Dress A Set For A Television Production

Standard 4.0Standard Text: Dress a set for a television production. Learning Goal: The student will be able to properly dress a set for television production.

Set Dressing

All the visual and design elements on a set, such as rugs, lamps, wall coverings, curtains and room accent accessories.

Set DresserThe person responsible for selecting the furniture, wall and window coverings, accent accessories, and all the other design elements that complete a program’s set. Also called a set decorator.

Set DesignA scale drawing of the set, as viewed from above that illustrates the location of furniture, walls, doors, and windows.

Selecting Furniture for the Set

• Talent should be able to get into and out of the furniture gracefully. • Furniture needs to be solid and firm and the seat cannot be lower

than the talent’s knees • Never use swivel chairs that swivel or rock on set• Be aware of shiny surfaces

PropsAny item handled by the performers during a production, other than furniture.

Cyc or CycloramaA background curtain on a set that is stretched tight and pulled to cover the walls and curves of the studio forming a solid background color. A cyc is different from a backdrop because it is one color and has no definition.

MorieAn effect caused by certain fabric pattern in which the television system reproduces the pattern with a rainbow of color or moving lines displayed in the pattern area.

Review Questions • What are some considerations when selecting furniture for a

production set?• What is a prop?• How does a cyc differ from a backdrop?• Explain how the responsible of an interior designer and a set dresser

are different.