“Oakland School for the Arts’s Production Design sub-pathway is upholding the previously postponed tradition of the OSA Haunted House. Stay tuned for more information on this spooky season’s out of this world haunted house.”-- Bella Shainker, 8th grade
Production Design is upholding the tradition of the Haunted House, which runs 10/29, 10/30, and 11/01. The theme will be outer space, with set design for a space station invaded by aliens. Tickets will be available for purchase starting next week.
“It’s to create a scary environment that will allow people to walk through this outer space station that was invaded by aliens. "The idea is for the haunted house Production Design students to design, build and create a scary environment,” says Jean Francois Revon, Chair of Production Design sub-pathway at Oakland School for the Arts.
Students in PD go through a process of set design, lighting, sound systems, and video work - all of which are tied into the Haunted House project. Revon explains that the set design of the haunted house requires a storyline, which is contemplated and then developed by the students. The sub-pathway came up with the logistics and definition of the alien invaders of said space station.
“They used all of these ideas and developed them, and then we actually voted on the best idea. Then from there, they decided how many rooms they were going to have in the haunted house and each room was designed by a group of students,” said Revon. “Same thing for the sound design, I have some students who focused on that and came up with the storylines for each room. And, the same thing for the sound design, working with the students who created the set and organised each room and what they wanted to look like visually,” he continued.
The sub-pathway had difficulties with picking a theme, as they had 35 original ideas for set designs. “It’s what I call organised chaos, it’s very chaotic,” Revon joked.
Once the theme was decided upon by the students, the next step was to make it all happen. “There’s so many parts and my least favorite is that I have to take a lot of time placing orders for all the materials that the students need to use,” Revon said, explaining the painstaking steps taken behind the scenes to get students the materials they need.
“We organize, it’s not like students just come up and ask for fabric. No, we talk about it before the events start building and students give you a list. Which is another interesting part of our work that they have to anticipate what materials they will use and then we preorder them,” says Revon. The haunted house is done every other year, which Revon thinks keeps people engaged, seeing as it’s a big project. Including the 37 actors it takes to perform for the haunted house so far, it is too large of an event to organize yearly. It takes a serious amount of time and effort that is definitely worth it, which is how the production has become a staple for PD..
Students working on the haunted house have to go through the whole process of making the out-of-this-world idea a reality. “First brainstorming, then concept art and 3D models. Prebuilt walls are put up and repainted. Then comes decorating and props. Not to mention sound effects and lighting,” explained Liya Wanigatunga, an 8th grade production design student. Wanigatunga found this process to be a positive experience—they found it fun and engaging to work on skills such as practicing drawing, building set dressing, and lighting. “Some people might think that the haunted house is just a set of rooms that you walk through with jumpscares and things but it’s really a whole production. The haunted house has a full backstory and a plot,” said Winigatunga.
The whole process teaches students to be creative and take the steps needed to put on a production. “The skills that we learn and the projects that we do are just as important as the end result,” Winigatunga says.
One drawback this year? Keeping everyone safe from Covid. Winigatunga explains that it would be preferred if the actors didn’t have to wear masks, because it stands as an extra challenge that the sub-pathway has to work around.
Production Design normally does set building for not only theatre performances, but also the fashion shows, and dance performances. “So far middle school hasn’t done any actual building but we’ve been doing watercolor concept ideas for the lobbies. My least favorite thing is not being able to paint and build yet,” says Ryan Thornsley, 8th grade Production Design student. Thronsley explains her love for the final product and how interesting it is to see it all come together with the skills learned in her department.
She shows enthusiasm with the current state of the haunted house and how the project is progressing overall. “I think it’s an event to start off our building for the year and something to work on, to get excited for, and an opportunity for a fundraiser. I think the first time they did the haunted house, they had so much fun that it has become a continued project or tradition,” states Thornsley.
The haunted house has a yearly theme which keeps both production design students and students attending the haunted house engaged ,while continuing the staple project and fundraiser. Production Design is putting up posters throughout the school with information regarding the haunted house further down the line.
“It’s to create a scary environment that will allow people to walk through this outer space station that was invaded by aliens. "The idea is for the haunted house Production Design students to design, build and create a scary environment,” says Jean Francois Revon, Chair of Production Design sub-pathway at Oakland School for the Arts.
Students in PD go through a process of set design, lighting, sound systems, and video work - all of which are tied into the Haunted House project. Revon explains that the set design of the haunted house requires a storyline, which is contemplated and then developed by the students. The sub-pathway came up with the logistics and definition of the alien invaders of said space station.
“They used all of these ideas and developed them, and then we actually voted on the best idea. Then from there, they decided how many rooms they were going to have in the haunted house and each room was designed by a group of students,” said Revon. “Same thing for the sound design, I have some students who focused on that and came up with the storylines for each room. And, the same thing for the sound design, working with the students who created the set and organised each room and what they wanted to look like visually,” he continued.
The sub-pathway had difficulties with picking a theme, as they had 35 original ideas for set designs. “It’s what I call organised chaos, it’s very chaotic,” Revon joked.
Once the theme was decided upon by the students, the next step was to make it all happen. “There’s so many parts and my least favorite is that I have to take a lot of time placing orders for all the materials that the students need to use,” Revon said, explaining the painstaking steps taken behind the scenes to get students the materials they need.
“We organize, it’s not like students just come up and ask for fabric. No, we talk about it before the events start building and students give you a list. Which is another interesting part of our work that they have to anticipate what materials they will use and then we preorder them,” says Revon. The haunted house is done every other year, which Revon thinks keeps people engaged, seeing as it’s a big project. Including the 37 actors it takes to perform for the haunted house so far, it is too large of an event to organize yearly. It takes a serious amount of time and effort that is definitely worth it, which is how the production has become a staple for PD..
Students working on the haunted house have to go through the whole process of making the out-of-this-world idea a reality. “First brainstorming, then concept art and 3D models. Prebuilt walls are put up and repainted. Then comes decorating and props. Not to mention sound effects and lighting,” explained Liya Wanigatunga, an 8th grade production design student. Wanigatunga found this process to be a positive experience—they found it fun and engaging to work on skills such as practicing drawing, building set dressing, and lighting. “Some people might think that the haunted house is just a set of rooms that you walk through with jumpscares and things but it’s really a whole production. The haunted house has a full backstory and a plot,” said Winigatunga.
The whole process teaches students to be creative and take the steps needed to put on a production. “The skills that we learn and the projects that we do are just as important as the end result,” Winigatunga says.
One drawback this year? Keeping everyone safe from Covid. Winigatunga explains that it would be preferred if the actors didn’t have to wear masks, because it stands as an extra challenge that the sub-pathway has to work around.
Production Design normally does set building for not only theatre performances, but also the fashion shows, and dance performances. “So far middle school hasn’t done any actual building but we’ve been doing watercolor concept ideas for the lobbies. My least favorite thing is not being able to paint and build yet,” says Ryan Thornsley, 8th grade Production Design student. Thronsley explains her love for the final product and how interesting it is to see it all come together with the skills learned in her department.
She shows enthusiasm with the current state of the haunted house and how the project is progressing overall. “I think it’s an event to start off our building for the year and something to work on, to get excited for, and an opportunity for a fundraiser. I think the first time they did the haunted house, they had so much fun that it has become a continued project or tradition,” states Thornsley.
The haunted house has a yearly theme which keeps both production design students and students attending the haunted house engaged ,while continuing the staple project and fundraiser. Production Design is putting up posters throughout the school with information regarding the haunted house further down the line.
