In film and theatre, a production designer works closely with the director of photography to design and oversee the look of a performance – they take a script and turn it into tangible art. With a medium that relies so heavily on visuals, it is imperative that the aesthetic is cohesive – that all the colours, the props, the sets fit and overlap to make one believable world. That is the production designer’s job. Of course, this takes a lot of work and not just one person can bring about such a huge transformation; it takes multiple departments. Originally, I thought I wanted to be this, to be the ‘ideas guy’, but after looking a bit closer I’ve decided I want something more hands on. In smaller shoots, production design acts as an umbrella term for almost all of the art department’s work which I’ve always liked doing. But scale that up and all you’re left with is a stage manager equivalent. Instead, I want to actually help make the props and sets which means either being a set dresser, prop maker or set designer (though it’s important to remember there is often overlap).
Unfortunately, this role has never been particularly environmentally focussed. It relies on buying or making items that are used for one or two scenes and then forgotten about. Obviously there are a few shortcuts; for example, a lot of companies use prop houses – big warehouses that rent out all sorts of props, costumes and everything in-between – but even with this in consideration, staying eco-friendly has never been a priority.
Recently, there has been a huge movement in ‘ecoscenography’ – a new way to think about set design that prioritises sustainability. Especially in theatre, there have been some amazingly creative solutions that not only make productions healthy for the planet but that also bring about new aesthetics and ways of approaching theatre in general. Australian set designer and artist Tanja Beer is a pioneer in this department and has published many papers introducing and highlighting the environmental impacts of theatre. She explains that often implementing a more eco-friendly approach to production design is discarded out of fear that limiting resources, electronics and traditional theatre spaces will also limit the grander sets that are generally revered. As she points out, this ignorant approach is one of the main reasons that film and theatre produces so much waste, despite the fact that embracing a new type of design might be the change that we need.
An Introduction to Ecological Design By Tanja Beer
In 2013, Beer’s research and exploration reached a climax in the form of a theatre space called the Living Stage. This was a portable stage made of growing plants, apple crates and hanging pots that not only provided its audience with a rich and colourful environment but that also grew fruit for the community. Once the production was over, everything was put to good use as either food, compost or community garden beds that are still going. After this debut, the easily portable set meant that she could tour the idea, bringing it to Cardiff.
Of course this is an extreme example, but it demonstrates that choosing resources with more awareness and responsibility in no way has to limit the creative process. Although not every film or play is going to be set outside or is allowed to have such an abstract backdrop, here Tanja is demonstrating that there are more ways to be environmentally conscious than just hiring props every now and then.
Despite this, I think there is another school of thought that can be applied to make a production more sustainable. Although sets such as The Living Garden are fantastic, both physically and at creating discourse around the subject, such freedoms in design are a luxury, especially in the film industry. Although theatre is often open to hyper-stylised art, film is almost always realistic; even in The Wizard of Oz – the fantastical dreamscape Dorothy wanders through is meant to look like a real place. It’s very rare that a modern film relies on such over exaggerated and creative backdrops. This means that we need to find other ways to solve the problem.
It might not be the same as creating a carbon neutral, entirely plant based stage but I have managed to find resource after resource that aims to help with greener film production. Multiple articles on the subject agree that recycling sets and planning with disposal in mind are the best ways to help. Although this means going out of your way to make a difference, getting the entire crew on board and beating a stigma usually end up being the biggest hurdle but if we can beat that then there are dozens of communities willing to help with the next stage – from charities donating excess paint, companies offering environmentally friendly set removal, Facebook groups for second hand materials, to lists upon lists of resources, toolkits and checklists.
This is all well and good but how do you get actually get the job in the first place? Well obviously, like most roles in the film industry, there are no set career paths which makes planning difficult, yes, but also allows us a degree of flexibility that not many people have. With this in mind, I think the best thing I can do is practise, practise, practise.
Most advice I can find on the subject explains that production design can be approached from lots of different angles. As a result, acquiring skills in as many areas as possible such as interior design, architecture, sewing, wood working, cosplay, 3D modelling, electronics etc, is definitely the way to go. Although I can’t suddenly become proficient in all of these, bearing it in mind as I work my way forwards should definitely help. At the end of the day, you get jobs by proving yourself useful and the more skills you have, the easier this becomes.
Bearing this in mind, I am definitely not ready to be working in the industry yet; I just do not have enough experience to put the enthusiasm into practice without more time and guidance. This means one thing. University. After a lot of consideration, most of which was documented here, I settled on the Film and TV Production course at UCEN Manchester which will allow me to specialise in production design while still providing the freedom of a wider film production course. This means moving to Manchester which I think will be an excellent next step; it is a widely recognised media hub and a place that I am both familiar with and comfortable in.
As well as giving me work experience and a simulation of the industry, one huge advantage of university is that it allows the time to experiment and take on projects that don’t specifically meet a purpose. I can use this time to build up a network of contacts by putting work out there through festivals and by volunteering to help on any shoots I can find. While studying, I think it would also be well advised to learn a few of the extra skills I mentioned before. There are plenty of ways to do this – YouTube provides information and tutorials for most hobbies at a very base level for free; otherwise platforms such as Skillshare that offer subscription based learning are definitely also worth investigating. However, it would be even better to find evening classes or something similar around Manchester that would give me a more thorough understanding of each subject. Either way though, I should aim to be constantly pushing myself and improving my portfolio over the next three years.
Manchester is also home to many amazing theatres such as the Palace Theatre, the Royal Exchange and The Lowry – all of which are incredible resources. Not only do all three present volunteer opportunities, but the Royal Exchange also provides work experience for students up to nineteen years old. As well as this, both the Royal Exchange and The Lowry have free development programmes for artists interested in theatre which provide members with ‘a programme of masterclasses, rehearsal space, advice and mentoring’ (the Royal Exchange website). This would certainly be fun to explore, but more importantly, it might help with making contacts or maybe even a mentor in the industry later on – introducing an opening into general work and then set design for theatre. Even if this is not the case, taking advantage of these classes would still help my push for extra skills
If this avenue doesn’t work out then hopefully I can fall back onto the traditional film career path – making coffee until someone notices you. If I work hard and say yes to every opportunity then through university and work experience I should have built up at least a few contacts to help with getting started. While this is happening, I can make my own projects and work odd jobs for the money to scrape by.
BIBLIOGRAPHY-
https://anniebowersfilmproduction.wordpress.com/2021/03/03/bibliography/
Annie Bowers Yr2 Blog 