Mad Men Props
I love Mad Men. If you watch the show, you know it is just jam-packed with period details and an almost obsessive attention to detail. The show takes place in and around New York City in the early 1960s. For some people, this would be a prop master’s dream; for others, a nightmare.
For Gay Perello, it’s her job. Luckily for us, AMC has been posting regular featurettes on their website about the props on Mad Men:
They seem to be making one for every episode. You can see more at the AMC Video site for Mad Men.
The AMC Blog also had a Q&A with Ms. Perello last year during the second season. Also be sure to check out the Mad Men scrapbook for up-close photographs of some of the props.
Kathy Fabian
Kathy Fabian has been a fixture in the Broadway props world for a few years now. In the past few years, she’s propped shows such as South Pacific, Spring Awakening, and You’re Welcome America. She is also the resident props master at the Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor.
Last year, Tom Isler wrote a great article about her called Why Kathy Fabian always gets her props. It’s a great look at the work of a busy props person, neatly summed up in the beginning:
if it exists in this world, she’ll track it down. If it doesn’t, she’ll build it from scratch.
You need to read the whole article for all the great stories and insights into her work. However, there was one bit toward the beginning of the article that I wanted to point out:
Propping (theater jargon, from the verb “to prop,†meaning to design and/or obtain props for a production) is an underappreciated art, even within the industry. Set, sound, costume and lighting designers all get recognition, but there’s no Tony Award for propping. The Drama Desk Awards even handed out an award this year for Outstanding Projection and Video Design. Nothing for props.
It’s true; props are rarely, if ever recognized. What do you think about this?
Sizes
You may have noticed a new link over on the side link: Sizes. If you haven’t checked it yet, you’re missing out. Sizes lists the sizes of things and the units used to describe them. It may sound dry, but it is an incredibly useful reference for a props person. Here is just a sampling of the variety of information you can find there:
- How many hectares in an acre? A comprehensive list of unit names and systems of units.
- How wide is a the blanket on a twin bed? Sizes of blankets in the home category.
- A standard American can which holds 32 ounces has what dimensions?
- How long are Chinese chopsticks? How about Japanese chopsticks?
- What are the first three digits of a Social Security number for a person from Texas?
- What does it mean when you have a 6d finishing nail?
Quay Brothers
Currently at the Parson’s School Gallery in New York City is an exhibition of the Quay Brother’s work. From the description:
The Brothers have built a cult following with their dark, moody films, which are heavily influenced by Eastern European film, literature, and music and often feature disassembled dolls and no spoken dialogue. The exhibition combines rarely seen, collaboratively designed miniature décors from some of their most prominent works, as well as continuous screenings of excerpts from several of the films.
It’s a fascinating-looking exhibition, which I’m hoping to find time to get to. It runs until October 4th.
What really whet my appetite was a post over at Morbid Anatomy. Joanna Ebenstein wrote about her experience at the Brothers Quay exhibition:
These “décors” (in the exhibition’s parlance) are presented as static silent narrative worlds; it is as if you had peeked into each tiny space mid-shoot, characters and props all in their place, just waiting to be brought to life by the film-maker’s art.
She also took a number of fascinating photos, such as the one at the beginning of this post.
It’s fascinating to see this type of work as a props artisan, as the entire world of these story is created through objects made and manipulated. It is not just that every element seen is a handcrafted item, but in the Quay Brothers’ case, they are meticulously-detailed items as well.
You can see some films and interviews of the Quay Brothers at YouTube. If you’re in the New York City area and get a chance to see this exhibition, let me know!