Production Lesson(s)

There were very many challenges with creating an air tight case with plexi as well as laser cutting letters out of plexi. First, creating the case was very difficult because we had to make sure all the measurements and angles of each side was perfect. I ended up having a lot of problems with the measurements and required sealant to ensure that dirt wouldn't fall out of the case. The case for the Macbeth poster was much more forgiving because small holes did not cause a huge problem. Also, there was the problem of how to glue together the pieces. Super glue left chemical residue and what was required was special glue for plexi. I used one called "Plastic Surgeon" which was fast drying and clear, which was great. I also tried Weld On which was good, but took 5 minutes to dry and hold in place. I eventually used weld on to get the letters to stick to the backs of the case so they wouldn't move.

Another major problem was laser cutting the letters individually. Not only did it take a long time, a lot of the letters also did not cut through so it was a process of constantly recutting and carefully pushing the letters out without breaking them.

Finally, I had a major problem with the Hamlet (dirt) poster because soil is moist, it leads to condensation in a enclosed case and that caused many problems. But in the end, I drilled air holes at the top so that there was some sort of breathing room.