PERSONAL STATEMENT Female gender. 23 years old. Named Ana. Maybe that’s not an original way to start a personal statement, but considering the huge pressure on writing my very first one, I can only conclude that that is a safe and consistent phrase to start. I am a recent graduate on Graphic Design, who share a small apartment with her brother and an obese cat in a city called Porto Alegre, a name that can be translated into something like ‘Joyful Harbor’, located in south Brazil. Five years ago I left my hometown and my parents’ comfort home in seek of a higher level education, and by that time, Porto Alegre did actually seemed and was a joyful place for me. Currently, I find myself taking the same steps again. Only this time, they seem wider. I am looking for new challenges and ways to get closer to my dream: being a production designer and, later on, a teacher. Here in Brazil, there are no further paths of production design and art direction professional education other then the design and maybe architecture university programs. Quite often people who work in this area got into it by accident and learned it’s crafts on previous mistakes and experiences. And that is actually how I, two years ago, started my path into this career too – while still in college. Only, in addition to chance and self-thought techniques, I was also drove by passion.
My deepest passions are great stories. I cannot tell you exactly how this love affair started, but for as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by stories, whether in a song, a book or even in someone’s speech. I believe that is the reason why I fell in love with cinema. Movies eternalize stories. Great movies glorify great stories. It didn’t take too long until I figured that I wanted to be part of the making of these great movies and their wonderful stories. Writing scripts? No. Acting? Hmmm… That didn’t worked really well either. Directing? Well, that seemed reasonable for the 14 year old big dreamer me. Sadly, as the years go by and I was, supposedly, getting wiser, these big and beautiful dreams start to fade away. Unlike the Hollywood dream, a career in cinema it’s not an easy path in Brazil, for audiovisual realizations are little encouraged by government and private initiatives and not very much appreciated by the public. Being so, advised by my parents, I decided to choose graphic design for my bachelor degree. And do not get me wrong, I did enjoy the program very much. It fitted me in some way. Fortunately, one day an opportunity to be part of a web video production came up, and, since I was a design student, the director decided to make me responsible for the esthetics of the video. I was love at first job. It felt right to be in that role. By then, I had realized that there is so much more behind a
movie production. That there is a whole world of people behind the cameras helping bring those great stories to life. I instantly fell in love with the production design role and how crucial it is for a story to be told right. You may have the biggest movie star, the most amazing director and the latest technology cameras, but without the right scenario, clothes and colors, it will be just another movie in the world. Great production designs make movies unforgettable. Great movies may glorify great stories, but great production design highlights them. Turns them into something else entirely. When the time came to decide for which area would I like to do my final project about, I had no doubt: video. And when most students decided to go through the safe path, making a redesign on some brand, I wanted to take a step forward. I decided to make a project that confirmed the importance of the production design for the storytelling of a film and that’s how the ‘The Princess and the Pea’ short film project started. What was supposed to be an individual and simple project, turned into a dream. To make it come true, I had no money and too little time. Thankfully, during the time I worked in amateur audiovisual productions, I gathered a great team of loyal friends who helped me in most of the way. The result was not only a high quality academic research on production design, that allied the short film making process with the design method, but also a beautiful and sensitive movie.
‘The Princess and the Pea’ short film is in no way a masterpiece, I have to say. But it was made with such willing and passion, that it became a symbol and a reason to be proud of all that I have learned and accomplished so far. I may not have great skills or experience on technical drawings, model making and even perspective drawing, but I know what I am capable of and that I have passion and willingness enough to make great things in the future. When on set, it feels like making magic happen. Sometimes, that is actually true, because many jobs require a lot of work with too little resources. Most of the productions I’ve worked in had really low budgets or no money whatsoever, making it so that I am often required to use my own savings to help making the films. So far it didn’t got in the way of making great looking videos and short films. But time has come for me to get to the next level, and the NYU Tisch School of the Arts’ Design for Film program will help me get to it. I dream on pursuing the production design career professionally and with high quality, so that in the future I can become a teacher. Production design is my own way of telling stories. I may not be great with speeches or written words, but I am good at giving shape and color to them. There are great stories out there waiting to become real and I can’t wait to help this magic happen. Ana Claudia Gusson December, 2012.
RESUMÉ ANA CLÁUDIA GUSSON Av. Jerônimo de Ornelas, 219, apt. 301 Bairro Santana Porto Alegre – RS Zip Code 90040-341 Brazil anacgusson@gmail.com +55 51 9891 0756 +55 51 3398 4196 EDUCATION ESPM – Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing, Porto Alegre, RS. B.A. in Graphic Design, licensed for Visual Communications. January, 2012. RELEVANT COURSEWORK
Introduction to Production Design for Cinema. PUCRS. October 2012. Set Design for Film and TV. University of Arts London Central Saint Martin. August 2012. Storyboarding for Film, Video and Animation. University of Arts Central Saint Martin. August 2012.
ADDItIONAL EXPERIENCE
EXPERIENCE As Production Designer Natural Light Always Kassandra The Princess and the Pea Playing the Roots Crime of Passion Journalism
Shortfilm Music Video Shortfilm Shortfilm Shortfilm Music Video Web Video
2012 2012 2012 2011 2011 2010 2010
As Assistant Production Designer A Vida de Rafinha Bastos Sicredi
TV Program Commercial
2013 2012
As Set Designer Cena de Cinema Escape Valve
TV Program Music Video
2012 2010
3drops web designer
2012
Equipe Andrea Sebben graphic designer
2011
E2PS graphic designer
2010
SKILLS Proficient with graphic softwares Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Flash, Adobe Dreamweaver and Adobe After Effects. Basic in Adobe Fireworks and 3D Max. Fluent in Portuguese and English, proficiente in French and Spanish. Also interested in: illustration, craftswork, academic research and project management.
photography,
HONORS Awarded for Best Final Project (PGD - Design Graduation Project) at ESPM; Awarded for higher avarage student – academic laurel.
THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA
The Princess And the Pea Directed by Pedro Barbosa and Lucas Finkler Produced by Jonas Teixeira and Ana Gusson Production Design by Ana Gusson December, 2011
Based on Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale, “The Princess and the Pea” it’s a shortfilm made for the final project of my graphic design graduation at ESPM-Sul. The project goal was to combine the graphic design theories and methods with film making, focused on the production design. The complete project includes an academic research on cinema history and the importance of production design over the years, a marketing research on movie making market in the city of Porto Alegre and the province of Rio Grande do Sul, and the description of the design method applied to the movie making process, using as an example the making of “The Princess and the Pea”. The project was the first to approach the subject at ESPM-Sul and ever since, it’s been used as a model for other students pursuing the movie making career. On October 2012, the project received the prize of Best Final Project at the Annual ESPM-Sul Awards, in the Design category, confirming it’s relevance and quality. The project was oriented by Professor Anny Baggiotto PhD and professor Douglas Barra supervised the making of the movie. Right: Early concept art for ‘The Princess and the Pea’ (watercolor)
My deepest passions are great stories. I cannot tell you exactly how this love affair started, but for as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by stories, whether in a song, a book or even in someone’s speech. I believe that is the reason why I fell in love with cinema. Movies eternalize stories. Great movies glorify great stories. It didn’t take too long until I figured that I wanted to be part of the making of these great movies and their wonderful stories. Writing scripts? No. Acting? Hmmm… That didn’t worked really well either. Directing? Well, that seemed reasonable for the 14 year old big dreamer me. Sadly, as the years go by and I was, supposedly, getting wiser, these big and beautiful dreams start to fade away. Unlike the Hollywood dream, a career in cinema it’s not an easy path in Brazil, for audiovisual realizations are little encouraged by government and private initiatives and not very much appreciated by the public. Being so, advised by my parents, I decided to choose graphic design for my bachelor degree. And do not get me wrong, I did enjoy the program very much. It fitted me in some way. Fortunately, one day an opportunity to be part of a web video production came up, and, since I was a design student, the director decided to make me responsible for the esthetics of the video. I was love at first job. It felt right to be in that role. By then, I had realized that there is so much more behind a
To be able to make the movie, a great crew was assembled, fellow student from ESPM-Sul and movie making professionals of the region helped on the process. As most of them were students, the project was a great learning and experimenting opportunity for everyone, even professionals.
Left: Early concept art for the main character costume (ink and watercolor). Top: Studies for the princess’ jewelry (ink and watercolor).
Technical drawing for the ‘dark room’ scenario (ink, on 1:25 cm scale)
The ‘dark room’ scenario (photo by Emilia Abel)
Ground plan of the location building (ink, on 1:100 cm scale)
Top Left: Director Pedro Barbosa instructing the actors before the shooting (photo by Tanise Cabral); Bottom Left: Actress Renata Scartazzini - the Princess, shooting a scene in the living room scenario (photo by Ana Gusson); Right: Production Designer Ana Gusson, Director Pedro Barbosa, Supervisor Teacher Douglas Barra and Director of Photography Tanise Cabral during the shooting (photo by Emilia Abel).
Technical drawing for the ‘Dinner Table’ scenario (ink, on 1:25 cm scale)
Scene of ‘The Princess and the Pea’ shortfilm with actors Cristiano Garcia and Renata Scartazzini (photo by Tanise Cabral)
JOURNALISM
JOURNALISM Directed by Lucas Finkler Produced by Miguel Luz Production Design by Ana Gusson August 2010
‘Journalism’ is a web video to promote the releasing of the journalism graduation course of ESPM-Sul. The video is divided in two parts, the first one, in the past, showed a classic newspaper office with a very bored journalist. The second part showed the very new and modern structure of ESPM-Sul, this was produced with computer graphic effects. The first part of the video was shoot in location and produced by students from the college itself. The production design process consisted in historical research of the 70’s journalism scene in the local community, including costumes as well. Followed by objects search and props and costume making. The goal was to achieve a very boring newspaper office, to show the difference between the classic journalism teached by conventional colleges and the modern and improved system of ESPM-Sul (showed in the second part of the video). With very little budget, the result achieved it’s goal, representing the oppression and boredom of the environment and yet looking quite beautiful and classic. Right: Ground Plan for the newspapper office (ink, on 1:50 cm scale)
Scene of ‘Journalism’ web video (image by Douglas Barra)
Left: Costume concept drawings (digital painting); Right: Assistant Production Designer Caue Zanini finishing the characterization of actor Greg Kuhn (photo by Ana Gusson).
Top: Director of Photography Douglas Barra and Producer Miguel Luz during the shooting (photo by Ana Gusson); Left Bottom: Early concept drawing for the newspapper office (colored pencil).
KASSANDRA
KASSANDRA Directed by Ulisses Costas Produced by Roberto Coutinho and Ramona Barcelos Production Design by Ana Gusson January, 2012
Kassandra, is an independent production funded by crowdfunding and local city cultural resources. As a shortfilm, the project was very ambitious and challenging for it’s restricted crew, budget and dead line. And as my first black and white production design project, it was a double, or even triple challenge. The production design project was all based in the key objects that were very important for the storytelling, for an example the main character’s doll. The goal was to achieve a look that combined darkness in contrast with delicacy and fragility, main characteristics of, not only, the character Kassandra, but the story itself. Working with black and white, the production design process focused on strong looking key objects, like the doll, the alarm clock and the stars spinning lamp, and a variety of textures. The result is a very beautiful classic looking film, oscillating between the obscure and the fragility from the character herself.
Right: Early concept art for ‘Kassandra’ (pencil and ink)
Key scenes and objects from the shortfilm. Top Left: Actress Renata Stein, playing Kassandra during a very delicate scene shoting (photo by Daniel Coutinho); Middle Left: Kassandra’s doll (photo by Daniel Coutinho); Bottom Left: Scene at the corridor (photo by Daniel Coutinho); Top Right: Actor Leandro Lefa, playing the creepy neighbor dying (photo by Pablo Chasseroux); Bottom Right: Key object, the alarm clock crafted by the producer Roberto Countinho and production designer Ana Gusson (photo Daniel Coutinho).
Ground Plan for the main location scenario (ink, on 1:50 cm scale)
The visual result of the shortfilm Kassandra (photo by Pablo Chasseraux)
Detailed Technical Drawing for the crafting of the Stars Spinning Lamp (ink, on 1:2,5 cm scale)
The ‘Stars Spining’ Lamp (photo by Pablo Chasseraux)
CENA DE CINEMA
SCENE OF CINEMA Directed by Marco Carvalho Produced by Tyrone Rodovalho Set Design by Ana Gusson October, 2012
Scene of Cinema is a 5 minute duration tv program about cinema news. Produced by the video company Hero for the open tv channel Band, programmed to air by September 2013. Limited by very short budget, the production design project was constructed around the channel demanding of image projection in the scenario. Two options were projected over that exigency. Old film rolls, mentioned on the pilot program script inspired the first option scenario. For the very small studio and fragile supporting structure, the central piece had to be very light and easy holding, so it was planned to be crafted with recycled glass and special thick papers. The second option’s goal was to cut as many costs as possible and to set up very fast. Like a puzzle, the scenario consisted in the fit of big cylinders made of hardboard. Painted in semi gloss grey paint with little texture, the goal for the looks was, combined with cinematography, to achieve a great light/shadow contrast over the cylinders surfice. This was the option chosed by the director. As expected the scenario, although simple, resulted in a very cool and light look. Right: Photos of the scenario built in studio (photos by Ana Gusson)
Technical drawing of the scenario built for the program (digital, on 1:20 cm scale)
Technical Drawing for the first option scenario, inspired on old film rolls (digital, on 1:20 cm scale)
Scaled model crafted on 1:20 cm scale (photo by Alexandre Raupp)
Top Left: Detailed technical drawing for the first option scenario central piece (digital, on scale 1:20 cm); Bottom: Details of the scaled model (photo by Alexandre Raupp);
Ground Plan of the first option scenario (digital, on 1:20 cm scale)
ALWAYS
ALWAYS Directed by Othello Nogueira Produced by Jonas Teixeira Production Design by Ana Gusson April, 2012
Always is a music video made for the band named Hesh. The band members wanted a very dark looking video, for the song’s heavy sounds, so the director Othello Nogueira came up the a concept of breaking through darkness and finding freedom through music. Over that idea, the production design project consisted in having two different spaces, the dark – where the character find himself in the beginning of the video, and the light – where the band plays and the character finds freedom. With little budget and resources, the challenge was to find easy tricks to transform a new and modern garage building into a very dark and dirty place. Along with cinematographer Greg Kuhn, the idea of a humid and wet place would give the place a dark and creepy look for the dark space and could light up with reflections the band area. Also the characters make up and costumes were part of the production design project. The result is a great looking music video that plays beautifully with light. Top: Rough Sketch for the looks of the band lighted place (pencil); Bottom: Crew preparing the location (photo by Ana Gusson)
Top Left: Dark scenario made for the inicial scene of the music video (photo Ana Gusson); Bottom Left: Assistant of cinematography Alexandre Raupp, Production Designer Ana Gusson, Cinematographer Greg Kuhn and director Othello Nogueira, off-focus is actor Samuel (photo by Amanda Jacobus); Bottom Right: Band lighted space (photo by Ana Gusson).
Rough Sketch on the character’s looks (pencil)
Actor Samuel Reginato ready for shoting (photo by Amanda Jacobus)
CRIME OF PASSION
CRIME OF PASSION Directed by Pedro Barbosa Produced by Miguel Luz Production Design by Ana Gusson and Caue Zanini October, 2010
Crime of Passion is a music video for brazilian Mpb artist Filipe Catto, made as part of the graduation project of cinematographer Tanise Cabral. Focused on the cinematography, the project was all based on the looks of Caravaggio’s paintings – warm dark color palette and very few spotlights. Production design and cinematography worked closely to achieve the look of an abandoned old house that suits like a sanctuary for the abandoned lover that lies there. The theme match perfectly the song lyrics and feel, for it’s tango inspired melody. Working with little budget and tight dead line, the production design theme had originally thought over two scenarios, a living room and a bedroom, but delays in the schedule forced the director to change the script last minute. The bedroom was cut off and another scenario had to come up last minute. The idea of the candle lighted scenario although improvised, matches the video looks beautifully and enhances the idea of a mausoleum. The music video turned out to a great looking film, it tells a clear story through light and production design. Right: Photos of the music video (photos by Tanise Cabral)
Left: Filipe Catto shoting in the candle lighted scenario (photo by Amanda Jacobus); Top Right: The final looks of the candle lighted scenario with the cinematography (photo by Tanise Cabral); Bottom Right: Filipe Catto and film crew shoting in the living room scenario (photo Amanda Jacobus).
Ground Plan for the living room scenario (ink, on 1:50 cm scale)
Final looks for the living room - scenario, lights and singer transformed into a painting (photo by Tanise Cabral)
Technical drawing for the living room set dressing (ink, on 1:25 cm scale)
Ready to shot Living Room Scenario (photo by Ana Gusson)
ART WORK
The dancer (ink over paper)
Experiments in watercolor
Life clothes line (collage)
Self portrait (photo by Alexandre Raupp)
GRAPHIC DESIGN
PACKAGING Redesign for an olive oil package for the brand BlueVille. Made in association with designers Rogerio Theisen and Laura Palmini.
BRANDING Branding projects made for acaademic projects. Top Left: Redesign of the ‘Tropical Video’ logo, a local rental video chainstores. The project included complete range of graphic materials, such as stationary, backlight sign, indoor signs, website and social network layouts. Bottom Left: Development a healthy food chain called ‘Nhac!’. Full branding project, including market research and naming. Project made in association with Rogerio Theisen and Laura Palmini. Bottom Right: Redesign for ‘E2PS’, a brazilian company specialized in machines for heavy industrial processes. The project included stationary, personalized pens and pencils, uniforms, car signs, indoor signs, website and general add layouts.
anacgusson@gmail.com +55 51 9891 0756 +55 51 3398 4196
CONTACT INFO