The first set decorations were part of the first plays. The cult of Dionysos is famed with bringing the first theatrical productions. These shows made use of shrubbery and local foliage that was taken from forested areas and used on small stages. Over time, set decorations evolved in complexity. By the time of Shakespeare's Globe Theater, painted backgrounds were used to make the audience believe they were in another time or place. Technology continued to advance until the early 1900s when the media of film burst onto the scene. The first films used theatrical techniques for set direction, but mammoth productions like "The Fall of Troy" began using sophisticated and large-scale sets to aid in storytelling. This trend has continued to this day, with sets using more technology and craftsmanship to make them fully execute the vision of the writers and directors.
There are many techniques that are implemented with set decorations. One technique is to simply use as much natural material as possible. If a particular scene calls for a late 1700s southern plantation, filmmakers can actually go and find a real plantation house from the 1700s and use the surroundings and their knowledge of the time period to make the set look as realistic as possible.
Another way that set decorations are brought to life is through the use of computer effects. Entire sets can be shot on a simple blue-screen stage with the dressing and background added later. This is especially helpful when putting together a production that calls for locations that simply don't exist in our present-day world. There are no flying cities with hovercrafts swerving outside real windows, and computers offer a solution to this problem.
There are several different types or styles of set decorations. This is especially true in the world of theater where stylistic choices in sets are more readily acceptable. Set decorations can be naturalistic and reflect the realist world that we inhabit. They can also be fantastical and show things no person has ever seen. Another style of set design is abstract. This is characterized by strange and impossible backgrounds, strong lights and sparse or odd scenery.
The costs of set decorations can vary greatly depending on the type and scale of a production. A low-budget horror movie could have a set-decoration budget in the hundreds of dollars, while a high-end epic feature film could spend millions of dollars on their set decorations. "The Lord of The Rings: The Return of The King," for instance, had a production budget of $94,000,000, according to thenumbers.com
The future for set decorations will most invariably involve multiple mediums. Critics like Roger Ebert have complained that entirely digital sets, like in the most recent Star Wars trilogy, have led to wooden or stiff acting. A balance between creating a realistically detailed set that an actor can interact with and computer-engineered special effects must be created. In terms of theater, the use of increasingly engaging set decorations must continue. Theater ticket sales are slumping, but new innovations are being made by groups like The Blue Man Group, who play up the live element of theater and use the set itself to interact with the audience.