The Bottom Line

Design scenically. According to Bryan Sutton, profiled in this chapter, designing scenically takes precedence over designing too literally. This might be different from standard architectural practice, but it's critical in the film and stage industries.

Master It How would you design scenically, and how does this differ from standard architectural practice? What can you learn from the film and stage industries to keep the emotive quality high?

Use Revit in the design-to-production process. While standard architectural practice entails design to documentation, the film and stage focus is from concept through construction.

Master It With an emphasis on level of detail and tight, repetitive elements and finishes, what would you do to help maintain time and budget? How might you suggest creating intricate repetitive design elements in your next project?

Use Revit for previsualization. When using Revit in the film industry, you need to keep the design loose during the early concept stages. You'll have to match the look and feel of the art director's vision. Keeping the materials muted will be far less distracting than being too specific. One of the great things about Revit is that you'll be able to emotively visualize in the same environment as you analytically rationalize. This will come in handy when the director, director of photography, and then art director all want a different question answered at the same time!

Master It How can you express constructability to a high level of detail, particularly when the object is going to be assembled from many individual parts? Why rely on standard architectural practice of documenting in plan, section, and elevation views?