Wednesday, September 06, 2023
'Back to the Future' Broadway Musical Designer Talks Video Design
Variety: On the new episode of “Stagecraft,” Variety’s theater podcast, the two creatives behind the most striking video designs on Broadway reveal all the complexity at work on screens in “Back to the Future” and “The Shark Is Broken.”
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4 comments:
I want to first express that video and media design is a complex, difficult art form that I think can add real dimension and production value to a show. However, I still have the thought that video/media design is taking away the opportunity for beautiful drops and built scenery that also shows an incredible level of skill. Which then reminds me that scenic painters/artists are slowly diminishing in availability; it’s a skill that’s not as prevalent anymore. Is that because of the rise of video/media design, or did video/media design rise because of the lack of scenic artists? I really appreciate what designer Finn Ross said regarding collaboration among the various designers on a show. Media designers don’t always have a background in theater (usually media in some other form or as its own design element) and can often not understand how important it is to communicate constantly with your fellow designers.
I have seen Back to the Future the Musical twice now, once on Broadway and once on the West End. It is some of the most spectacular uses of video and projection design I have seen on these big commercial stages to date. The video, production, and light design so perfectly create the time travel sequences in the show, where they feel as though they have sucked you into the movie itself and you are traveling with Marty. It gave me the same rush as when I have been on the Soarin’ ride at Disney World, where you understand that you are not flying, or time traveling, but you feel that you are. It is incredible and completely understandable to hear how much work and collaboration goes into these massive projections and I am curious to see where these kind of effects find themselves in future productions. The technical and practical effects of the show are truly spectacular and I hope it lives a wonderful life at the Wintergarden.
Video and media design has always been a real gray area for me to understand. It can be such an intricate and interesting part of a set and show but if done incorrectly it can be an eye sore and it seems like it's only a part of the show for a “wow” factor. To hear how both designers and the directors they worked with thought so thoroughly about these things and how the video could not only elevate the aesthetics of a show but its story and how the characters' stories are told was very exciting for me. It's extremely exciting to think about how this relatively new sector of design is changing the idea of live performance especially within the world of broadway. It's really easy to not grow with the world and to stick to what we know, I think there could easily be pushback to video and projection design. But its encouraging to see designers liek the ones discussed in this article being so successful with these new technologies not only within achieving them but in how these designers have discovered what else they can do for the stories we tell in theater.
Video and film are one of the most influential and powerful art forms, people are easily attracted to them and find them an easier pill to swallow sometimes. When it comes to combining performing arts and video it gets a little more complicated. While theater and film are so connected, the fields of work are totally different. As a theater and film lover, I can appreciate both. Sometimes a video backdrop can add to the show and push ideas to the audience. In Jagged Little Pill, the video was used to symbolize a house, even more, a home that eventually fell apart, and this was shown through the projection/ video design. I also have done tremendous amounts of scenic painting in high school and in my short theater career. The painting in a show is very important, it shows texture and a personal connection between the set and the actors to the audience. So, knowing that video design is becoming bigger and utilized more, is a bit off-putting for me. However, I am excited to see what can be done with these new tools.
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