Setting the Scene

ACMI Screen Gallery>Thursday 4 December 2008 – Sunday 19 April 2009

SETTING THE SCENE: Film Design from Metropolis to Australia

Setting the Scene explores how production designers create visual details that “set the scene”for the drama, mood & atmosphere of a film. The exhibition is arranged in seven thermatic sections.

Spaces of Power-Portraying complex power relations between characters, often impenetrable environments designed to reinforce feelings of control.
Private Spaces-The personal spaces of a film’s characters communicate the individuality, personality, & particularities of their occupants.
Labyrinth Spaces-Fascinating & frightening, labyrinths are complex structures that draw characters & viewers into perplexing worlds.
Transit Spaces-In cinema, transit spaces such as airports, hotels, terminals & streets are often designed to highlight the characters’ physical & emotional journeys.
Stage Spaces-This section explores the links between the cinema & the stage, while also emphasising the capacity of film to go “beyond” its theatrical origins.
Virtual Spaces-In contemporary production design, many filmic spaces are created digitally, as well as physically. This section reveals how built & virtual elements can combine to produce spectacular new worlds.
Location Spaces-In many films, carefully chosen locations & evocative landscapes are as important as the characters & the plot.