Production designer, theatre/television/film
Production designers are responsible for the visual concept of a film, television or theatre production. They realise a design style for sets, locations, graphics, props, lighting, camera angles and costumes, while working closely with the director and producer.
Once the concept is decided, designers usually appoint and manage an art department, which includes a design and construction team. They often form a strong partnership with a particular director with whom they may work on many productions.
Designers tend to specialise in either film, television or theatre, although there may be some overlap. In the theatre, production designers are also called stage or set designers.
Most production designers work as freelancers and so an important part of their work is marketing their skills and experience, making contacts and briefing agents. First tasks usually include clarifying the brief and agreeing a suitable fee and timescale, which is sometimes done by an agent. After this, work activities might then include:
Relevant degree/HND subjects include those related to art and design. The following subjects in particular are most likely to provide relevant skills and knowledge:
A design qualification is good preparation for work in production design as it will allow you to build up a portfolio, which you can use to demonstrate your imagination, technical ability and strong sense of spatial understanding. Entry without a degree or HND is sometimes possible, but you would usually need an excellent design portfolio and to have worked your way up from a craft-level job in the industry.
A specialist postgraduate qualification in production design or scenography may be useful and may help you to make valuable contacts in the industry.
Candidates will need to show evidence of the following:
As with most jobs in the creative industries, competition is fierce. Getting involved with student theatre/film/music societies will enable you to make contacts, gain experience of working on a production and build up your portfolio with examples of spatial design. Entering competitions is also advisable as successful entrants have the chance to work with leading British companies on opera, theatre or dance productions. Competitions sometimes also give short-listed designers the opportunity to exhibit their models and designs.
It is important to be proactive about making contacts and seeking out opportunities in order to get industry experience and paid work. Industry journals can be a good source of information on what is happening and ideas for networking within the industry. If you are applying speculatively for jobs, a good first approach is to ask if someone would be willing to discuss your portfolio. Try to project a professional, confident image that is not too pushy. A favourable impression can then lead to work opportunities. Another way into this field is to work as an assistant to an established freelancer, who might take on an extra pair of hands for a particular project if timescales are short.
In film, an accepted route to gaining practical experience of the production process is to start as a runner in the art department, progressing through design assistant to art director. In theatre, some new entrants assist experienced designers with model-making, but be aware that if you spend a prolonged period of time model-making, you may find it difficult to get a break in design work. Working on fringe productions is a good way into the theatre scene, enabling you to 'showcase' your work to potential employers.
Most designers start with irregular contracts and low wages, and this can be difficult to manage if you have financial commitments. However, a move across from a related area, e.g. interior design or architecture, may be possible mid-career.
For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.
Because designers tend to work to tight deadlines and often work on more than one project at once, opportunities for further training after completing a degree or postgraduate course may conflict with time spent doing paid work. As the vast majority of designers are freelance, any professional development is often self-funded.
Some designers will want to learn or update specific technical skills, e.g. in computer-aided design (CAD), and may enrol on local part-time or evening courses. Supply companies offering specialist lighting, materials or effects may run product demonstration days, which can help designers to expand their repertoire. Theatre designers can access links to training organisations through the Society of British Theatre Designers .
Creative Skillset: The Sector Skills Council for the Creative Industries is the industry body for the creative industries and has useful careers information about the role of production designer. This includes details of training courses and qualifications, links and relevant publications.
To reach the position of production designer, you must have extensive experience built up over a number of years. It is common, in the early stages of your career, to work across more than one genre to maximise your chances of finding work and to develop skills. It is also quite common to work in exhibition design, museum design or design for corporate events.
Once you start to get paid work as a production designer, you build up your portfolio, contacts and expertise on an ongoing basis. This may take a substantial period of time but as your career develops you may be able to command higher rates and work on higher profile productions. At this point, many designers choose to employ an agent to negotiate on their behalf.
Sometimes, as a designer's career progresses, daily work activities become more conceptual. Bigger productions with larger budgets often have art department staff who do much of the practical realisation work, while the production designer focuses on the design ideas and concepts.
Some designers move into teaching on foundation, degree or postgraduate courses in art and design. Other designers move into directing their own productions.
A similar but alternative career option is that of costume designer. Also working in television, film and theatre productions, costume designers liaise with the director and lighting and set designers to establish the right look and feel for the costumes for a production.
In the UK television industry, production designers are employed (usually on a freelance basis) by the main terrestrial broadcast companies (BBC , ITV , Channel 4 , Channel 5 ) or by independent production companies making programmes for these and other broadcasters. There are also openings in cable and satellite companies, though these have limited in-house production design opportunities of their own.
According to the trade association Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television (PACT) , the UK independent television industry creates around half of all new UK television programmes each year. The range of independent programmes is varied - from children's television through to light entertainment, soap opera, natural history and costume drama - and all offer a variety of opportunities for designers. Approximately 450 independent television companies are registered members with PACT and you can search for them in the company search option on the website's directory.
The principal organisations responsible for developing the UK film industry are the UK Film Council , the British Film Institute (BFI) and 12 regional screen agencies. Check the Film Council and BFI websites for more information on filmmakers.
Theatre designers work for national theatre and opera companies, in regional repertory companies based mainly in large towns and cities in the UK, and for smaller theatre or dance companies based all over the country. There may be occasional opportunities to work as a resident designer in national or repertory companies. Rare but prestigious opportunities arise for designers to work on West End productions and musicals.
Traditional recruitment agencies will not handle vacancies but there are a number of specialist designer agencies. Theatre designers who work regularly as assistants can add their details to the Register of Assistant Designers, which is distributed to all members of the Society of British Theatre Designers .
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