Developing and Maintaining a Design-Tech Portfolio: A Guide for Theatre, Film, &TV [Paperback]

Rafael Jaen (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 024080712X | ISBN-13: 978-0240807126 | Publication Date: October 2, 2006 | Edition: 1

This book is a practical guide to aid in the process of creating, developing and presenting successful Theatre/TV/Film design/technology portfolios in the fields of scenery, costumes, lighting and sound. The book will consist of four sections or chapters. The first section is dedicated to the realization of effective portfolio showcases and it will identify materials and techniques used to produce them. This chapter will also identify specific requirements by discipline including scenery, costumes, lighting and sound and will cover the different portfolio requirements to apply for graduate school, jobs in the field, professional organizations and for promotional purposes. The second section is dedicated to the development and use of digital portfolios and it will look at the different software used in this area. The third chapter is about presentation and marketing and it will describe how to develop personal presentation techniques, resume, business card, and web pages. Finally, the fourth section offers key information in regards to the maintenance and updating of portfolios. Each chapter will feature real samples from the professional field and a page of "do's and don'ts" with comments from experts in each design-tech discipline.

* Contains specific guidelines about work layout techniques for Design and Technology Portfolios (for Theatre, Film and TV)
* Added comments (do's and don'ts) from many professionals in the field as well as tips on personal presentation during (job and/or college) interviews
* Includes detail lists of recommended best supplies to put a portfolio together and vendor sources

Editorial Reviews

Review

Quite honestly, this is the best textbook available on the market today for theatre and film students interested in putting together their design portfolios. Professor Jaen has compiled an excellent and practical source for students. It is thorough with insightful tips for developing, presenting, and maintaining visual materials. Included are outstanding samples that best exemplify the traditional portfolio, digital portfolio samples, and samples for specific presentations, such as the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, United States Institute for Theatre Technology, and the University/Resident Theatre Association. It is a MUST for any theatre or film design student!--David "Kip" Shawger, Jr., Kennedy Center ACTF National Chair of Design/Technology and Associate Chair / Head of Design Department of Theatre and Dance Ball State University

I just got a call tonight from my senior costume design student who was at URTAs today, hoping to get a chance with some grad programs - I gave her the book as a good show present last semester, and she re-did her portfolio and her presentation using a lot of the guidelines from the book. She got called back to 21 grad schools!!!

--Debra Krajec, USITT Costume Commissioner and Costume Design Faculty at Marquette University

My uncle ordered this book for me when I told him that I planned to interview for MFA Programs in Costume Design. This book was an indispensable resource while developing my portfolio. Although you could spend hours researching different portfolio options and blindly guess how you should prepare for interviews, this book will very clearly explain everything you need to do to make your best impression. This book is an exciting resource for the theatre student or professional looking to take their design/tech portfolio to the next level. If you carefully read through all of the information this book has to offer, I have no doubt you will be impressed with your newly assembled portfolio; giving you the confidence to succeed in your interviews. --Amy Schrag, Furman University Student, Costume Design

Book Description

This book is the key to opening new doors and getting into recognized colleges, obtaining scholarships, and getting new jobs in Theatre, Film, and TV.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Focal Press; 1 edition (October 2, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 024080712X
• ISBN-13: 978-0240807126
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 7.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #948,703 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

RAFAEL JAEN
In addition to being an author, Mr. Jaen (sounds HA-EN) is an educator and freelance designer.
He is a design-tech faculty at Emerson College in Boston, MA. He serves as the Design, Technologies & Management Co-Chair for the Kennedy Center ACTF Region 1, He is the USITT Vice Chair for Student Initiatives (Costume Commission), he is the recipient of a USITT '08 Costume Technology Grant and his work has been featured in LIVE DESIGN, TD & T and Sightlines.
For the past seven years he has been teaching workshops and master classes at colleges around the country, and at organizations such as USA 829 NE, Stage craft Institute Las Vegas, USITT Professional Development Workshops and most recently the USITT Costume Symposium "Painting from your Desk" summer 2011. The subject matters include using Photoshop to render sketches and portfolio marketing for the 21st century.
Recent costume design works include God in America "Part 1 & 2" (PBS/WGBH: American Experience), Boston Marriage & Dollhouse (New Repertory Theater), Light Up The Sky (Emerson Stage), Nicholas Nickleby (Lyric Stage) and 42nd Street (Stoneham Theater). His designs for Kiss Me Kate (Lyric Stage) and The Remarkable Rooming House of Mme Le Monde (BeauJest/Provincetown Tennessee Williams Festival) got 2010 IRNE nominations and Hubbie Awards for Best Costumes. His design for Nicholas Nickleby got 2011 IRNE and Elliot Norton Award nominations.
Memberships include USA Chapter 829, NAPP and USITT.
Web site: www.rafaeljaen.biz
Blog: http://fromthetailorstable.blogspot.com/

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great resource for any theatre technician or designer!, February 6, 2007

By 

Amy L. Schrag - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Developing and Maintaining a Design-Tech Portfolio: A Guide for Theatre, Film, &TV (Paperback)

My uncle ordered this book for me when I told him that I planned to interview for MFA Programs in Costume Design. This book was an indispensable resource while developing my portfolio. Although you could spend hours researching different portfolio options and blindly guess how you should prepare for interviews, this book will very clearly explain everything you need to do to make your best impression.

The book has five chapters: The first chapter outlines what a portfolio is, its purpose, simple do's and don'ts, and introduces you to various portfolio options (with many great pictures included). If you're more interested in developing a digital portfolio--the second chapter has all the necessary steps very simply explained. The third chapter (most important to me) is all about preparation for the portfolio's presentation. This chapter includes--like all the rest--simple do's and don'ts, resume preparation, and suggests that candidates create business/networking cards to hand out to potential employers/professors. The fourth chapter explains portfolio maintenance, how to choose the best work, self-assessment, and planning for jobs. Finally, the fifth chapter gives a short biography of each of the contributors and includes some pictures of their work. The last chapter was very helpful because it gave me an idea of what current graduate theatre students and theatre professionals are up to, what conventions they are attending, what committees they are in, etc.

This book is an exciting resource for the theatre student or professional looking to take their design/tech portfolio to the next level. If you carefully read through all of the information this book has to offer, I have no doubt you will be impressed with your newly assembled portfolio; giving you the confidence to succeed in your interviews.

Thanks for a great book Prof. Jaen!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Resource!, February 25, 2008

By 

Kathleen Doyle "Kathleen" (Boston, Massachusetts) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Developing and Maintaining a Design-Tech Portfolio: A Guide for Theatre, Film, &TV (Paperback)

I'm crazy about this book ! It is the best resource that I've ever found for assembling a portfolio ! Author/Designer/Professor Rafael Jaen holds the reader's hand and guides the reader through the whole overwhelming process of pulling all one's work together, organizing it, and clearly presenting it with labels and 'keys.' I have repeatedly referred to this text as I've purchased my case, drawn and painted my renderings, found swatches, and constructed each page. Reading and following along with each chapter's exercises, is like taking a semester long university course in developing at portfolio, all at the reader's own pace. Professor Jaen gives readers the all the necessary tools to confidently create and maintain a winning portfolio.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good reference and guide, October 12, 2008

By 

Rob (FL) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Developing and Maintaining a Design-Tech Portfolio: A Guide for Theatre, Film, &TV (Paperback)

The book is pretty thorough and does a good job of broadly covering subjects with "Do's and Dont's" as well as more detailed explanations. The one negative is that it is more suited toward costume designers because of the background of the author, though it definitely covers other areas extensively and in detail. You may not get everything you need from this book, but you'll certainly not regret the purchase.