The production designer is responsible for the overall visual style and look of a film or television production. They work closely with the director to select settings, locations, and styles that help tell the story. The production designer oversees the art department, which includes specialists who help construct sets, source props, dress sets, and maintain the production designer's vision during filming.

1. Production Design: Courtney Lang
In film and television, a production designer is the person responsible for the overall look of a filmed
event such as films, TV programs, music videos or adverts. Production designers have one of the key
creative roles in the creation of motion pictures and television. Working directly with the director and
producer, they must select the settings and style to visually tell the story. Previously the people with
the same responsibilities were called "art directors.” Production Designers are major heads of
department on film crews, and are responsible for the entire Art Department. They play a crucial role
in helping Directors to achieve the film's visual requirements, and provide Producers with carefully
calculated schedules which offer possible ways of making films within agreed budgets and specified
periods of time.
Filming locations may range from an orderly Victorian parlour, to a late-night café, to the interior of an
alien space ship. The look of a set or location is vital in drawing the audience into the story, and is an
essential element in making a film convincing. A lot of work and imagination goes into constructing an
appropriate backdrop to any story and into selecting or constructing appropriate locations and sets.
Directors of Photography and Production Designers are largely responsible for informing and realising
the Director's vision. Production Designers begin work at the very early stages of pre-production and
are requested by the Director or Producer. They work on a freelance basis, and may have to prepare
detailed drawings and specifications in order to pitch for work on a number of productions before they
are offered work on one of them. Although the work can be very demanding and the hours long, this is
one of the most highly skilled, creatively fulfilling roles within the film industry.
From early in pre-production, the production designer collaborates with the director and director of
photography to establish the visual feel and specific aesthetic needs of the project. Production
Designers may be asked to look at scripts before a Director is approached, to provide estimates of the
projected Art Department spend on films. When Production Designers first read a screenplay, they
assess the visual qualities that will help to create atmosphere and bring the story to life. After
preparing a careful breakdown of the script, they meet with the Director to discuss how best to shoot
the film, e.g. to decide: whether to use sets or locations; what should be built and what should be
adapted; whether there is a visual theme that recurs throughout the film; whether there are certain
design elements that may give an emotional or psychological depth to the film; whether CGI
(computer generated imagery) should be used. Production Designers must calculate the budgets, and
decide how the money and effort will be spent. These discussions are followed by an intense period
of research during which Production Designers and their Specialist Researchers source ideas from
books, photographs, paintings, the internet, etc. The production designer guides key staff in other
departments such as the costume designer, the key hair and make-up stylists, the special effects
director and the locations manager to establish a combined visual appearance to the film.
Production Designers must have expert knowledge of many art and design related subjects including
draughtsmanship, technical drawing, colour theory, architecture, building and construction, history of
design, interior design, cameras and lenses, lighting, etc. Production Designers must also have full
knowledge of computer budgeting software and computer aided design programmes (CADS). The "art
department" is a group of people who work with the production designer to implement the scenic
elements of that vision. The art director supervises set construction and painting, as well as
modifications to existing locations, such as changing signs or installing new carpet. An art director has
specialists reporting to them including the construction department, which includes carpenters,
painters, plasterers, prop makers, landscapers, sign painters, and scenic artists. The set decorator
finds decorative items for the sets such as furniture, wallpaper, knick-knacks and lighting fixtures. Set
dressers bring the items to the set, arrange furniture, hang curtains and "dress" the set. A property
master coordinates with the production designer, but also works closely with the director and actors to
provide the items directly handled by the actors such as newspapers and weapons. The prop crew,
along with an on-set dresser, maintain the integrity of the production designer's vision during the
shoot and manipulate the items for the camera.

2. Production Design
Location: London (Everywhere)
Set Design: We have many locations throughout our music video. For our party scene we had
to set up and design how we wanted our party to look. We used a pool table with
alcohol, cigarettes and random things thrown everywhere.
Tangle wood forest
Harrow Wealdstone high street
Harrow weald cemetery
Canons park
Harrow college
Irfaat’s house
Props: Michael Jackson costume
Redbull
Rum
Icing powder
Pool table
Cigarettes
Lighter
Poker
Playing cards
Shoes
Glass
Shot glasses
Flowers
Beer bottles
Fridge
Makeup
Paper and pen
Cans
Special Fx Cross fade for music
Blink video effect for writing
Strobe for writing
Slow motion
Fast motion
Split screen
Fade in for music and shots
Fade out for music and shots
Dissolve for music

3. Lighting: Throughout our production we have mainly been filming outside therefore we
have not needed any additional light other then the natural light. However in the
party scenes at the beginning of our music video it was quite dark so we used a
Lilliput light to add some extra light which makes the party seem livelier.
Use of colour: We used a lot of bright colours throughout our music video to fit in with our
Dancehall theme and also to depict to the audience that everyone is happy and
cheerful.