Production Design: A Crucial Part of a Production Designer in Film
There are so many roles that go into creating a smooth production and a great result. Production design for film has always been a crucial part of the process, but not everyone outside the industry really understands.
What does a production designer do, anyway?
A simple production design definition would be “designing and overseeing all of the visual aspects of a production”.
Basically, the aesthetic of a film, or any visual production, comes under the remit of production designers.
What is Production Design in Film? The Role of Design in Filmmaking
When it comes to making a film, whether it is a 30-second promotional film or commercial, or a three-hour blockbuster film, the production designer has a huge role to play.
When it comes to deciding what the set design of the film will be, and how it will look, the designer will have a vision for the background of the story, as well as things like outfits and props.
Production designers are usually a part of the process, helping to sort locations as well as planning what the screenplay will visually entail. Other production design examples include makeup, planning the lighting, and accommodating special effects and post production.
If you are working on location, or in a set, the production designer will have the chance to envisage the scenes of the film and where they will take place. In huge studios across big media cities like Riyadh and Jeddah, there are many opportunities to source and create spectacular locations.
If you want to shoot in a modern city or stunning desert locations and historic centers like Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia has a location for every need, making it the production designer’s dream.
From here, they will also build sketches to show things like the composition of frames, the colors and textures they want to be displayed, and generally build up the aesthetic atmosphere. This also gives the director and the crew something to work towards when it becomes time to film.
In the industry, production designers are often freelancers, but when you work with a reliable and visionary production company such as Insight Studios, they will be deeply ingrained in every aspect of the process, which means meticulous planning.
There are so many elements of production design, which we believe should be considered at every juncture of the process.
Who Production Designers Work With
As well as wondering what production design is in film-making, you should also try to get an image of where it slots in. A reliable film production company will use production designers cleverly to ensure the whole staff is working towards an amazing look and effective, aesthetically-pleasing video.
Production design for film means communicating with many departments & teams, including:
- Set decorators. These will be implementing the vision of the production design.
- Art directors. they will work closely with the art department, which set the budgets as well as ensure that set designs and props are all made available when it comes to making the film.
- Director. The director of the movie or film will usually have the final say, so for the best results they will work with production designers to help to implement his vision.
- Artists and graphic designers. When it is time to create things like storyboards, this is when production design plays a role and is able to help to make a striking design.
- Costume designer: frequently they collaborate to ensure that the visual elements of the film or show are consistent and support the story. The costume designer may be given concept art or reference images by the production designer to help guide the design of the costumes. To ensure that the costumes fit within the overall aesthetic of the film or show, the costume designer may consult with the production designer on the overall color palette and style of the costumes.
How much control is given to a production designer can vary depending on the size and scale of production, and they may even take on other roles within the filmmaking process.
What is The Role of the Director in Production Design:
The director is in charge of bringing the script to life and overseeing all aspects of the creative process in film and television production.
Working with the production designer to bring the visual concept for the film or show to life is part of this. The designer is in charge of the overall look and feel of the film or show, which includes the sets, costumes, and props.
The director collaborates closely with the production designer to ensure that the film or show’s visual elements support and enhance the story being told. In addition, the director has final say over all creative decisions made during the production process.
The Skills in Production Design
For a production designer to be successful, and to help to create stunning results, they usually need the following skills:
- Communication. Working with pre-production and post-production teams, a production designer must be able to communicate ideas clearly.
- Creativity. The ability to think creatively and bring visions to life on screen.
- Budgeting. Production design for film involves trying to get the best results on the budget given, and ensuring all scenes look equally great.
- Knowledge of art and design. This is about bringing an artistic vision to life, whether you are creating an ancient setting or hyper modern. A knowledge of art and design is essential.
Summary
What is a production designer in film? Someone who handles the artistic vision.
Production design is one of the many arts of filmmaking that is often underappreciated and misunderstood, but it is crucial to creating an authentic and imaginative look to your visual project.
Ready to tap into our knowledge of production design and bring your visions to life before your eyes?