behind the camera with drewprops

THE ART DEPARTMENT As a nerd who grew up watching be- department heads and defer to those Directors become famous outside hind-the-scenes featurettes about the people’s judgment. But in many ways, of the industry while production de- “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” fran- signers generally only become “well- chises, I had always assumed that the to three positions which have tradition- known” inside the business. The simple typical motion picture director was in - absolute control of everything that ap- the look of a project: the director, the di- rectors work with famous actors while peared on-screen. I was convinced that rector of photography, and the produc- production designers work with talent- they had every single shot storyboard- tion designer. The director’s primary con- ed nobodies. ed out and that nothing went into the cern is to elicit compelling performances Despite being doomed to historical camera that the director hadn’t pains- from his actors and to get the shots the obscurity, the production designer has takingly engineered well ahead of time. editor will need to cut the scenes. The di- a remarkably important job, with as The truth is, most scenes are not sto- rector of photography controls the audi- many (if not more) people working un- ryboarded, and every department on ence’s view into the director’s world and a motion picture project (from art to has the unique ability to tell a story with- refer to the organizational chart! in the story using lighting and camera This is perhaps the most typical or- see onscreen, down to the moment that techniques. The production designer lit- ganization for an art department in the cameras start rolling. Most direc- erally designs the world within which the the world of motion pictures. And even tors gladly rely on the expertise of their story takes place. though one of these departments is named “the Art Department,” it is stan- dard practice to lump ALL of the depart- ments under the production designer’s PRODUCTION DESIGNER control into something that is also called “the art department”. Confusing, no?

The Art Department is responsible for the design of the show, from sets to ART DEPARTMENT COORDINATOR photography to major graphic pieces.

PROP DEPARTMENT SET DECORATION ART DEPARTMENT

PROPMASTER SET DECORATOR ART DIRECTOR

ASST. PROPMASTER LEADMAN ASST. ART DIRECTOR

PROP ASSISTANT BUYER SET DESIGNER

SET DRESSER GRAPHIC DESIGNER

ON-SET DRESSER STORYBOARD ARTIST

ILLUSTRATOR

16 | ozmagazine.com The art director tends to act as the pro- After the sets have been built and the to see, from other buildings to their own duction designer’s right hand and is re- paint is on its way to being dry The Set crew’s equipment. sponsible for logistics, schedule, and Decoration Department steps in to Next up is The Props Department, often manage the budget for each set. work its magic. While they do move a lot which I’ve referred to as the “redhead- They may help manage the other cre- of furniture, it’s entirely wrong to think ed stepchild” of the art department in atives within the department, depend- of the people in “set dec” as mere “mov- previous articles, because the props de- ing on the production designer’s work- ers.” They’re responsible for making partment works embedded with the ing style. Other departments take their spaces look inhabited, and it’s always cues from the art department. fun to walk into a freshly decorated set - The Construction Department are is- tion designer. The people in props are sued construction drawings by the art has left behind. The department head, responsible for anything that the ac- department. The construction coordi- known simply as “the decorator,” usu- tors will touch or use in a scene, from nator works with his foreman (construc- ally has an encyclopedic knowledge of a glass of milk to a spring-driven, heli- tion) and lead scenic (paint) to have their furnishings and decor, as do the shop- cal fed 9mm Calico carbine submachine crews create sets that meet the pro- pers/buyers who have relationships gun. These props are either purchased, duction designer’s vision. Construction with antique stores in their region. The rented from a props warehouse (or else- craftsmen include carpenters, welders production designer usually pays spe- where), or fabricated to order. and specialty prop makers who create cial care to consult with the decorator Finally, there’s The Art Department oversized set elements that should not Coordinator, who functions essential- be confused with the props used by the of human habitation is what will “sell” props department. their sets to the camera. department. This position is frequently While The Scenic Department in this The people in The Greens Department underpaid and underappreciated. diagram is tucked under the construc- are often thought of as mere landscap- tion coordinator, in most people’s ers, but they’re actually craftspeople minds the scenics are their own entity, who happen to work with plants. Greens reporting to the lead scenic (also known as the “paint charge”). Scenics can turn lawns to look winter-dead in the sum- plywood walls into lavish bird’s-eye ma- mer, then tying spring leaves to trees in ple paneling using nothing more than the dead of winter. Greens are especial- paint and secret techniques handed ly useful for screening out real world el- down over the years.

CONSTRUCTION, SCENICS & GREENS DEPARTMENTS

CONSTRUCTION COORDINATOR LEAD GREENSMAN

CONSTRUCTION FOREMAN LEAD SCENIC GREENSMEN

CARPENTERS PAINT GANG BOSS ON-SET GREENS

WELDERS SCENIC

PROPMAKERS ON-SET PAINTER

ON-SET CARPENTER

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