A short script scene might contain just a handful of lines of dialogue, but it could imply a whole space. The clues aren’t restricted to obvious descriptions like “a cramped space” or “a dilapidated desk”. Other clues appear in how characters move, what they avoid, a shift in mood, and key props. Before sketching scenery, read the scene as a series of practical questions: Where does the scene take place? What needs to be touched, crossed, hidden behind, or looked at by characters? What should the audience’s eye be drawn to?
Read through the scene once without making any design decisions. As you read through the scene a second time, note any clues that pertain to location, time, weather, light, sound, furniture, entrances, exits, or movement. Then, look for clues that may not be so obvious. The fact that a character keeps glancing at a door means the entrance may have visual significance. If a character needs to carry something large, the space should enable this action without blocking movement. If a dialogue starts out light hearted but gets tense, the stage picture may call for a greater sense of division between characters, higher visual contrast, or negative space. Visual clues such as these will help the scenography build naturally rather than having decoration tacked on.
It is easy to collect all the little details and consider them all as important in the same way. That usually leads to a scenic concept that is visually cluttered and without a clear focal point. Instead, sort the clues in your sketchbook into three categories: action clues, mood clues, and extraneous clues. If a chair must be sat in by one of the characters, that chair belongs in the action category. If peeling wallpaper helps to create a sense that this is a dilapidated home, that wallpaper may belong in the mood category. If you find yourself adding a shelf full of books for no specific reason, it is probably an extraneous object. Making the distinction helps you to think about what the scene genuinely needs.
Take a few lines of the scene and identify three big picture ideas. For example, you may want a low platform, an archway, and an empty area. Now draw thumbnail sketches using only the three basic shapes. Move them around or change their size, rather than adding detail or decoration. In one concept, the archway may be very prominent. In another, it may be the space that becomes the focus of attention. These rough sketches show how you might use the same script clues to create different scenes. You don’t need a highly polished perspective drawing to communicate these ideas.
After selecting the concept that you like best, create a floor plan. Indicate the location of entrances, exits, scenic elements, and where performers are likely to be. Think through the scene moment to moment. Is it possible for one performer to travel across the space while another remains visible? Would a low platform create a trip hazard? If the door in the script is a significant focal point, is it placed so that the audience can view it? A front concept drawing looks different than a top down view, which means you must identify any spatial problems that may exist in the concept drawing. The objective is not an accurate plan but to clarify the relationship between the visual story and the available space.
If you find that you have trouble deciding whether an element is necessary, try writing down a one-sentence explanation of that element. “The tall doorway visually emphasizes that the character that enters is on her own.” “The empty space gives more room for the characters to be in conflict.” “The material choice gives a sense that this is an old place.” Any scenic elements that you can’t explain in this way may be candidates for elimination. You don’t have to include everything mentioned in the script for an initial concept sketch. Instead, choose the visual clues that are the most effective for telling the story and layout the space so that the performers and the audience can read it.