First Seminar

Andy taught us about the props master, the person in control of the props team on a production and leases between the different groups, and about the different types of props. This includes;

• Hand props:
  Hero prop- most used prop and needs to be perfectly detailed
  Consumables- edible props and items that will need to be broken (ie sugar glass)
  Special effects props- these are those requiring an unusual performance
• Set props:
  Practical props- props that will work/function when needed (eg Grandfather clock)
  Furniture
  Lights- these will be more robust than average everyday lights
• Set dressing- ones that define the environment
  Greens- eg plants, flowers
  Costume props- eg Umberella, suitcase

However not all these props will be made as Andy explained that at times it makes more sense to buy something and sometimes age or adapt it for what you want as it may take less time and/or money to so.
We watched clips of people who work in the props industry. These showed a woman who works in the props industry and she explained the process that they go through to decide, make and buy props. It also showed the other side of this with a person who ran a prop/set pieces hiring business. They had a large collection of many different periods’ items that can be rented to be used for a show or film, and at times adapted.

Andy also gave us each a script, we had Forrest Gump, and we can to read through and mark out all the props needed for the scene and the appropriate way of getting them.
I found it interesting to hear information about the props industry from people who, at the time of the clips, were in the thick of being in props for a production.

I also really liked seeing the prop transformations Andy showed us, especially the lady shaver that was used to make a communications device in one of the Star Wars films. It was interesting to know and see that firstly even in big blockbuster movies they use everyday object to make props and also to find a prop can be made of the most mundane items with a bit of creativity and know how.

A ladies gillette razor
image found: http://www.partsofsw.com/Ep_1/images/razor1.jpg

Communication device prop from Star Wars
Image found: http://www.pangilinan.net/starwars/