Obviously, whether or not you are decorating a fake house or a real one the same rules apply: color, texture, shape, symmetry and lighting.
Many people can build a room but have no idea how to animate it, how to make the design breathe: structure is not style. This is most commonly seen on television and low-grade films where the Production Designer or Senior Art Director are—inexplicably—untrained in art.
A Production Designer is more than an electrician, carpenter, plumber, graphic artist, carpet or tile layer or painter: he or she is a highly diversified and talented leader of a design team of creative professionals that include electricians, carpenters, plumbers, graphic artists, carpet and tile layers, painters and more. He is a visionary that inspires other visionaries to imagine, improve and erect the final style of the film, or in the case of interior design, the client.
Properly understood, Production Design like Interior Design, is a collection of disciplines that when properly combined created a visual environment that is authentic, nuanced and effective to the mood desired.
Ultimately, proper Production Design and Interior Design is achieved by four things:
- Clear vision of the Director or Client;
- Proper amount of money;
- Proper amount of time; and lastly
- The talent and experience of your Production Designer or Interior Designer.
Skimp on any of these at your peril.
My personal tip: find people you like and whose work you can trust and use them.
Don’t re-invent the team every time. I know a lot of production teams that hire new people every time and are surprised when they end up with unqualified amateurs on their team. Find the right guys, pay them what their worth, give them the time they need, let them be great and get out of their way.
Run your team properly and you’ll rarely be disappointed.
David Jetre | Creative Director
Sandmerrick, Inc.
twitter | www.sandmerrick.com
