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Production Arts Tour

Explore our theatre facilities with Guildhall students

Working with professionals at Guildhall provides you with well-respected industry contacts – I’ve been a Costume Daily on Downton Abbey

Shannon Martin
BA Technical Theatre Arts (Stage & Costume Management pathway)

Shannon Martin
Guildhall has provided so many opportunities that I didn't expect when I applied. The mentor programme has also been hugely valuable to me.

Andrew McDonald
BA Technical Theatre Arts (Theatre Technology)

Andrew McDonald
I chose to come to Guildhall because I wanted to become a set designer. Guildhall helped me understand who I want to be and how to get there.

Alena Tryapitsyna
BA Technical Theatre Arts (Design Realisation)

Alena Tryapitsyna
The School is the right mix of everything – supportive staff, positive work environment, world-class facilities and bespoke opportunities.

Saatvika Kantamneni
MA Collaborative Theatre Production and Design

Saatvika Kantamneni
We run like a company with each student taking on a professional role. I feel this really prepares us for the outside world

Laurie Lumley
BA Video Design for Live Performance

Laurie Lumley
The projects we work on are real - we are in effect constantly getting work experience

Laurie Lumley
BA Video Design for Live Performance

Laurie Lumley
The facilities available to students to create are almost unimaginable

Carreen Walton
MA Collaborative Theatre Production and Design

Carreen Walton
It's the scale of productions that really makes Guildhall stand out. It gets to the point where you think, wow, this is massive. In other places, you just wouldn't have that opportunity to learn on the job.

Sian Clare
BA Technical Theatre Arts (Costume)

Sian Clare
I had the opportunity to work with the BA Video Design for Live Performance course on an installation project in the chambers below Tower Bridge. It was a completely unique experience.

Liam Strong
BA Technical Theatre Arts (Theatre Technology)

Liam Strong
Home > Production Arts > Programmes > BA (Hons) Production Arts > Design Realisation pathway (Scenic Art, Scenic Construction and Prop Making)

Design Realisation

Scenic Art | Scenic Construction | Prop Making

Design Realisation is about making and painting the scenery and props that have been designed by the set designer. Students following this pathway need good creative and practical skills, with strong problem-solving abilities. Each year you will develop your skills across prop making, scenery construction and scenic art, arriving at a clear idea of how far you would like to specialise in your final year. 

What you will study

Year One

Along with all other students in the programme, Design Realisation students take classes in a broad range of core subjects. These include: Theatre History, Period Style, Contemporary Theatre, Health & Safety and Stagecraft & Production Process. Classes are usually project based and wherever possible have a hands-on, practical approach.

For example, when studying trends in contemporary theatre we’ll take you to see some shows, and when we’re looking at period styles we’ll take you to galleries and museums to look at examples.

Associated Studies

In this year you will also take a core module called Associated Studies, which allows you to take three short courses in other areas of technical theatre such as Stage Management, Lighting, Sound, Video, Costume Supervision etc.

Besides the core subjects you’ll be spending a lot of time in our three well equipped workshops learning how to build and paint props and scenery, and later in the year you will begin to work on Guildhall productions alongside second and third year students.

Year Two

Your second year is entirely practical, and you will spend the bulk of your time in the workshops working on the School's drama and opera productions. You will also spend half a term working in one of the areas you studied in Year One Associated Studies.

Year Three

Third Year students spend two terms leading teams of second year students and taking responsibility for productions as Head of Props, Scenic Art Coordinator or Construction Manager from initial concept design through to the opening night. Alternatively, you can focus on developing skills as part of the team as a third year Prop Maker, Scenic Artist or Scenic Carpenter. You may continue with your elective study for six weeks or take on the role of Production Manager.

In addition you will complete a six-week work placement and complete a Graduation Project.

Recent work placements

Recent work placements undertaken by Design Realisation students include: 

  • National Theatre scenic workshops
  • Rocket Scenery
  • Footprint Scenery
  • Romanoff Productions
  • Shakespeare’s Globe
  • MDM Props
  • Souvenir Scenic Studios
  • Sydney Opera House scenic workshops

See some recent work-placement examples.

Future careers

Potential careers for Design Realisation students include: 

  • Set designer
  • Scenic artist
  • Prop maker
  • Scenic construction roles in theatre, events, film and TV

Read about career opportunities after graduation

What our students say

"I chose to come to Guildhall because I wanted to become a set designer and to do that I decided that I would like to know everything about theatre - starting from what a steel deck is and how to fit up, to what is the first question I should ask a director at a concept meeting."

- Alena Tryapitsyna, Design Realisation graduate 2016

Design Realisation Instagram

For a little more insight into what we do, visit the Design Realisation Instagram.

Find out more and apply