Production design
A production designer creates the overall design concept (style and historical setting) of a film, drama series or commercial, on the basis of the script. In the professional practice, students generally specialise in one of the derivative disciplines such as art director, set designer, construction manager and set dresser. Each of these specialists supervises a team of employees (construction crews, seamstresses etc.). Over the course of the training, students learn what is expected of the various specialists in the art department by working in each of these disciplines. Although an art director presides over the development of the visual concept and coordinates all design-related disciplines within the art department, production designers do not have to be skilled carpenters, stage-set staff, make-up artists or costume designers.
Characteristics emphasized in admission tests
We assess whether the prospective student can come up with a visual concept on the basis of a script (or a song, or poem, etc). We also assess candidates´ sense of style, shape and colour as well as their ability to conceive an artistic visual language. That is: can the student develop ´wild fantasies´ and ´wonderful dreams´ into concrete starting points for realisation by means of compromise and inventiveness. Students must strive for the imaginable, but work to achieve the realistic.
key attributes of a good production designer
- an artistic vision
- the acquisition of traditional skills
- organisational and managerial qualities
- cooperation
These key attributes and qualities are highly diverse. While one student might be incredibly talented, driven, and skilled at presenting and carrying out ideas, another might be excellent at enthusing others for his or her ideas, have strong social skills and a stress-proof personality. Yet another student might be proactive, inventive and good at cooperating. A student does not necessarily have to possess each and every one of these qualities in order to succeed as a production designer.
How does your school help students acquire these qualities?
In addition to the considerable importance that is attached to cooperation with the other seven disciplines, we obviously devote a lot of time to the acquisition of traditional skills.
We consider it to be very important that future PD students learn how to build, paint, draw, sew, apply make-up, scout for locations, etc. despite the fact that, in their professional lives, they will of course be the ones who create the designs and manage others during execution. We are convinced that the acquisition of material knowledge, the use of tools and, for example, the translation of a sketch into a model, construction drawing or decor are essential elements of the PD course.
In the second and third years, workshops are organised in model drawing, computer drawing (we work with Vectorworks, the VE students then implement this in Maya and other software), virtual techniques, location processing, clothing, decoration techniques and special props. There are also lessons in architecture, art history, film analysis, genres and other film-theoretical subjects. Of course there are also lots of excursions to costume and furniture rental companies and studios, as well as architecture trips to Barcelona and Prague, and last week a visit to the film school in Rome and to Cinecitta.
The development of organisational and managerial qualities is also a point of attention during the course. This is a fairly complicated subject because the students do not have authority over each other. However, these are essential competencies for future PD staff. Budgeting, giving financial account, basic organisational and entrepreneurial principles, negotiating skills and presenting ideas in a convincing manner are all elements of the curriculum.
The most important issue - in addition to cooperation, trade and organisation related qualities 'is considered to be the development of one's own artistic vision. We provide content and issue individual assignments such as design tasks. However, a much more important aspect in this respect is that the context of the department is used within the academy. This is done by allowing students from 8 disciplines to cooperate in the film exercises in a way that we would like to see taking place in the practical field, with the PD students being constantly challenged to develop their artistry and acquire an individual style and approach and become creative when working under pressure of time and with limited resources.
It is precisely because the course allows students to learn how to contribute to a story, in cooperation with other disciplines, that our graduates are so strong and efficient, having been able to learn how to work in a team and convince others of their artistic vision.
The second year sees students take part in an extensive assignment: the one-day fiction exercise (3 minutes), EFO in Dutch.
It is the first exercise in which all students are present on set in their individual capacities, based on their own disciplines. The focus is on the cooperation between students. Each student is supported by a coach, a professional from the student´s field of study.
The project is initiated every year by PD and scenario students. Together they determine what the physical environment, otherwise known as the arena, is to be for the EFO, assuming that it can be constructed in the studios. They choose a physical environment, for example a Victorian stately home, a factory or a cruise ship. An interior and an exterior are then designed. The scenario students each write a story for the interior and for the exterior.
Research is also carried out, this year into cruise ships. Sketches are made and all the PD students make models. Together they put the different designs together to create a definitive design. This is then used to make a construction drawing in Vectorworks and a definitive model.
It is at this moment that the Visual Effects students get involved. They make a three-dimensional model in the computer, with which not only the PD students, but also the Camera/Lighting students and, of course, the producers can get to work.
After this, thirteen films are recorded during a two-week period, each time with one day of rehearsals and one day of recording.
books and other printed material used in training production design students
· L.J.A.A. van den Akker Kunsthistorisch overzicht
· R. Packer et al Multimedia: from Wagner to virtual reality
· R. Blijdenstijn and R. Stenvert Bouwstijlen in Nederland
Thomas (4e jaars): Production Design was voor mij geen keuze maar een weg die ik bewandelde. Ik was altijd al bezig met dingen bouwen. Na de vrije school ben ik het Hout-en Meubileringscollege gaan doen. Toen wilde ik nog de decorbouw in. Na de twee stages in de decorbouw, wilde ik me dieper in de materie werpen en kwam zo tot decorontwerp. Ik vind het geweldig om in de prachtigste omgevingen en decors gezogen te worden en fictieve werelden realiteit te laten worden. Film heeft me altijd het meest geprikkeld en daarom doe ik Production Design.
Presentaties Lichting 2010
Fotogalerij
Bekijk foto's van workshops, presentaties, etc.
