Now in its third edition, The Prop Building Guidebook: For Theatre, Film, and TV walks readers through techniques used in historical and contemporary prop making and demonstrates how to apply them to a variety of materials.
Now in its third edition, The Prop Building Guidebook: For Theatre, Film, and TV walks readers through techniques used in historical and contemporary prop making and demonstrates how to apply them to a variety of materials.
Experienced prop maker Eric Hart covers the tools and techniques used by professional prop makers throughout the entertainment industry. He outlines a construction process that gives readers the foundational knowledge to choose the best materials and methods for each prop and the background information to know the advantages of these choices. This new edition includes updated information and techniques throughout, including:
- Over a hundred new images and diagrams
- Updated terminology, products, and brands used internationally
- Expanded sections on 3D printing, vacuum forming, foam patterning, and more
- A new chapter on prop design
- New information on international safety standards, cleaning, and sanitation
- More recipes and step-by-step instruction for various finishes
Illustrated by hundreds of full-color photographs, this is the most comprehensive guide to prop construction available for professional and student prop makers in theatre, film, and tv.
For additional how-to videos, instructional documents, and supplemental information, visit www.propbuildingguidebook.com.
1. What is a Prop?
2. Safety and Health
3. Shop Spaces and Tools
4.
Supplies and Materials
5. Choosing Materials
6. Props Design and Execution
7.
Structure and Frames
8. Carpentry
9. Metal
10. Plastics
11. Flat Patterning
12. Fabric
13. Sculpting
14. Molding and Casting
15. Shells and Composites
16. Texture and Surface Prep
17. Painting and Coating
18. Graphics
19. Formal
Training
20. Your Portfolio
Eric Hart teaches at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and is a member of the Society of Props Managers (S*P*M). He has built props for numerous theatres on and off Broadway, films, and displays throughout the United States. His photography and articles about props have been published in Stage Directions magazine, Scrollsaw magazine, Theatre Design & Technology, and American Craft. He is the author of The Prop Effects Guidebook: Lights, Motion, Sound, and Magic (Routledge, 2018) and Prop Building for Beginners: Twenty Props for Stage and Screen (Routledge, 2021).
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