Production areas are the non-acting elements of a theatrical production that contribute to the creation of meaning, atmosphere and audience experience. In VCE Drama, students must demonstrate understanding of how production areas function both practically and symbolically — and how they can be approached sustainably.
| Production Area | Definition |
|---|---|
| Set and staging | Physical environment: scenery, furniture, levels, spatial configuration |
| Costume | What performers wear; communicates character, period, status, style |
| Lighting | Use of light and shadow: direction, colour, intensity, focus |
| Sound | Music, soundscape, effects, silence; live or recorded |
| Make-up and hair | Facial and bodily presentation; naturalistic or stylised |
| Multimedia / projection | Video, slides, live feed; increasingly common in contemporary work |
| Props | Objects used in the performance; can carry symbolic weight |
| Masks | Face coverings; associated with commedia, physical theatre, ritual traditions |
Production areas help establish and maintain:
- Period and location: a single bare lightbulb can suggest post-war austerity; a neon sign suggests contemporary urban life.
- Style and convention: expressionist theatre uses distorted, bold colour; Brechtian theatre uses visible, functional design (chairs, placards, bare lighting rigs).
- Character and social status: a tattered coat vs a tailored suit communicates social difference without dialogue.
- Mood and atmosphere: warm amber light suggests safety; cold blue-white suggests threat or clinical distance.
Beyond definition, production areas enhance the performance by:
- Amplifying dramatic moments: a sudden blackout at a moment of revelation; a sound sting that punctuates physical action.
- Carrying symbolic meaning: a red dress worn only in scenes of violence; a clock on stage that is never removed regardless of time period.
- Creating rhythm and pace: music underscoring transitions between scenes; lighting that fades and returns to mark time passing.
- Extending characterisation: a prop that only one character touches — this exclusivity signals psychological ownership or obsession.
VCAA explicitly requires students to consider sustainable use of production areas. This reflects growing awareness of environmental responsibility in the arts.
What does sustainability mean in this context?
- Using materials that can be repurposed, recycled or returned.
- Avoiding single-use materials (e.g., foam, petroleum-based plastics) where alternatives exist.
- Borrowing, repurposing or hiring items rather than purchasing new.
- Using minimal technical resources (LED lighting instead of tungsten; battery-powered sound instead of mains-heavy rigs).
- Making deliberate choices about what is necessary vs what is decorative.
Sustainable approaches by production area:
- Set: use found/recycled materials; create multi-use pieces (one object that serves multiple locations).
- Costume: use existing wardrobes, op-shop finds, or repurposed everyday clothing.
- Lighting: prefer LED; design lighting that serves multiple scenes rather than requiring full rig resets.
- Sound: use royalty-free or original sound; avoid single-use playback equipment.
- Props: choose objects with symbolic depth so each prop does more dramatic work with fewer pieces.
STUDY HINT: Sustainability is not just about environmental ethics — it is also an aesthetic choice that connects to the dramaturgy of many contemporary performances. Minimalism, found object theatre, and devised physical work often embrace sustainable production as part of their philosophy, not just as a constraint. Companies like Back to Back Theatre (Geelong) and Version 1.0 have made minimal, repurposed production central to their identity.
In ensemble performance, production areas must serve the collective rather than individual performers:
- Costumes should have a coherent visual language that reflects the ensemble relationship.
- Set pieces should be moveable or transformable by the ensemble (not dependent on crew).
- Sound and lighting should respond to the ensemble’s collective rhythm and energy.
KEY TAKEAWAY: Production areas are dramaturgical tools, not decoration. Every choice — including the choice to use no set or no costume — communicates meaning. In your folio and exam responses, always explain the function of each production element in the context of the performance’s intended meaning, style and audience impact.
