Starting Out as a Production Designer in Film and TV

Every film, television show, and theatre production made to date needs a production designer. They are artists in their own right. And those who are good at it can have successful careers for a very long time. The less rosy news is that it’s a highly competitive industry, and starting out can be rather challenging. But, fear not. If you want to work as a production designer, it is an achievable ambition. And you’re in the right place!

So, here is your official guide to becoming a production designer! We’ll cover everything from educational qualifications to potential employment opportunities in film, television, and a little bit of theatre, too!

What is a Production Designer?

A production designer is in charge of a project’s overall aesthetic. They transform the script, the director’s vision, and the producer’s plan, into one cohesive, visual story. Always cognisant of the budget of course! The production designer is also the head of the department. Along with preproduction, principal photography, and postproduction, their work also crosses over into a number of other disciplines. The production designer, in other words, is involved in every aspect of a project’s aesthetic appeal!

On a movie set, what does a production designer do?

Production designer Jean-Vincent Puzos (“The Lost City of Z,” “Jungle Cruise”) discusses how the production designer is supposed to design the movie. First, is to find the look, the colour, the texture, and location of the movie. Second, is to choose where to shoot it and how to shoot it. This could be either in a studio or on location, and, of course, remembering to choose which country! As a production designer, you will likely be one of the first people hired for a movie. Consequently, you will assist in determining every aspect of its appearance. 

Realising the script is the first step in the production design process. This also includes discussions with the director, hours of research, and a large number of photographs. The production designer is responsible for every little aspect of a production. Whether it’s the overall colour scheme and tone of work or selecting the ideal doorknob for a character’s front door. The minutiae! As a result, prior to anyone arriving on set, the production designer completes the majority of their work during preproduction. However, they also frequently show up on set to make sure that the setups and finished sets are exactly as they had intended and as agreed upon with the director. 

What a Production Designer Does Differently for Film, TV, and Theatre 

Compared to theatre or television, there are some marked changes in the production design for films. However, the majority of these distinctions are negligible enough for your abilities to easily transfer between all three mediums.

Preparation

More precisely, the amount of time you have to prepare—makes the most difference. Working on television takes up by far the least time of the three mediums. And this is true for all production departments. Production designers should be aware of this because it may not always be possible to discuss even the tiniest details with the director and you might not have enough time to wait for an item to be purchased and delivered. Making certain sacrifices is necessary to have a successful and economical shoot day.

Collaboration

The production designer will collaborate with the director on all decisions in both theatre and film. This is another significant distinction. Whereas in tv, for example, there are an abundance of cooks in the kitchen. Consequently, a production designer will often turn to the showrunner for advice and direction.

Designation and workload

Theatre production design differs from its on-camera equivalents in a few key ways. When employed in theatre, production designers are also referred to as scenic designers. Additionally, you’ll probably need to create a lot fewer sets for theatre than for film or television. There are only so many sets that can be used in even the most elaborate theatrical productions—remember, they also need to fit backstage! The scenic designer will probably need to devote a lot more effort to planning the technical and logistical details of their set, such as where to place doors on the stage and how to move set pieces.

What Does a Production Designer Make on Average?

The position of production designer is not often entry-level. Those entering the field typically begin as runners, assistants, junior draughtspeople, or set designers in the art department. 

The pay for the various design production roles in theatre, television, and film varies greatly. Depending on each production’s budget, there are more variants. The vast majority of parts are freelance, so it is best to check the current pay with the Broadcasting Entertainment Cinematograph and Theatre Union (BECTU). You can check theatre rates with UK Theatre.

As responsibilities get more senior, rates rise, and at the highest levels, they can exceed £3,000. You can only do this with a lot of experience. Rates at the level of production designer are typically negotiated on an individual basis.

From one production to the next, salaries may differ significantly, and the types and numbers of contracts you accept will determine your income. If you have a lower income, you can think about doing additional work like teaching, building models, or designing exhibits to augment it.

Only a select few production designers are paid very well. Those who are lucky enough to work on West End productions or blockbuster feature films could also get a cut of the ticket sales or royalties.

What Qualifications Must You Meet to Become a Production Designer?

Although a formal education is not necessary, many effective production designers hold degrees in graphic design, film, or theatre production. They must possess advanced design abilities in areas like sketching, sculpture, digital design, architectural models, etc., as well as the software know-how necessary to produce outstanding graphics, Photoshop images, design sets, and locales. Production designers need to have extensive experience working in various roles within the art department in order to be the head of that department. For example, as an assistant art director, art director, key scenic, set decorator or set dresser.

Rose Lagacé

A lot of people start off as production assistants. For instance, production designer Rose Lagacé (“Hannibal,” “Baroness Von Sketch Show”) discovered the art department was understaffed while volunteering for her first PA position. She has spoken about how she asked a lot of questions and understood quickly what the art department, set dec, and props crews do. She went on to say how working in the film industry and using her natural talent for fine arts felt like the most natural thing she could do with her life.

Hannah Beachler

Hannah Beachler, the “Black Panther” production designer, took a different path, beginning her career as a set dresser and progressing through nearly every role in the art department. She has spoken about the need to ‘learn everything’ because it helps to guide you when you go to production design. She went on to say that when you do that, you are far more productive, and productivity is just as crucial as creativity.

Fiona Crombie

“The Favourite” and “Cruella” actress Fiona Crombie, on the other hand, has spoken about the best thing to do, is just familiarise yourself with intriguing people at an early stage in your career and start cooperating. She went on to say that it’s nice to join an art department because you can observe how everything operates, but having your own voice and understanding that you are the designer—even on a small project—is incomparably better. It simply intensifies over time.

The Position of a Production Designer in the Film Crew Hierarchy

The production designer is in charge of employing everyone who works in the art department, including art directors, set designers, set decorators, graphic designers, prop masters, SFX supervisors, and more. The director, writer, producers, and director of photography collaborate closely with them.

Production designers often first hire an art director to oversee the art department, then a set decorator to oversee the set decoration department. The rest of the art department, which may consist of additional art directors, graphic designers, set designers, an art department coordinator, and art department assistants, is employed together with the art director.