Filmmaker
'Central to Rae Smith’s set design is a 25 metre wide, irregular projection screen, resembling a torn strip of paper, that forms the focus of a design which is otherwise minimalist and transient.
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The screen serves a number of purposes, having projected upon it drawings which provide, in turn, literal and psychological landscapes. It is used as a medium to establish location, show the passing of time and to mimic motion. For example, snippets of images move the audience from a Devon farmscape to no man’s land, via a sinking horizon which imitates the movement of a ship across water.'
WAR HORSE - Illustrated by Rae Smith
'Armistice Centenary and 10th Anniversary UK and Ireland Tour'
(8/11/18 - 5/01/19 at The National Theatre)
We were tasked with the completion of 3 projects from 3 different clients on the same day;
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'Mark Kermode presents' for the BFI
'War Horse Theatrical Illustrations by Rae Smith'
'Mirrorachi' Anti Trump protest video - The Daily Mirror
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The outline was to produce an image to be projected onto the 25 metre "ripped piece of paper" which served as the theatrical production's only source of background throughout the performance. The images would consist of Rae Smith's hand sketching her illustrations.
As shown in my mobile BTS footage, the most effective and non intrusive method of achieving the images, was to rig our Sony F5 onto a scaffolding structure we improvised in pre-production.
Our biggest challenge was rigging the lights correctly to avoid any potentially unwanted shadows by Smith's body or sketching arm. We succeeded in following familiar lighting set up plans we used for our Green Screen shoots. The only difference being that I and Tor Sanderson had to now rig it from the ceiling.
Rae Smith showcased her talent as she was required to create her sketches from scratch whilst obeying the strict timing of the orchestral directions used in previous performances from the ongoing tour.
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That day still remains as my most satisfying single day of filming.
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