Film School The Production Designer

One of the very most important roles in any film school education is that of the production designer. You may think it's an easy task, but it's more than just what it says. In some ways it's more of a supervisory position where you have several people working under you. However, all of them contribute to the entire look of whatever film is being made.

The production designer's responsibility is that of maintaining the look of a film. By working closely with the director and the director of photography, they are able to keep the visual design of the film in balance during the period of the production.

check here works together with other key members of a production like the costume designer, to make sure that the fashion sense meshes with the feel of the film. Say you're making a film set in the 1950s and for some reason someone is wearing clothing for the 1970s; this can clearly be considered a problem as you intend to keep track of these kind of issues. Exactly the same also applies to props and furniture, particularly if it's a period piece that's being made; you always want everything to be from once frame. You wouldn't want a film occur the 1940s to possess characters using cell phones, would you?

These types of things revolve round the photography, the costumes and several times, in science fiction for instance, the special effects. Consider the film Blade Runner for example and its own resemblance to the classic film noir style fused with a post-apocalyptic ambiance. Imagine the way the overall look of the film will be drastically altered if sunny exteriors were suddenly incorporated into the film? It would type of throw the complete vibe of the film off kilter, which is why the production designer is such a crucial element to any film production.

In film school, you might not realize how important this position actually is. Production designers work in close contact with the director to make certain that every visual detail is in play. Sometimes it's not an easy task. In some of the films I've worked after and during film school, I've seen production designers work themselves to the bottom ensuring everything comes together in the end. On one such occasion, I was helping the production designer seek out authentic costumes for a comedy set in the 1970s, which meant scouring many thrift stores and friends attics for polyester clothing. Sometimes it was nearly impossible to get anything, but with a lot of research and finding some off the beaten path stores, the majority of the required clothes were found.

Such painstaking realism is often sought by filmmakers who strive for every iota of authenticity. Most notable is Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon, that is set in the 18th century; every single aspect of this specific film is based on the look and design of that era from the costumes, a few of that have been authentic 18th century clothes, to the usage of lighting where specific scenes were filmed entirely in candle light even to the establishing shots which resembles paintings of the era. While much of the look was primarily Kubrick's vision, much of it fell onto the production designer who supervised a crew to make sure that all the minor details fell into place in the grand scheme of things.

In any film school education, it is important to keep an eye on these details, by just watching films. You'll want to have a greater understanding on how crucial the production designer is in film, along with television and theater.