Production designer

The job

You decide how the world of the story looks: every set, location dressing, object and graphic. You agree the visual approach with the director and DoP.

Then you build the department, set its budget with the line producer and approve everything it makes. You're one of the first HoDs hired and among the last to leave prep, credited alongside the DoP and costume designer.

A typical day (in prep)

Read-through or tone meeting with the director.
Review concept art and white card models with the art directors.
Recce a location with the director, DoP and location manager.
Approve colour and material samples with the set decorator.
Budget meeting with the line producer and supervising art director.
Brief costume and hair and make-up on the palette for a new set.
Look at drawings for a build that starts on stage next week.

Skills

Visual imagination, and explaining it in drawings, models and words.
Research: period, place, architecture, how people really live.
Budget and people management on a department that can run to dozens of crew.
Collaboration with the director, DoP, costume designer and VFX supervisor.
An understanding of how the camera, lenses and lighting will see your work.

Reporting lines

You report to the producers and work to the director's vision. The supervising art director, art directors, set decorator, property master, graphics and, through the construction manager, construction all report to you.

How people get in

There is no direct entry. Designers come up through art direction, and some through set decoration. Many started on short films, music videos, theatre or commercials, where a newer designer can lead a department. Production design courses, including at the NFTS, are a common foundation. The British Film Designers Guild represents the craft.

Next step up

Production designer is the head of department. Progression is to bigger productions, and sometimes to supervising design across a series.

Every space the audience sees, decided before the camera arrives.