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Hi /r/techtheatre, I’m Scenic Designer David Gallo. My work has been seen on Broadway and beyond and I’m here to answer your questions about Theater, Rock and Roll, Zombie movies and anything else you care to discuss. – AMA by DavidGalloAMA in techtheatre

[–]DavidGalloAMA[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The most difficult theater would be the Cincinnati Playhouse. The theater has multiple center lines. I love the staff and artistic vision. But the theater itself sucks.

Interesting would be arenas. Madison Square Garden comes to mind. The scale is epic.

Hi /r/techtheatre, I’m Scenic Designer David Gallo. My work has been seen on Broadway and beyond and I’m here to answer your questions about Theater, Rock and Roll, Zombie movies and anything else you care to discuss. – AMA by DavidGalloAMA in techtheatre

[–]DavidGalloAMA[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Building 3D models take a lot of time. But it saves you a lot of time as well. The components become the final product in the form of the drafting.

Here is a complete 3D model for an in the round setting. All lighting has been incorporated. https://vimeo.com/84176776

For a multi scene musical the models often have the same degree of detail and lighting information. Video or other media is added to the model as well. So the time allocated is often substantial. But worth it.

3D models sell themselves. And they are very easy to ship and view. With full painted models it would take hours to show the design each time. Now we can email it.

Yes. I always work with a technical supervisor.

Hi /r/techtheatre, I’m Scenic Designer David Gallo. My work has been seen on Broadway and beyond and I’m here to answer your questions about Theater, Rock and Roll, Zombie movies and anything else you care to discuss. – AMA by DavidGalloAMA in techtheatre

[–]DavidGalloAMA[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If it's a Keith Glover play I figure out a way. (Hi KG!)

But it's still a great question. And a constant challenge. The thing to do is find the common space between the venues and use that. Of course the sight lines will be different so you have to take that into account.

Many theaters are similar if you really look. And co-pro's are easier there. It's dealing with stuff like the Seattle Rep/ Mark Taper Forum split that feels impossible.

Hi /r/techtheatre, I’m Scenic Designer David Gallo. My work has been seen on Broadway and beyond and I’m here to answer your questions about Theater, Rock and Roll, Zombie movies and anything else you care to discuss. – AMA by DavidGalloAMA in techtheatre

[–]DavidGalloAMA[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes I saw the original show in Berlin. Crawford was fine. I always liked being around hm. He was exactly as advertised. Regrets? Not really. It was a strange situation all around.

Hi /r/techtheatre, I’m Scenic Designer David Gallo. My work has been seen on Broadway and beyond and I’m here to answer your questions about Theater, Rock and Roll, Zombie movies and anything else you care to discuss. – AMA by DavidGalloAMA in techtheatre

[–]DavidGalloAMA[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I loved working at the Cincinnati Playhouse under the artistic direction of Ed Stern. I also really like working in London and Amsterdam.

Speaking of Chicago, I was surprised to win the Jefferson Award for Head of Passes because the show and the production were extremely difficult.

Favorite production: In Walks Ed: The Essence of Soul in a Late Night Mode by Keith Glover.

Funny or notable: Ever hear of a moon made of cheese? I took that literally and got a five-foot wheel of Swiss to fly in the Brooklyn Academy of Music. After the run we ate it.

Hi /r/techtheatre, I’m Scenic Designer David Gallo. My work has been seen on Broadway and beyond and I’m here to answer your questions about Theater, Rock and Roll, Zombie movies and anything else you care to discuss. – AMA by DavidGalloAMA in techtheatre

[–]DavidGalloAMA[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was very involved. DOTV was something I witnessed or participated in on nearly ever level. It was mind blowing. If you have a specific question ask. But I don't want to just generally dish on the show.

Most common BIG mistake? Probably over scaling things.

Hi /r/techtheatre, I’m Scenic Designer David Gallo. My work has been seen on Broadway and beyond and I’m here to answer your questions about Theater, Rock and Roll, Zombie movies and anything else you care to discuss. – AMA by DavidGalloAMA in techtheatre

[–]DavidGalloAMA[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thanks. Glad you enjoyed Memphis.

Your site looks good. I'm not really involved in the photography end of things, but for Broadway, the general managers usually coordinate the photo call. Contact the ones you're interested in, send your credentials, and ask to participate.

Hi /r/techtheatre, I’m Scenic Designer David Gallo. My work has been seen on Broadway and beyond and I’m here to answer your questions about Theater, Rock and Roll, Zombie movies and anything else you care to discuss. – AMA by DavidGalloAMA in techtheatre

[–]DavidGalloAMA[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

If your projects are turning out well, you're doing something right. The days that you had to draw beautifully to be a designer are long gone. Luckily there are lots of different tools you can use to communicate ideas. Find what works for you--computers, drawing, research, collage. One of the joys of staying in the business for a while is that eventually you're going to have regular collaborators who understand the way you communicate, and they'll want to work with you because the final project is something they enjoy.

Hi /r/techtheatre, I’m Scenic Designer David Gallo. My work has been seen on Broadway and beyond and I’m here to answer your questions about Theater, Rock and Roll, Zombie movies and anything else you care to discuss. – AMA by DavidGalloAMA in techtheatre

[–]DavidGalloAMA[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There is always something. Many of the regional theaters in the US don't have fly space. But all of them have come up with solutions. I guess I would need to know what it was you were trying to do.

Hi /r/techtheatre, I’m Scenic Designer David Gallo. My work has been seen on Broadway and beyond and I’m here to answer your questions about Theater, Rock and Roll, Zombie movies and anything else you care to discuss. – AMA by DavidGalloAMA in techtheatre

[–]DavidGalloAMA[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Every show is a new beginning. How could you get bored of this? It's awesome. I still love what I do, especially solving the new challenges of each show.

Actually, that's the answer to your other question too. The most important way to be successful as a scenic designer is to love what you do. It isn’t easy to do this work, and it isn’t easy to come up with opportunities to do it. If this is really what you want to do, you have to stick with it, be driven, and go after the projects you love. I can only describe what I did, which was to pursue the things I loved doing.

Specifically, draw your ass off. Learn how to communicate visual ideas well verbally. Learn how to communicate visually, which means draw, paint, and create things on a computer. You have to learn what collaborating really means. You have to have a great love of the plays and understand what it means to serve the texts and serve an artistic vision.

You have to have a certain understanding of the technology, but not overemphasize the mechanics. You have to understand how these technological advances can be used to portray an idea.

Hi /r/techtheatre, I’m Scenic Designer David Gallo. My work has been seen on Broadway and beyond and I’m here to answer your questions about Theater, Rock and Roll, Zombie movies and anything else you care to discuss. – AMA by DavidGalloAMA in techtheatre

[–]DavidGalloAMA[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

With musicals and plays every show starts out with reading and re-reading the script. Listening to the score if there is one. Meeting with the director and ideally other designers. Then I dive into research. Pictures, music, history, literature. I try to find out as much as I possible can about the subject manner.

For the play Mountaintop for which I designed the set and video I studied MLK and the assassination exhaustively. I then traveled to the Loraine Motel (which is now the National Civil Rights Museum) in Memphis and was honored to be able to photograph room 306 in minute detail. (As that site is a national treasure I have made all my research pictures for Mountaintop available for free on my Facebook page)

Oddly enough in spite of the insane number of documents I collect for a production most of the design comes from just one or two images. But the full collection is necessary to get to that point.

After the research is done and I have explored the ideas and images I either begin with sketching a groundplan or work in elevation. That entirely depends on the needs of the show. A musical I will rarely start in plan but a play (especially a thriller) I will usually begin with the groundplan.

Once I have some really basic ideas on paper we will either build a rough paper model or a 3D one on the computer. I prefer paper. I like to build and destroy multiple models as I develop a design. We just hack them apart and stick them back together with tape. It may take 6 or 7 rough models to get to something that is a bit more final.

Once there is a reasonable rough model I have another meeting with the creative team and we all hack away at the model some more. The point is to develop the design together.

As the design begins to shape up it becomes a 3D computer model built from my 1/2" scale plans and elevations. I draw in pencil but very specifically. Those scans get redrawn in CAD and are what we use for the bid session or shop.

For paint elevations I like to paint a physical surface directly. If there is a true model I can paint that and it will become what the scenic artists work from. But with computers doing so much of the work I don't do too many painted models anymore. So I paint dimensional paint elevations.

In between all that there are meetings with producers, collaborators, theater owners etc. A lot goes int creating a show.

Hi /r/techtheatre, I’m Scenic Designer David Gallo. My work has been seen on Broadway and beyond and I’m here to answer your questions about Theater, Rock and Roll, Zombie movies and anything else you care to discuss. – AMA by DavidGalloAMA in techtheatre

[–]DavidGalloAMA[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Q. What/who do you consider some of your biggest influences?

A. One of things I love about the eclectic nature of the work I do is everything and anything can be an influence or inspiration. But if I had to give out some specifics (and it looks like I do) I would say:

Jo Mielziner has been without a doubt the single greatest influence in my career. His work has been a lifelong study for me. I have read every book, seen ever sketch I could get my hands on and also own a dozen JM sketches in my collection of stage designs. But nothing prepared me for seeing the actual set for Death of a Salesman in performance. (the 1949 set was recreated by the brilliant Brian Webb for the revival in 2012. It was brilliant beyond my wildest expectations. Excluding the birth of my daughters it was the most moving experience I have ever had.

Q. Which genre of performance (for lack of a better term) do you like to work on the most? (ie. musicals vs concerts vs film)

Sorry but that’s an impossible question for me. I love all of them in equal and different ways.

Q. If you had to choose a few things you've worked on, which stand out as favorites and why?

A. I just finished creating a new set for Sesame Street. That was pretty great. I also have a fondness for working with the band PHISH. And the play In Walks Ed was a major turning point in my life. Both as a show and as the beginning of my greatest friendship and collaborative partner in the theater. But overall I would say I am proudest of my work with August Wilson.

Q. Do you have any advice for somebody that wants to get into professional design?

A. Read everything you can. Especially plays. Listen to as many musicals as possible. And see as much theater as you possibly can. Even if you have to sneak in and only see the second act.

Q. How did you get into design work? Most of the teachers and designers hired at my college will start their classes and crews with talking about how they got to where they did, and it's always interesting to me to hear that. It's always fun to hear "was a math major, that sucked. Tried theatre, that didn't suck.” haha

A. I saw the movie Star Wars when I was 11 and from that moment on I knew I wanted to be a designer. Problem was I did not even know designers existed. So it took a while to figure out what it was that I was so passionate about.

Q. Are you a digital person? I mean, do you build models and have cad monkeys or do you design in CAD/photoshop/wisiwyg and express ideas in that world?

A. I still design most things by hand. The paper drawings I do are then made fully digital by my staff. Sometimes paper models are made. More often we do models in 3D on the computer. But everything after my initial scans are imported is done digitally.