Work Experience

Since the  middle of January I have been involved in a period drama for Channel four. This was the first time I would have a paid position in the art department. The drama which is based on factual information is centred at the height of the industrial revolution and is filmed in and around Manchester. My role in this production has been to help reference, design and make props in accordance to the scripts visual descriptions. I cannot publish any information about the drama's storyline but I can tell you that my props have included making cotton bales from three different countries and at present banners that represent the different counties involved in this work force. This experience so far has cemented an area I wish my career to further and the opportunities presented to me has been a worth while sacrifice of trying to produce my degree work along side of working on the set. It has been a real eye opener of what is expected when I finish my degree and what industries want from their designers. My skills of thorough researching and working to deadlines has put me in a good practice for this job role. Having to think of materials, different mediums and budgeting to produce what is asked has all come from my education that I have received over the last couple of years. I am starting to feel more confident about my own design capabilities and trouble shooting. There has been days where I have thought I cannot do this and with determination I have pushed through. Sometimes I have had to go away and rethink of a way to produce a design that I thought was right only to find out it is contextual incorrect or not how the production designer envisaged. This is all part of my role, it is about getting inside the head of the designer/director and trying to paint a physical picture. It is a fantastic feeling when I have got it right and the feedback from them is good. Other times I have had to go away and think of another way. Period dramas expect accuracy and continuity and is the hardest of all productions to work on. Being thrown in at the deep end and having to keep up and learn indecently  has made me determined to prove that I can do this. The pictures posted along side this post is a taster of what I have been doing from design, to process to the finished dress set. I will continue to document more as my work continues.