Elements and Performance Criteria

The need for research and experimentation on props techniques and media may be related to requirements for:
special effects
overall creative direction
budgetary limitations

Media for props construction may include:
timber
timber products, eg plywood, particle board, craftwood, Masonite
metal products, eg bars, tubes, sheets, moulded or cast metal
masonite
metal products, eg bars, tubes, sheets
moulded or cast metal
fibreglass
fabrics
plastics, eg moulded sheet
fabric
leather
paper products
plaster
mouldable materials
thermoplastic
polystyrene
fasteners
adhesives

Techniques may include:
moulding
painting
sculpting and other shaping methods
gluing
metalwork, eg cutting, welding, brazing
woodworking

Underpinning skills and knowledge

Assessment must include evidence of the following knowledge and skills:

the expressive qualities of props as they relate to the nature of the work, the style of the production and the qualities of the performance
innovative and experimental props construction techniques for a wide range of props
ways in which design concepts can be translated into creative and workable props solutions
the behaviour of various materials under different types of lighting
ways of adapting props construction methods skills across styles, genres and art forms, including film, television, radio and live performance in dance, music, drama
techniques for testing finished and unfinished materials, such as fabric, leather, vinyl, plastic, foam, latex, found objects, straw, paper, and cardboard
the properties and characteristics of a variety of materials before and after art finishing
sources of raw, part-processed and processed materials and components
research skills and sources of information to inform research and experimentation on set construction
costs and costing processes for props construction
organisational and legislative occupational health and safety procedures in relation to props construction
copyright, moral rights and intellectual property issues and legislation as they apply to props
environmental issues associated with tools and materials used in scenic art and potential issues associated with new approaches
literacy skills sufficient to undertake research and interpret information and material from a broad range of sources
numeracy skills sufficient to evaluate resource costs

Linkages to other units

This unit has linkages to other set construction units and design units, and combined assessment and/or training with those units may be appropriate, eg:

CUESET11A Develop set construction plans to meet design requirements
CUESET04B Use research, innovation and experimentation to produce props
CUESCE04B Use research, innovation and experimentation to produce scenic art
Visual arts units

It is strongly recommended that this unit be assessed with or after the following units:

CUFSET03B Make sets
CUESET11A Develop set construction plans to meet design requirements

Critical aspects of evidence

The following evidence is critical to the judgement of competence in this unit:

in depth knowledge of a wide range of techniques and media that may be used and adapted for prop construction
ability to create innovative props effects through appropriate research and experimentation

Method and context of assessment

The assessment context must provide for:

creative collaboration with others in a process to experiment with new techniques to achieve effects for a particular production requirement

Assessment may incorporate a range of methods to assess performance and the application of essential underpinning knowledge, and might include:

evaluation of effects developed by the candidate to meet a particular brief
evaluation of ideas and methods developed by the candidate to create a range of different effects and production contexts
oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of materials and techniques
review of portfolios of evidence and third party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate
Assessment methods should closely reflect workplace demands and the needs of particular groups (eg people with disabilities, and people who may have literacy or numeracy difficulties such as speakers of languages other than English, remote communities and those with interrupted schooling).

Resource requirements

Assessment of this unit requires access to:

set designs, set elements and devices, materials and techniques

Communicating ideas and information
Researching options for new construction methods or media (2)

Collecting analysing and organising information
Presenting ideas to other production personnel (2)

Planning and organising activities
Organising a testing session for new media and techniques (2)

Working with others and in teams
Brainstorming ideas with colleagues (2)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
Evaluating cost options (2)

Solving problems
Undertaking specific testing to address a problem (2)

Using technology
Adapting equipment to allow for achievement of different effects (1)