{"id":98240,"date":"2018-01-18T07:00:14","date_gmt":"2018-01-18T13:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/?p=98240"},"modified":"2018-01-16T20:46:36","modified_gmt":"2018-01-17T02:46:36","slug":"good-production-design-video-projects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/good-production-design-video-projects\/","title":{"rendered":"Learn to Appreciate The Subtle Art of Good Production Design"},"content":{"rendered":"

Behind any successful project is good production design.\u00a0In this article, find out what that means and how to incorporate it into your next project.<\/h2>\n

Cover image via The Criterion Collection<\/a>.
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Any project, big or small, is only as good as its attention to detail. A production designer is the person (or sometimes, team of people) who\u00a0stays on top of even the most minute details in every setting, scene, and shot. If you\u2019re an up-and-coming director, or even an established name, understanding the value of your production designer\u00a0is everything.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s explore the subtle art of production design \u2014 and how it literally sets the scene for any project.<\/p>\n

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Defining Production Design<\/h3>\n

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\n<\/a>Image via Hulu<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

The role of a production designer is, ostensibly, to oversee\u00a0a film’s overall visual look. However, that sells the role’s responsibilities a bit short. Production design (while sometimes the responsibility of one person) often involves a whole department, including many different teams and responsibilities. The head production designer works closely with the director and producer(s) from the get-go, then manages designs, budgets, and workflows through the efforts of other visual teams, costume designers, and VFX producers. Ideally, a good production designer has a diverse filmmaking background and multiple skill sets.\u00a0A strong multi-tasking mindset is a must.<\/p>\n

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The Production Designer\u2019s Role<\/h3>\n

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\n<\/a>Image\u00a0from the set of\u00a0<\/em>Poldark (PBS<\/a>).<\/em><\/p>\n

Beginning with pre-production, production designers are some of the first people involved\u00a0with scripts and location-scouting. Their job is to bring a project’s thematic elements to life. To do this, production designers have to carefully balance creative\u00a0assets\u00a0to make both overt\u00a0and subtle elements on sets come to life \u2014 while keeping everything on track and on budget. In many films, the production designer is the one to make the call\u00a0regarding when to use CGI and when to avoid it.<\/p>\n

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Attention to Detail<\/h3>\n

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\n<\/a>Image via <\/em>The Killing of a Sacred Deer<\/a> (A24).<\/em><\/p>\n

Another major tenet of production design is attention to detail. This is especially true in the early stages\u00a0when production designers create sketches, mood boards, and sometimes even the storyboards. Designers discuss things like lighting, colors, and other elements of composition with the director and director of photography. Even the smallest aspects\u00a0of a film\u00a0get careful planning and construction. Here’s a great interview with production designer Jade Healy<\/a>, who’s worked on films like Pete’s Dragon<\/em><\/a>\u00a0(with director David Lowery<\/a>) and The Killing of a Sacred Deer<\/em><\/a>\u00a0(with director\u00a0Yorgos Lanthimos<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Honestly, the hardest part of a job at that level is getting the ideas out of your head and into everyone else\u2019s hands.\u00a0 That\u2019s the challenge. It is\u00a0certainly overwhelming to have so many people\u00a0working for you. I would be lying if I said I wasn\u2019t\u00a0terrified of my first day! But once we got into the groove of things, everything just flowed.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

You can check out\u00a0some of the original concept drawings\u00a0alongside the final build for production and filming here<\/a>. The final product is a careful and\u00a0considered collaboration between the cinematographer and production designer that brings the set to life.<\/p>\n

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If you’d like to read some more on the subject, check out some of these articles.<\/p>\n