When I decided I wanted to create a window display for my personal project, I didn’t want to focus just on the artists or song. I chose to design and make a window display because this is what I am hoping to do a course in next year. I wanted to make the display look more like a story, I thought looking at 1 song and interpreting it in my own way would be the best way to approach it. I decided to use the song ‘Read all about it’ by Emeli Sande who was the recording artist I based my first coursework project on. The song is on Emeli Sande’s album ‘Our version of events’. When I first thought to use read all about it as the advertisement for my window display I immediately thought of fairy tales and fantasy, I thought this would be the perfect theme. I also think it would be something that would catch the eyes of a female audience especially the younger generation, as it would be something they can relate to maybe from their childhood. I started researching into window displays that I thought had a story or obvious theme to them. I did both primary and secondary research collecting images from big retail companies such as Harvey Nichols, Harrods and John Lewis that are all known for their window displays especially around Christmas.
After looking at the window displays themselves I decided the next thing for me to do would be to look at window design companies, I came across Millington Associates.
Millington Associates have been design window displays since 1988, they've worked with some of the world’s leading brands to transform imaginative design ideas into inspiring 3D installations. The 2 window displays above were created for Selfridges at Christmas time. The traditional Christmas theme I think is the main focus of these window displays as well as for advertising the shoes. The windows are surrounded by bushes covered in fairy lights this looks very elegant and sophisticated which is what would be expected of Selfridges.
The actual set up of the window makes it look like a kind of story and stage set up. The snow and little Christmas trees show the Christmas theme along with the fairy lights around the windows. I think the idea of the windows is quite abstract with the big shows in the set-up but I think it makes it quite fun but still sophisticated. I think the windows themselves are quite dark especially some of the colours but i think the fact they are lit with fairy lights and also with lights inside makes the window seem more realistic in the dark. I also like the fact that the background is all stars and is in the night because I think this works in both the night and the day as you can just have dull lighting during the day.
The top quarter of the window seems to be kept empty in both windows I think this is because of the layout of the window and the fact I think if there was any more props inside the window it would look to busy. I think the windows as they are simple but they don’t need anything added to them, I'm quite surprised that there is no text in the windows not even to tell customers where to find certain items so maybe there might have been some text somewhere else.
I like the left window better because I think it looks more fun and exciting and like there could be more story behind it, there’s also quite a bit more colour in the left window than in the right one, so I think this would be the one that would catch my eye if I was walking down the road.
I think the window displays focus entirely on one main thing whereas a stage set-up would have to focus on a series of things as they both have different audiences, a stage set-up would have to cater for more than one purpose. I also think that the 2 windows could be aimed at different target audiences so therefore have a different approach to them because even different genders would be drawn to window displays with different items on show.
Sir Cameron Anthony Mackintosh is a British theatrical producer notable for his association with many commercially successful musicals. He is the producer of shows such as Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera, Mary Poppins, Oliver!, Miss Saigon and Cats.
The 2 pieces of work up above are from his production of Mary Poppins. The sets are both quite colourful especially the bottom one, the flowers also don't look like they have been painted on they look 3D. The sets look as though they have been hand made, more than likely being painted as it would be the easiest way to decorate such a big area. I like the way that the different layers are different sizes it shows the space on the stage and doesn't make it look boring, there is lots too look at. I think the fact there's loads of bright colours makes the set feel more fun and energetic which seems to be portrayed in the actual musical.
The way the set has been lighted in the top set helps make quite a lot of shadows appear, it makes the set quite dark but there's enough light to see the detail on the set. The background is only slightly lit but the spotlights used on the actors help light the front of the set. The way the set is lit can determine the mood you want to portray to the audience. I think the way that the stage has been set-up is an important part of how the audience understand what's going on, the whole stage needs to work well together in order for the set to be effective.
The different tones in the colours show the sets to look more realistic but the abnormal sizes of the flowers make it look more like a fantasy.
Overall I like the work that Cameron Mackintosh has done on the Mary Poppins set its really eye catching and would have been great to be seen on the real stage. I find how the stage has been lit really effective, without the right lights in the right places the set wouldn't have the right shadows or be able to set the right mood.
