Subject Guide: Production Design

Barnwell explores the role of the production designer through a historical overview that maps out landmark film and television designs. From the familiar to the elaborate, from the disorientating to the hyper-real, this book investigates props, colours and materials. The design codes of period drama are examined and contrasted with the more playful productions of the past, and distinctive contemporary looks are discussed, with key examples ranging from musicals of the 1930s to cult films of the 1990s. The book also includes interviews with leading production designers.

Now in full color for the first time, The Visual Story offers a clear view of the relationship between script structure and visual structure in film, video, animation and video games. Learn visual vocabulary from an expert, allowing cinematographers, directors, designers and editors to communicate moods and emotions more effectively, strengthening the overall story. This guide divides screen visuals into tangible sections: contrast and affinity; space, line and shape; movement and rhythm; and tone and colour.

Six scholars survey the careers of notable art directors, the influence of specific design styles, the key roles played by particular studios and films in shaping the field, the effect of technological changes on production design, and the shifts in industrial modes of organisation. A great historical review that provides insight into how the look of a film is achieved.

Production designers are artistic masters in their own right. They are responsible for the look? of a movie; joining productions at an early stage, they coordinate costume design, special effects, set design, make-up, and location scouting to ensure a unified visual appearance. In Production Design, 16 production designers share their insights, anecdotes, and technical achievements, through a series of exclusive interviews. Fascinating for both film fans and practitioners, this book is the perfect companion for anyone who wants to learn about the craft of some of the greatest film artists of our time.

This book takes up the cause for art in film. It provides a concise overview of the past and future of production design for cinema. The book compares and contrasts case studies from television, commercials and film, explaining how effects were achieved.

An oldie but a goodie, this book contains a wealth of information from Preston's experiences in the film industry. Starting with a brief history of art direction and production design, the book walks through the responsibilities that fall on the art director's shoulders. It includes information on preparing script breakdowns; research; design and presentation; scouting and working on locations; and set design and construction.

In the second edition of his essential handbook, author Michael Rizzo has included art direction for television, in addition to updated coverage of film design. This comprehensive, professional manual details the set-up of the art department and the day-to-day duties: scouting for locations, research, executing the design concept, supervising scenery construction, and surviving production. Rounding out the text is an extensive collection of forms and checklists, as well as interviews with prominent art directors.

This book explains how to approach design, whether for film, television or commercials, and introduces the techniques needed to make ideas happen. Shorter runs through the roles of the design team, talks about extracting design information from a script, and shows how to support a story by identifying and designing to its key themes. The book also discusses how and where to research and illustrate ideas; the importance of images, colour, texture and space; and preparing drawings and models.

Drawing on designs from real Hollywood and Broadway blockbusters, this book provides the basic tools and principles of scenic drafting and rendering, beginning with pencil drafting and culminating with information on CAD drafting, digital 3D modelling, digital and hand/digital rendering, and digital graphics for sets.