Building a corner set in under 2 hours
Context
My team made this 3-flat corner set in less than two hours to replicate an independent video store in the late 1990s set in
Melbourne, Australia. We researched popular colours of the era, popular movies and culture,
fashion and styles. Originally, we discussed trying to replicate traditional yellow and blue themes of old
blockbuster stores, but decided that making it independently owned would give us more
room to be experimental and creative while keeping our budget down. This inspired the
milk crate-shelving and handmade checkout desk. We also wanted to add dimensional,
geographical, and socio-economic context, so we decided to hang a window frame with an
open sign facing outward in the top right corner of the set, giving the illusion that the
store was partially underground. Scenically painting the walls to be aged and water-damaged also
helped set this tone. Although the set without any dressings looked quite sad and depressing,
we lifted the vibe with colourful props such as the rainbow fishtank with a mechanical fish,
an orange lava lamp and LED signage. The audience sees the space as quirky, happy, and
welcoming to most of their customers, just not the ones with overdue rentals!
Preperation
- Sourcing of all props and set dec.
- Graphic designs to avoid copyright issues on VHS tape covers.
- Priming and painting the flats.
- Aging detail added to flats and faux pipes.
- Construction of checkout desk. A simple design consisting of wooden planks, wood glue and pilot holes for assembly on the day. Varnish finish.
On-the-day setup
