| Art Introduction |  |
Applications
The art department is one of the most difficult departments to work on a film. Unlike the camera, electrical, grip, and even wardrobe departments that solve many of the same problems over and over, there is very little repetition in the art department. Today you might need to create a ray gun, tomorrow decorate a college dorm room, the next day re-construct a villain’s mountain hideout, and round out the week with the construction of a realistic prison cell, all within a minimal budget.
But the art department has its own rewards. Unlike camera operators, grips, and electrics whose work simply facilitates the shoot, all of your work will actually be seen on screen and used by the actors. No one can describe the thrill of seeing a set, painstakingly constructed from scratch, appear like an inhabited living space on the big screen. Or the sense of satisfaction when an actress shapes a major part of her character’s personality around a prop you’ve delicately crafted.
In the following chapters, I’ve tried to include solutions I’ve seen and used to solve some of the more difficult art department problems. More than any other area of film production, you must use your taste and ingenuity to find ways to make the artificial seem real. I hope you’ll be able to adapt these projects and suggestions to generate screen magic in your own films.
Here are a few general suggestions for working in the art department:
• Always carry a notepad Whether you need to jot down a continuity note or draw a diagram to explain something to the director, a small notepad and pen are invaluable. I always carry one of the 60-sheet 3˝ × 5˝ (7.6 cm × 12.7 cm) memo books. Before production begins, I write all the key crew phone numbers on the front page for easy reference. One shoot I tried to replace my notepad with a PDA, but it didn’t work half as well. In addition to other problems, I couldn’t make a list and tear off a sheet to hand to an assistant.
• Take free construction classes Most home warehouse stores provide free classes that teach you how to do everything from painting faux finishes to staining wood. You will need this type of information, maybe for your current film or maybe for two films down the road. This information is free and well worth the time to learn.
• Visit the websites of paint manufacturers During preproduction, the Internet can be a valuable tool for set decoration visualization. Some websites, particularly the one for Behr paint (www.behr.com), have spectacular color and interior decorating suggestions. The painting color schemes on the websites demonstrate matching color patterns for walls, curtains, sheets, etc. and can help you select a set color motif.
• Try not to worry Art people seem to have the most regrets during a shoot. Wish you had more time to prepare the set decorations. Wish you had a larger budget. Wish you’d had the right prop at the right time. Wish you could have found that tool when you needed it most. Wish the shot had included the mural that took 3 weeks to paint. The fact is that because the art department is not repetitious, you won’t have time to perfect everything and many aspects of the filming is out of your hands. Sometimes it seems like the most thankless job on the production. Know that all art people go through the same thing. Just do your best. We’re all in this together.