Go behind the scenes of my scenic design work. This section focuses on key moments from past productions and outlines the design process—from concept to model to stage. Each post offers a visual and narrative look at how ideas come to life in three dimensions.
Drawing from my years of experience as a professional designer, I've developed a structured approach to craft presentations that simplify the complex narrative of our design process and magnify the impact of our message. I am thrilled to share this methodology with you in this article.
Conceptualization is about delving into the 'What' and the 'Why' of the Design. The research phase lays the foundation by addressing the 'What': identifying the show's needs, the timeline, the setting, and the message to be conveyed. As you transition into the conceptual phase, it's time to delve deeper to unearth the 'Why': the story's significance, the rationale behind the characters' presence, and so on. This phase encapsulates the essence of the narrative and the design vision.
Society often assumes that students are inherently tech-savvy. Memes joke about Millennials teaching their Boomer bosses how to create a PDF. However, the reality is that our Gen Z students are the iPad generation. They're accustomed to mobile software designed for intuitive navigation with a few finger gestures.
Traditional PC software can be overwhelming with its myriad hotkeys and hidden menus. Even software like AutoCAD, which has been around since 1982, relies on a command bar that can seem archaic to digital natives.
When I first read All My Sons, its themes of family, morality, and the American Dream resonated deeply. It made me think of my father's side of the family, who grew up in the small town of Paris, Missouri. To me, my grandparents embodied that post-war American Dream that Miller explores in his play. My grandfather was a Korean War veteran who built a career as a traveling salesman, driving his blue van through neighboring towns, selling sunglasses, action figures, keychains, and gloves that stocked dime stores across the Midwest. My grandmother, meanwhile, owned and operated a variety store—a quintessential small-town American business built through determination and hard work.