Production Design
"The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible"
Oscar Wilde (quoted in Patrick Keiller's film LONDON)
What is Production Design? It is the creation of mood and atmosphere through the expressive use of objects forms and colour, in the service of a script.
A Production Designer interprets the written word for the screen, inventing a visual world through objects, interiors, and architecture. He or she adapts and dresses locations or builds settings on a sound stage. Design dramatises and enhances the narrative visually.
On the MA Filmmaking programme we aim to develop the student’s knowledge as it directly relates to each film exercise. This includes work using drawings, making models, planning for composition and colour. In terms four and five students design for black and white film productions and for films made on built sets in the studio.
Students learn how to develop visual concepts and learn how to transform designs into reality on both sound stages and locations using digital imaging software Vector Works, Cinema 4D as well as established drawing techniques. The close proximity of London exhibitions and permanent collections of national galleries are used as teaching resources by the department.
Senior Lecturer in Production Design is Diana Charnley
Diana's feature film credits for Production Design and Art direction include High Hopes, Defence of the Realm, Clockwise and The Dawning. She was head of Production Design and Art Direction at the National Film School and has lectured widely for other institutions including Cambridge University and University of Strathclyde. Diana's writing on Production Design has been published by the BFI. She gained an MA from Goldsmiths College in History of Modern Art and is a practising painter.
Visiting design lecturers and consultants to the department are all professionals in feature film production working as art directors, production designers and set decorators .Their recent output include collaborations with Neil Jordan, Woody Allen, George Lucas and Dino Di Laurentis .
Visiting Lecturers: Jonathan Lee, Jan Spoczyski, Tom Conroy, Claudia Parker.
Consultants: Jim Clay, Chris Seagers.
Construction Lecturer: Simon Pickup.
