During the 2020-2021 Melbourne Covid Lockdown, I embarked on a self-study project in Cinema 4D with the aim of exploring its potential as a tool for creating concept designs for theatre productions. The closure of theatres and reduced capacity for designers presented a unique opportunity for me to upskill and enhance my abilities as a designer.

I selected "The Lion, The Witch & the Wardrobe" as the subject of my study, a production I was familiar with and had designed before. As the lockdown persisted, I continued to work on the project and eventually completed a full design. The creative process was extremely fulfilling, allowing me to test ideas and instantly see the results. This was especially valuable in saving time, compared to the traditional theatre design process where it takes a considerable amount of time to see a design come to life on stage.

I also had the advantage of being able to design the transition from one scene to the next, ensuring a seamless and immersive experience for the audience. To enhance the magic of the world of Narnia, I designed the set with no blackouts, except for the transition from the prologue to scene one. The design was built to scale at the Playhouse Theatre at Geelong Arts Centre, with all fly lines accounted for, making it feasible for reproduction if necessary.

The video displayed here is an edited version of the complete project. For those interested in viewing the full version, a link is provided for easy access.