Making The Movie : Production Design

                                           Production design designates the planning and creation of sets, costumes, mattes, and miniatures by the production designer in collaboration with the director. To put it simple, It is the over-all "look" of a film that supports the story.

                                           A production designer does the important step of balancing art & commerce. He oversees the work of set decorators and designers, costume designers, and the prop crew. Production designer also, prepares a series of sketches that illustrate the overall design concept and organization of the film. They have emerged as co-creators of film's overall visual style.

Process

• Meets with the director, cinematographer
• Create overall design
• Make locations work for story
• Design the sets
• Collaborate with costumer, make-up stylists

Who makes up the team?

                      
                        Production designer is at the top, then follows art director, costume and make-up artsits, special effects artists and supervisors.

Why is it Important?

                       Without a design, a director couldn't imagine a visual representation of the script. It may end up with a finished product that is disjointed and not unified with the true intent of the project.


                                         All the departments coming under production design, have a breakdown of various designations and consists of plenty of crew. For example art direction has a concept artist, graphic artists, story-board artists, draughtsman, art dept. co-ordiantor. On average 1/6 of a movie's total budget will be used on design elements.


                                       Viewers expect the cinema to provide images, narratives, and spectacles that transform their sense of life and the world. There are so many critical, creative responsibilities in a film production, so many collaborators in the process, that is easy to see why it is difficult to make a good movie. A Production designer, at his most fantastical, can take the unreal and make it look real or, atleast credible and convincing.

Production Design - eHow.com