Jessica Way (She/Her)
BA (Hons) Production Arts (Stage and Screen)
Jessica has developed a wide range of prop making and scenic techniques. She prides herself on her character-led design and commitment to ensuring the narrative’s surroundings includes as much personality as the characters it represents. Her particular love for highly detailed finishes, has meant she has acquired a sharp eye for texture and colour. She hopes to remain in both the world of stage and screen going forward.
BOVTS credits:
Prop Maker Troilus and Cressida (Redgrave Theatre), Three Seagulls ( Bristol Old Vic), Pride and Prejudice (The Mount Without), Loam (Bristol Old Vic)
Prop Supervisor Great Expectations (West Country Tour)
Puppet Maker Sammy and The Sea Morgan’s Drawing Competition (Outreach Programme)
Assistant Designer, Prop Supervisor, Construction Manager and Scenic Artist The Donkey’s Tale (TIE Tour)
Prop Supervisor Out of Love (Wardrobe Theatre)
Film Credits:
HOD Art Department Stagged (BOVTV)
Production Designer, HOD Art Department Chore Chart (BOVTV)
HOD Art Department Two Alone (BOVTV)
Great Expectations - Anvil
This faux anvil was created to represent the Forgery owned by Joe Gargery, as part of the abstract and fluid set designed by Fiona McKeon. It was important that the props brought an element of realism, so, through experimentation we found a way to make this prop percussive. We achieved this by creating a ply and copper frame, with a hollow centre and steel plate inlay on top. The form is a poly-carve and finished with Idenden and a rust and charcoal paint effect. With thanks to Ziva Bucer, my assistant.
Photo Credit: Mark Dawson
Great Expectations - Pub Sign
This sign represents the Inn that the young Pip visits on his journey to becoming a gentleman. This sign hooked onto one of the moving trucks and is a simple thin ply base with ROSCO acrylics on top. To achieve the scale and form, I printed a reference image onto cellophane and projected the image onto a pale yellow base. I then lightly chalked around the outline and moved onto freehand painting for shadow and texture.
Photography credit: Jessica Way
Loam - Tree Boots
These boots were my first taste of creating costume-props. Designed by Hazel Mcintosh these boots were the affliction of trucker Al, during the strange new pandemic of a horticultural nature. The base is a pair of wellington boots, adapted with ply and pelmet hooks which ‘rooted’ him into the floor. The form was built up using shredded cardboard and paper rope, dipped in latex for the vines. The top texture was paper coated in glazes and moss flocking with a gold accent. You will see one boot ‘grows’ with a detachable velcro skirt.
Photography credit: Craig Fuller
