DesignAct Presented by AOD Inspires School Theatre through Design
School students involved in theatre, drama and film mentored by AOD to understand the basics of set design, specialty lighting, costume design, filmmaking and promotional design for production
Sri Lanka’s school theatre and film culture is an active one responsible for producing some of the best talent in the country. Having achieved outstanding talent year after year, the next stage of evolution for school film and theatre lies in the presentation of the productions; namely, set design, costumes, lighting as well as the promotional aspect which connects the public to the production. Identifying this need for creative guidance to support school theatre step up to the next stage, AOD - Sri Lanka’s celebrated design educator presented DesignAct, a day dedicated to empowering young minds in theatre and film with essential design knowledge.
Arun Welandawe-Prematilleke on Mastering Design in Immersive Theatre
AOD is an active patron of all forms of creative expression including theatre and film, and has been a supporter of many school productions over the years. This year, AOD looks to share its creative knowledge resources that stems from an international faculty from around the world, with the school theatre societies and film circles: This was the objective behind DesignAct - full-day event curated as an introduction to design and creative elements that are essential to making a professional theatre production. DesignAct included live demos, workshops, presentations and one-on-one discussions with AOD’s designers. It was held on Saturday, 29th April with an open invitation to all school students involved in drama, theatre and film.
If you follow your passion, opportunities are endless! Indu Dharmasena inspires everyone at DesignAct.
Design, although not directly noticed by many, is the backbone of presentation in theatre and film. Major productions at professional levels often involve large teams of dedicated designers who are responsible for creating special stage sets and theatrical effects that evoke the context of the production, costumes that create a realistic sense of time and place as told by the story and lighting effects that create a sense of drama and heightened emotion. Furthermore, another very essential part in theatre and film are the creative teams responsible for promoting the production in ways that truly capture the public and draw them to the event. These design inputs have the potential to make or break a production, which is why giant scale productions in Broadway theatre and film industries such as Hollywood dedicate millions worth budgets for commissioning the right designers.
As design becomes more and more essential for the success of modern day productions, it is evident that the school theatre and film scene needs creativity to evolve their work to the next level. This is where AOD comes in, as a design educator with special knowledge and studio resources capable of supporting school drama and film circles in getting an essential understanding of design for theatre and motion picture. DesignAct presented by AOD was an event dedicated for this very purpose; it presented an exciting line-up of free events to educate the school theatre and film societies on how to handle the creative elements of production on their own. All events were designed not only to provide information, but also to give a first-hand experience on designing costume, lighting basics, filmmaking, promotions and stage sets.
AOD being one of the most reliable authorities for design in Sri Lanka, working in partnership with with all creative sectors from fashion, interior design, animation and graphic design etc., the campus is uniquely positioned to share the complete spectrum of creative know-how in design for theatre. Therefore AOD’s DesignAct 2017 proved to be an ideal opportunity for all school students involved in theatre and film, actors, directors, as well as parents and involved teachers to meet the international designers of the AOD faculty to follow workshops and live demonstrations, plus pose questions and get the much-needed answers.