Sets Around the World

setting the stage

Set Design Can Make or Break a Movie, Yet It Goes Largely Unnoticed

Rain hits the roof like popcorn. The hall is dark and drab, lit only by the glow emanating from behind the large door labeled “Stage 1”. Inside the door it’s an entirely different world. Bright lights are everywhere, vivid yellow and red wallpaper cover everything, and ornate furniture fills the room. People scurry around like ants. It’s like walking through a portal to a place miles, years away from the blank corridor. That change doesn’t come from a wave of a wand. Scene designers around the world spend weeks, months designing, building, and constructing sets. Their job is crucial to the success of film; a good enough set can mean an Emmy. Despite their importance, when people think about jobs in the movie industry they’ll think of actors, directors, and producers. Not the location managers and set designers that are tasked with producing the entire world characters inhabit. “It’s the sense of reality,” says John Rakich, president of Locations Manager Guild International. “The visuals are critical to the sort of storytelling that we’re doing both on stage and in film,” emphasized Gallo. Visuals are an integral part of viewing any form of entertainment. It can make or break your film. Without even noticing it, people’s

opinions on a film can be heavily influenced by the set. Set design is a huge part in creating the overall atmosphere of a film. It sets the tone and style of the film and helps the audience know where and when something is happening. The set design can also convery meaning or parts of the plot to the audience through themes and symbols. Lastly, it supports the style of the film. With such a hefty weight on their shoulders, one wonders how they do it. “My architecture foundation taught me everything,” said Yvonne Bourdreaux, a local production designer, “We’re always faking it and you want to fake it correctly.” She has a BA in architecture at Louisiana State University. She later taught and studied set design for several years at the University of Texas. Though something most people relate with building houses or offices, architecture is critical in all kinds of manual work, including set design. This kind of knowledge is essential for set design. Measuring, assembling, and even having a vision for a set all require a certain knowledge of architecture. Without that base level of understanding there would be no set design at all.

Free creativity for building a set can only come from not being held back by limited architectural and building experience. So a degree in architecture is really As one could imagine, it requires a lot of research as well. “Ok it takes place in Austin, Texas, but they want to film it where I am. You know, we try to look at….. what do Austin, Texas, houses look like? There’s some legwork. And then you start going through existing databases of local film commissions of people who are interested in filming. Otherwise, just get in the car and literally go door-knocking and try to find things. It’s that the fundamentals of the job haven’t changed how we do,” explained Rakich. To make a set of a place the set designs look at pictures to study the overall look. Details are also very important so pictures and contacts are used. In the past it used to be on film but now there are photos that can be taken and sent on an iphone. Sources like google street view can also help the set designer get a feel for the place. But even though many parts of set design have been

“Everything is a creative collaboration, so even my job is a part of that”

- John Rakich