Digital News: Set Design

Because we are filming our studio segments in front of a greenscreen, we needed to create a digital studio that we could place behind our presenter. We agreed that I should work on the set design, as I had the software and knowledge to do so. To create the set I will use two pieces of software:

- Sweet Home 3D: A 3D building software that is usually used for architectural design.
- Google Sketchup: A 3D modeling software used to create personalised 3D models.

SET DESIGN

Before building any elements of the set, I first recreated some items of the titles design as 3D models in Sketchup. I made a 3D model of the arrows from titles, and also the main title: Student Yak.

In Sketchup, you first dram them as 2D images, and then use the 3D extrusion tools to turn the images into 3D models.

Arrow 1

Arrow 2

Text logo

Next I saved the designs as 3D models (.dae format), and imported them into Sweet Home 3D.

In Sweet Home 3D, you draw the models in a 2D format and it generates a 3D view.

2D view VS 3D view

I started by drawing two walls that would be the back of the set. I then added in the arrows and the 3D text logo. I suspended the arrows above the set, and put the logo on the wall. Next I added in an 'interview' area, by placing a chair and a sofa on the set. I also placed a tv next the the sofa, with the logo on it. I placed some lights, and TV cameras around the set to give it the feel of being an active studio. And finally, I placed another TV on the another wall, with a logo on it. If this were a real studio, this other side of the set would be a presenting area. I then lit the set, and rendered an image of it.

Design 1

This design follows the same style that the show has, with the same colour scheme and aesthetics. I showed it too the group and they made some suggestions. They suggested that I should move the interview area over to the left a bit more so that the audience could still see it after we place the presenter on screen. They also said that I should get rid of the TV in the interview area, and move the table it is on over to the right of the studio, and place a pineapple on it as that relates to our story. Finally they suggested I change the graphic on the other TV, and move the second camera over to the right a bit more. After making these changes, this was the next design:

Next, I worked on this design a little more and added in a few extra details. I placed some items on the coffee table. I also changed the brightness/colour of some of the lighting to give it a cooler, more blue look. I also added a staircase, and a microphone in the presenting area. Finally, I added some studio lighting, to add to the active studio look we were going for.

After showing this to the group, they suggested that I could edit the lines on the walls and they seemed a little distracting. I made this change, and this is the final design of our studio:

We are very happy with this final design and we can't wait to see what it looks like in the final show, and what's great about Sweet Home 3D is that we can adjust the camera perspective of the studio, to fit the way we film the presenter on the green screen.

We put together this preview to give you an idea of how the presenter will look in front of the set:

It was also noted that our set looks a bit like the set for Alan Carr Chatty Man. I agree it does have a similar vibe, which is good as that show is also informative, entertaining, and humorous, just like Student Yak should be.

Alan Carr Chatty Man Set