Tools Used
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QLab
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Adobe After Effects
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Blender
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Procreate
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Photoshop
Scope
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Lead designer, 5-day turnaround
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25+ QLab-mapped looks
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Dual-theme visual system
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Installation of projection surfaces
Project Overview
Creative Team
Scott Albert, Director
Matty Montes, Music Director
Gordon Olsen, Lighting Designer
Beth Killion, Costume Designer
Allison Collins, Props Designer
Karli Henderson, Stage Manager
Project Brief
Led projection design efforts within a 5-day turnaround for Davidson Community Players and Cain Center for the Arts' production of Million Dollar Quartet. Designed 2D motion graphics and 3D assets using After Effects, Procreate and Blender for 25+ unique scenic looks. Each look was sequenced in QLab for projecting onto 7 surfaces with a single projector.
The design followed "mythic" and "studio" themes to align with director Scott Albert's vision. Programmed and sequenced 80+ cues, running across 12 public performances.
My Role
At the helm of the project, I was handed two influential constraints: a 3-day deadline for the first draft, and projection panels that could be repositioned during tech week.
I created a show packet that included reference material and mood boards, a scenic breakdown of emotional arcs, a character and production analysis, and a resource list before my first production meeting. While discussing what the director envisioned, I specifically asked questions like "describe each character in 1-2 sentences" and "what should each scene make the audience feel?"
Upon receiving the director's scenic breakdown, I built a visualizer tool in After Effects that closely matched the locations of each projection surface. I used it to send concept designs to the director and as a real-time animation reference. Each surface was designed individually, but the reference tool allowed our team to conceptualize the finished designs.
Each rendered panel was imported into QLab for programming and sequencing. Rendering each surface separately let me start programming, without waiting to re-render content if anything changed.
Challenges
About 45 minutes before our final dress rehearsal run-through, the director requested to move where the intermission was set in the show-flow. I immediately responded with "we are flexible and can make this happen." We didn't want the audience to notice this adjustment, so it required swift coordination with the stage manager and light board operator.
I immediately began relaying the updated cues to the stage manager and informed them of what had shifted. The lighting designer could not make it to this rehearsal, but this change required a few lighting cues to be reconfigured. After finishing my adjustments, I began assisting the board operator and technical director in reprogramming the intermission's new placement in the sequence.
Stable communication and a positive, uplifting attitude were important throughout the tight maneuver. The intermission was successfully repositioned with lighting and projections tested and validated by the stage manager. Due to the adjustments requiring extra time, the audience entered the house 10 minutes behind schedule; however, all show personnel were briefed on the revision.
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The Result
The clearest validation came from an audience member on opening night. When the actor playing Sam Phillips captured a photograph of the quartet on stage, a projected image appeared across the entire backdrop. The audience gasped, and an individual exclaimed, "There it is." That reaction confirmed the mythic theme had landed because the moment filled the room.
* This project was created in collaboration for Davidson Community Players and Cain Center for the Arts and is shown for portfolio and educational purposes only. All production content, imagery, and intellectual property remain the property of Davidson Community Players.