Who shapes the film? Who facilitates that transition from the screenplay to a visually believable world that surrounds the characters from the story? That is the responsibility of the production designer. As a production designer, you come up with the entire design concept, for example for a film, TV series, video clip, 2D or 3D animation, game or commercial. You use all the ingredients you need to create the concept, including décor, locations, props, clothing and special effects.
Obviously, as a production designer, you are not working in isolation. You work closely with the crew, director, producer, screenwriter and of course your own team: the art department. Partnerships with the camera team and the visual effects department are also vital to the success of a film project.
Unparalleled opportunities
This specialisation addresses every aspect of film: the artistic, theoretical and technical aspects, as well as the social side of the story. The production designer analyses the screenplay and researches the time period, atmosphere, characters, et cetera, then comes up with a design that has a place for everything: light, style, colour, form, space. The production design also includes costumes, special effects, props, make-up and more.
During the Production Design programme, the essence of the profession is conveyed: coming up with a production design concept, developing the concept into a workable idea, and leading the art department. It is a broad field, however, offering infinite possibilities. If you choose this specialisation, you will spend your studies exploring where your talents lie and, no less important, what your preferences are. Will you opt for art direction, costume design, set design, or set dresser? Or will you specialise in building sets?