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SCENIC BUILDING BLOCKS

As we saw earlier, pioneering movie producers relied heavily on theatrical tradition, adapting plays and staging techniques to the new film medium. Film and video set designers built on traditional methods as well, adding more sophisticated materials and techniques as they became available.

TYPES OF FLATS AND MATERIALS

Softwall Flats

In the traditional theater, where lightweight, easily transportable scenery is an asset, the basic flat, or wall surface, is a wood framework covered with stretched, painted fabric. This method of construction evolved through centuries of use and is ideal for theatrical purposes. Under a theatrical stage’s controlled conditions where the audience is a distance away from the scenery, painting ...

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