The scenery team will consist of all the people responsible for the scenery and stages that make up the set, as well as all the movable items contained within them. These items contained within the sets are known as props (short for property). Examples of props would be chairs, tables, glasses, telephones, table lights, etc.
Often the team will be split into sections, such as the building section and the property section, all working under the Set Designer.
You can see why we say that video production is a team effort. The Set Designer has the overall responsibility for ensuring that the cameras are given as realistic a picture that the programme demands as possible, even if this means building a room in a house or a whole village!
Obviously the complexity of the department is dictated by the size and normal use of the studio. Often those in small training studios, such as those found in universities and colleges, will have little more than a few willing and industrious students who may be part of another team, perhaps even the performers, building a small set and filling it with personal possessions.
These smaller scale studios may have nothing more than a props cupboard filled with little items that have been accumulated over several years of productions. The essential requirement is a sense of order where the very minimum demand is a book containing a list of all the available items, where they are stored and who is using them.
Normally, but not always, smaller items of personal props, such as watches, spectacles and jewellery will be kept with the Wardrobe Team in a separate locked cupboard.
Larger studios will have a more sophisticated area which will include a scene dock. This is an area where all the scenery and sets for a particular production can be stored. The scene dock will be close to, and have easy access to, the studio floor area. Often there will be access to the outside of the building to allow for large items to be brought in, such as motor vehicles.
Associated with the scene dock will be a workshop area, where the scenery can be constructed and painted. We can see that the size and complexity of this area is very variable. There may be several carpenters, painters and other trades all working under the set designer, or there may just be a storeman/handyman.
However small scale the studio is, there will always be a need for some kind of set to be used. There is an absolute limit to the uses of just a cyclorama curtain. Even a studio interview needs some chairs, a table and perhaps some water and glasses. Remember that your production will succeed only if the visual you present to the audience is perceived as realistic.
Even the smallest studio should have a few flats, and a small amount of everyday props, stored somewhere that is easily accessible and ready for use. The best pictures from your camera team and the best sound from your sound team will count for nothing if the audience cannot imagine where they are, and what they are supposed to be looking at. Only in radio can you get away with a performer talking about their surroundings!
The props store, again, is variable in size depending on the studio size and complexity. Small-scale video studios will always have a need for the odd little bits of furniture, telephones, flower vases, bottles and glasses and so on. Normally a large cupboard will suffice for the small prop items but larger items like tables and chairs, a bed and perhaps a carpet or some rugs will need to be stored somewhere. In larger complexes there will be a dedicated property storeroom with all manner of items carefully stored and labelled. There will be a storeman and probably a couple of people working with him. Very large complexes will often have a property buyer who is responsible for buying, or hiring, special props that are required for a particular production. Often these buyers are specialists who are in touch with large companies and manufacturers who will lend items such as computers, cars, watches and household items free, in return for a credit at the end of the programme.
With large-scale props stores it is helpful to have separate areas for the different types of props. There are many different types of props but the three most often used classifications are: personal props, dressing props and action props. Personal props include all the things that are used by the performers. In this category would be things like spectacles, pens and watches. Dressing props are props that are used to dress the set and are used as decorations to the set. Curtains, cushions, ornaments and rugs are examples. The final category are the action props. These include items to be used as part of the action of the programme. Things like telephones, guns and tennis rackets are examples.
Because of the need for the scenery and props teams to work together, both will come under the overall charge of the set designer although both may have their own head of section.