{"id":72393,"date":"2022-06-24T14:06:54","date_gmt":"2022-06-24T13:06:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.solopress.com\/blog\/?p=72393"},"modified":"2022-06-25T23:23:46","modified_gmt":"2022-06-25T22:23:46","slug":"filmstar-furniture-the-role-of-the-directors-chair","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.solopress.com\/blog\/print-inspiration\/filmstar-furniture-the-role-of-the-directors-chair\/","title":{"rendered":"Film star furniture: the role of the Director\u2019s Chair"},"content":{"rendered":"
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How emblematic is the director\u2019s chair<\/a> as a symbol of Hollywood filmmaking? Put it this way, if you were going to make a film about making a film, how would you furnish your set?<\/p>\n

Beyond the clapperboard and film cameras, I\u2019m sure you\u2019d sit your fictional cast and crew down in director\u2019s chairs. Many big-name directors have done just that when depicting the movie industry on-screen.<\/p>\n

\"directors<\/a>
Clockwise from top left: Ralph Fiennes in Hail, Caesar! (2016), Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019), Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange in Feud (2017), and Anthony Hopkins in Hitchcock (2012).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In Hail, Caesar!<\/strong>, the Coen Brothers showed characters relaxing in director\u2019s chairs during downtime, and so did Quentin Tarantino in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood<\/strong>. The Netflix series Feud<\/strong>, with Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange as Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, saw the leads parked in personalised chairs. And when Anthony Hopkins starred in the 2012 biopic Hitchcock<\/strong>, he rested his artificially padded behind in this quintessential piece of on-set furniture.<\/p>\n

So how did this familiar design come about? And how did it become so closely associated with the movies?<\/p>\n

Three-act structure<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The economical design of the director\u2019s chair is the epitome of behind-the-scenes practicality. Two canvas pieces simultaneously hold the hinged wooden frame together under tension while comfortably cradling the sitter.\"\"<\/a> They\u2019re easy to collapse and carry because of the scissor action of the crossed legs, perfect for switching locations. No surprise then that this elegantly simple seat should become a mainstay of movie making.<\/p>\n

Origin story<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Examples of foldable chairs have been unearthed from over three millennia ago in locations as far flung as Danish bogs and Egyptian tombs<\/a>. While we can trace cross-framed seats as far back as ancient Egypt, pre-Roman Etruria and elsewhere, the Roman \u2018curule\u2019, or chariot seat, is perhaps the most widely-documented ancient collapsible chair.<\/p>\n

The design featured the characteristic hinged \u2018X\u2019 structure, but had curved legs and sometimes no backrest. Such foldable furniture was reserved for high-ranking public officials and military leaders, so they were quite the status symbol at the time.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Roman curule chair design with backrest, thought to have been in use as early as 494 BCE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Things go predictably dark in the Dark Ages, but by the late medieval period, Europe is seemingly packed with portable perches. From sovereign to serf, everyone was down for a sit down on a folding chair, with examples of bronze and gilded thrones<\/a> as well as basic wooden versions surviving to this day.<\/p>\n

By the 15th century, we find the more recognisable \u2018coffee-makers chair\u2019 with its seat and backrest consisting of fabric secured to the frame at either end.<\/p>\n

Going Stateside<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The director\u2019s chair in its current form made its American debut when The Gold Medal Camp Furniture company introduced it at the 1893 Chicago World\u2019s Fair. The company marketed its new product as a camping accessory, and the chair won a Gold Medal for Excellence in Design.<\/p>\n

The first film ever to wrap in Hollywood, California is thought to be The Count Of Monte <\/strong>Cristo<\/strong> in 1908. Production of the movie actually started out in Chicago, so who knows, maybe the director\u2019s chair travelled to Tinsel Town along with the crew!<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The Count Of Monte Cristo, 1908.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On message<\/strong><\/h2>\n

One of the producers behind bringing The Count Of Monte Cristo<\/strong> to Hollywood was industry legend Sam Goldwyn, who famously said \u201cpictures are for entertainment; messages should be delivered by Western Union\u201d.<\/p>\n

We know little of the studio mogul\u2019s position on furniture, but we do know that the director\u2019s chair is perfectly designed for delivering a message.<\/p>\n

The fabric back support not only provides structure and comfort, it\u2019s also the perfect canvas for text and logos. The horizontal, landscape panel lends itself to displaying the names of cast and crew members, but it’s also a great branding opportunity for businesses.<\/p>\n

Mise en sc\u00e8ne<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The great directors are masters of \u201cmise en sc\u00e8ne\u201d, the art of placing objects in environments to set the stage for the action. If you\u2019re thinking of adding director\u2019s chairs to your brand toolkit, it can pay to think like a director and consider how and where to deploy them. Some great spaces where branded chairs can work for you include:<\/p>\n