Set Designer

Do you love theater and film? While the actors may be the face of a film, set designers have the ultra-important task of creating a world for the characters to exist within. Given technology’s rapid development, the world of set design is becoming more immersive than ever.

Personal Connection

Set designers create the physical and digital backgrounds that are used in plays, film, and television. This career is all about using stage and physical displays to situate the audience in a story. Whether it’s for theater, film, or television, every story requires a setting.

Are you interested in performing arts?
Do you love to build things?
Are you interested in the technical aspects of theater?
Do you appreciate the impact that a well told story can have on an audience?
Do you enjoy working on a wide range of projects?

Other Connections

If you decide that set design isn’t the exact profession for you, here are some other closely related careers:

Performing arts marketers advertise for theater and dance companies in order to attract audiences and ensure that it is a healthy industry for years to come

Production crew members work with producers and team up with actors to ensure that a production runs smoothly

Carpenters build unique projects out of wood and other materials

Sound engineers work with set and lighting designers to bring a production to life through music and sound effects

Drama teachers educate students and encourage participation in the performing arts

STEM Connection

Take a look at a few of the ways emerging technologies are revolutionizing set design:

Stage sets are more dynamic with automation:

Stage automation is the controlled, automatic movement of set features on a stage. When properly executed, this automation leaves the audience with the impression that the scenery is animate. With stage automation, even inanimate objects can add energy and life to a performance.

Sound design helps the audience get immersed in the performance:

Unique sound effects are more accessible than ever. Sounds that used to take days to produce now take mere minutes and are easily accessed via expansive databases. Careful sound design is essential for making actors’ interactions with the set and props more evident to the audience.

Projections and lighting effects add depth and dimension:

With advances in 3D projections and new lighting systems, set designers can include unique and complex backdrops and stage effects. Some designers are even beginning to experiment with holograms.

A revolving stage can turn a scene on its head:

The concept for the revolving stage has been around since the 18th century where it was implemented in Kabuki theater. Today, set designers are using new iterations of rotating stages, which can transition through several contrasting settings to keep the audience engaged.

Mixed media enhances the viewing experience:

Adding computer generated imagery (CGI) and video to live performances can intensify the atmosphere and make the audience feel like they’ve been thrust into an alternate reality. Mixed media is a trending idea for set designers and is giving new meaning to the term ‘live performance’.

Journeys to Becoming a Set Designer

Becoming a set designer is an exciting and creative career. If you have a passion for theater and design, you can get started on this career path while you are still in high school.

Read about one woman’s lifelong journey into a career as a set designer:

Rachel Hauck is a Broadway set designer who enriches her set pieces with emotion and metaphor. Rachel got into set design in high school when her friend was too scared to try out for drama by herself. Rachel remembers, “She lasted about two days and I was like, ‘That’s what I want to do.’”

Rachel’s school was performing The Picnic and had brought along an architect to help with the set design. “Those guys really know how to make models. I looked at that and I was like, ‘That. I want to do that. I want to understand how to tell a story like that.’ I was a freshman in high school and I never wanted to do anything else, and so I pursued it.” Rachel participated in four years of high school theater as a self-proclaimed “super-geek” and later obtained a bachelor’s degree in theater from a four-year university.

After she graduated from college, Rachel’s experience helped her land an internship with a television program. This even led to the opportunity to work on the set of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The television process was full of useful experiences for Rachel, but she eventually decided that her true passion was for theater.

Now Rachel is a successful set designer for some of the most prestigious productions in the world, and she attributes her success to the passion that she had as a high school freshman, driven by her simple desire to tell a good story.

If you are interested in becoming a set designer like Rachel, try joining a drama or theater club at your school. School theaters usually need people to help design, build, and repurpose sets, which is a great way to earn hands-on experience. Another option is to volunteer for a local community theater program. Many local organizations need extra help to put on successful performances for the community.

Read more about Rachel’s journey here.

Articles, Videos, Podcasts of Interest

Watch Broadway set designer David Korins talk about the best ways to convey emotion in a space:

Check out some ways that the performing arts are thriving with the help of technology:

Read about the vital role of set designers in the film industry:

Fun Facts/ “Did You Know?”

Some interesting facts about set design:

Iconic, but not necessarily reality:

Broadway is the longest street in New York City and is an iconic destination for world class play performances. However, did you know that only four theaters are located on Broadway itself? Many famous plays are performed on- and off-Broadway.

More is more and less is more:

Set designers have differing philosophies as to what makes the best stage set. Some designers prefer simplicity and minimalism, while others are all about detail and realism. Both are valid and make for compelling, if contrasting, storytelling.

Plays without sets:

Ancient Greek and Roman theater used very little scenery. Their productions were more about the framing and audibility of the actors. Though set design has evolved into a necessity, their ancient influences are still showcased in the design of theaters today.

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