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Carpenters work on constructing the set

The set designer discusses the set with carpenters

Set construction is a process by which a set designer works in collaboration with the director of the production to create the set for a theatrical, film or television production. The set designer produces a scale model, scale drawings (including, but not limited to: a groundplan, elevation, and section of the complete set as well as several more detailed drawings of individual scenic elements) paint elevations (a scale painting supplied to the scenic painter of each element requiring painting), and research about props, textures, etc. Models and paint elevations are generally hand-produced, however in recent years many designers and most commercial theatres generally produce scale drawings on computer drafting programs such as AutoCAD or Vectorworks.

The technical director or production manager is the person responsible for evaluating the finished designs and considering budget and time limitations. He or she engineers the scenery, has it redrafted for building, budgets time, crew and materials, and liaisons between the designer and the shop. Technical directors often have assistant technical directors whose duties can range from drafting to actually building scenery.

A scene shop is often overseen by a shop foreman or master carpenter. This person assigns tasks, does direct supervision of carpenters, and deals with day-to-day matters such as absences, breaks, tool repair, etc. The staff of a scene shop is usually referred to as scenic carpenters, but within that there are many specialities such as plasterers, welders, and scenic stitchers. Scenic painting is a separate aspect of scenic construction, although the scenic painter usually answers to the technical director.

There is also usually a separate man/woman referred to often as a jack of all trades, but is also known to be what's called a Fred-John in parts of the country, he doesn't specialize in a particular aspect of construction, however he is skilled to some degree in most.

• Sound stage
• Stagecraft
• Staging (theatre)

• SetStudio, the Internet's television news set design resource
• Stagelink Stage and Scenery Fabricators Directory