran Teatre del Liceu, Auditori de Sant Cugat, TV sets, and medium and large format set construction workshops.

Non-mandatory internships
It is optional for the students to do internships. The Postgraduate Diploma in Set Design has internship agreements with Teatre Nacional de Catalunya, Filmax, and Minoria Absoluta, among others.

Module 1: SET DESIGN

Topic 1: Contemporary Set

By the hand of pioneer institutions and enterprises of the cinema, opera,  television and in general performance and performing arts production, the participants will se what set design represents in each one of the  following specialised fields to contextualise the task of the contemporary designer in the global production process, historically framing it within the performing arts evolution.

Subject 2 : PRODUCTIVE CONTEXT AND FIELDS

• SET FOR LIVE ARTS: Set for the Theatre / Set for the Opera / Set for Dance / Set for Concerts / Set for Important Events / Set for the Circus.
• RECORDED SET: Set for the Cinema / Set for the TV (fiction and non-fiction) / Set for advertisement.

Subject 2: INTERNATIONAL PANORAMA

International trends, main set producers, and main set spaces of the contemporary scene.

Subject 3: REFERENCES

Short tour through some of the main set references in the different fields which have been discussed in the Postgraduate programme (cinema, theatre, opera, circus, important events, etc.).

Topic 2: Text, Image and Space

In this topic the text is the starting point of set design. Taking as a reference these paradigmatic disciplines, these modules will provide tools to read dramatic texts, opera librettos and cinema scripts in spatial code to make a visual proposal that can work as a base for the set development.  

Subject 1: FROM THE TEXT TO THE IMAGE

With the dramatic texts and the cinema script as a reference, the creation process of the visual codes of the work will be explored as the starting point for the subsequent correction of a set proposal, through the documentation and reference process.

The subject will be worked through two aspects: firstly, from the DRAMATIC TEXT TO THE IMAGE CREATION and secondly, from the CINEMA SCRIPT TO THE IMAGE CREATION.

Subject 2: CREATIVE PROCESS DIRECTOR – SET DESIGNER

By the hand of one director and one set designer or an art designer, the intensity of the shared creative process between them will be discussed through the development of a project. The views of the creative process will be worked from the relational perspective of the THEATRE DIRECTOR-SET DESIGNER, the DIRECTOR-CINEMA- ART DIRECTOR- PRODUCTION DESIGNER- and the OPERA SET DIRECTOR- SET DESIGNERS.

Subject 3: FROM THE SPACE AND THE SPECTATOR

This subject will discuss the relation between the space and the spectator from the perspective of the ACTION SPACE AND THE SPECTADOR IN LIVE PERFORMANCES and the perspective of RECORDED SETS, what we call ACCORDING TO THE CAMERA’S VIEW SPACE FOR THE FINAL SPECTATOR.

Topic 3: Set plastics

By the hand of prestigious set designers and their projects, the participants will discover some design plastic resources that make it possible to move the text and the visual referents in the set space – real or virtual–.

Subject 1: PLASTICS I

• COSTUME DESIGN AND DRESSING
• TOOLS AND ATTREZZO
• CHARACTERISATION AND MAKE-UP EFFECTS
• PUPPETS
• SELF-SUPPORTING SETS

Subject 2: PLASTICS II

• LIGHTING SETS
• SOUND SETS
• AUDIOVISUAL SETS
• INTERACTIVE DIGITAL SETS

Subject 4: Set Creation Workshop
 

Experimental activity framed within the research of new set languages, which suggests the participants an immersion in the set creation as a comprehensive process RESPONDING TO A REAL STATEMENT DICTATES BY A STAGE DIRECTOR OR AN AGENGY BRIEFING.

Final Project Module: Set Design project for performances

Development of a set project of a live performance and another one of a recorded performance. In both cases, from the conceptualization to the realization of mock-ups and/or storyboards, taking into account but without solving the techical detail, the implementation of a real space and its economic valuation.

The valuation will consider the documents provided and its oral presentation before a jury formed by the programme Direction, a prominent member of the faculty and, at least, one professional of the sector.  

Module 2: TECHNIQUES AND SET PRODUCTION 

Topic 1: Set techniques

The participants will gain knowledge on some of the technical resources that make it possible to materialize the stage plastics; going into detail about the distinctive features of the ones destined to the live performance and recorded performances.

Subject 1: SET TECHNIQUES 1

• CONSTRUCTION SCENERY CINEMA- THEATRE
• FINISHING TOUCH TECHIQUES FOR THEATRE AND CINEMA SCENARIES: PAINT AND PATINAS
• FINISHING TOUCH TECHNIQUES FOR THEATRE AND CINEMA SCENARIES: IMITATIONS AND PATINAS
• FINISHING TOUCH TECHNIQUES FOR THEATRE AND CINEMA SCENARIES: TEXTILE AND FURNITURE
• FINISHING TOUCH TECHNIQUES FOR THEATRE AND CINEMA SCENARIES: ATREZZO
• CHARACTERISATION AND MAKE-UP TECHNIQUES
• COSTUME DESIGN AND DRESSING TECHNIQUES

Subject 2: SET TECHNIQUES 2

• SOUND SPACE
• SET LIGHTING
• SET MACHINERY
• CINEMATOGRAPHIC PHOTOGRAPHY
• AUDIOVISUAL RECOURCES AND MAPPING
• DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE SCENE
• POSTPRODUCTION FOR REGISTRED PROJECTS

Topic 2: Set Space

Study of the technical features of different typologies of set spaces, from the point of view of the way in which they can determine the set design, through theory classes and visits to the main set spaces of Catalonia.

Subject 1: Set Space 1- LIVE

• THEATRE SPACE
• OPERA SPACE
• CIRCUS SPACE

Subject 2: SET SPACE 2- MIXT

• TV SET

Topic 3: Production and Tours
The students will gain knowledge related to the production of performances in order to obtain view as wide as possible of the factors that intervene in the set design.

Subject 1: PRODUCTION AND TOURS

• PRODUCTION AND TOURS OF LIVE PERFORMANCES
• PRODUCTION OF RECORDED PROJECTS
• TECHNICAL MANAGEMENT OF PERFORMANCES

Final Project: Set project for a performance

Development of a complete set project of a live performance and another one of a recorded performance. In both cases, from the conceptualization to the realization of mock-ups and/or storyboards, taking into account but without solving the technical detail, the implementation of a real space and its economic valuation. The valuation will consider the documents provided and its oral presentation before a jury formed by the programme Direction, a prominent member of the faculty and, at least, one professional of the sector.

Faculty 

MIREIA CUSÓ. Art director and set designer. www.mireiacuso.com

FERRAN UTZET. Theatre director and mathematician. www.utzet.cat

SEBASTIÀ BROSA. Set designer.

JOAN SABATÉ. TV and cinema artistic director.

Collaborators 1st Module 

BLANCA ARDERIU. Executive producer of La Perla 29. www.laperla29.com

ALAIN BAINÉE. Cinema and advertising artistic director. www.alainbainee.com

ORIOL BROGGI. Theatre director. www.laperla29.com

LLUÍS DANÉS. Set designer and artist. www.lluisdanes.com

MAX GLAENZEL. Set designer.

ALEX RIGOLA. Theatre director and playwright. www.alexrigola.com

DAVID PLANAGUMÀ. Photography director and head of technical resources at the ESCAC.

MARIA PUIG. Advertising and art director. www.mariapuig.com

EUGENIO SZWARZCER. Set designer and video artist. www.eugenyo.es

JORDI CASTELLS. Set builder at Taller Castells i Planas.

LLUC CASTELLS. Set and costume designer.

Set design and production staff of Gran Teatre del Liceu. www.liceubarcelona.cat

Technical staff of Teatre Nacional de Catalunya. www.tnc.cat

For the 2nd Module 

MIREIA CUSÓ. Art director and set designer. www.mireiacuso.com

FERRAN UTZET. Theatre director and mathematician. www.utzet.cat

SEBASTIÀ BROSA. Set designer.

JOAN SABATÉ. TV and cinema artistic director.

Collaborators 2nd Module 

BLANCA ARDERIU. Executive producer of La Perla 29.

NÚRIA CASTELLS. Set builder, specialist in modelling and moulds. 

MARTA CASTELLS. Set builder, specialist in aging and colouring.

JORDI CASTELLS. Set builder, specialist in patinas. 

ORIOL BROGGI. Theatre director. www.laperla29.com

DAVID RUANO. Photographer. www.davidruanofotografia.com

PEP GATELL. Artistic director of La Fura dels Baus. www.lafura.com

XAVIER ERRA. Set designer. www.xaviererra.com

RAQUEL BONILLO. Costume designer

RAIMON RIUS. Light designer. http://cargocollective.com/raimonrius

Set design and production staff of Gran Teatre del Liceu. www.liceubarcelona.cat

Technical staff of Teatre Nacional de Catalunya. www.tnc.cat

Sebastià Brosa and Mireia Cusó

SEBASTIÀ BROSA
Set designer and illustrator. He studied interior and set design. He has worked in theatres such as Teatre Nacional de Catalunya, Teatre Romea, Teatre Lliure or Teatro Español de Madrid, among others. He has collaborated on projects together with such important figures as Joan Ollé, Àlex Rigola, Daniel Veronesse, Àngel Llàcer, Jordi Casanovas, Julio Manrique, Josep Maria Pou, El Tricicle and Oriol Broggi. Sebastià Brosa has carried out outstanding plays such as European House (Àlex Rigola, Teatre Lliure, Butaca 2007 Award together with Bibiana Puigdefàbregas), Incendis (Oriol Broggi, Teatre Romea, Butaca 2012 Award), 

Barcelona (Pere Riera, TNC, 2013), Doña Rosita La Soltera o el Lenguaje de las Flores (Joan Ollé, TNC, 2014), Los cuentos de la peste (Mario Vargas Llosa, Teatro Español, 2015), Vilafranca, un dinar de festa major (Jordi Casanovas, Teatres Amics, 2015), etc. He has worked as a teacher in Taller de Escenografía at El Centro de Formación de la Cooperación Española (CFCE) in Cartagena de Indias, and he has also carried out his teaching work at Institut del Teatre in Barcelona.

MIREIA CUSÓ
Degree in Plastic Arts by Massana School, specialisation Sculpture. She designs settings and sceneries for advertising and photography. She combines her job as an art director with the sculpture and the material language. She has worked together with Minoria Asoluta, TwentyForSeven, WKND, David Ruano, Teatre Nacional de Catalunya, and Mercat de les Flors.