Loading...

Course Description

The Set Decoration for Film and Television Micro-Credential will introduce participants to the inner workings of the Art Department with special emphasis on the Set Decoration department. This department’s entry level position, Set Dresser, is a common pathway for many looking to a career in film. Set Dec is responsible for converting the blank canvas of the set into a space that feels authentic, lived-in and believable. This department researches, sources, gathers, prepares and installs the appropriate dressing to help bring the script’s characters to life, from the lush draperies of the King’s mansion to the ceramic frog collection of a quirky aunt.

Emphasis is on the realities of working in the often challenging film industry. Participants will learn from a combination of lecture, lively discussion, and hands-on activities, and will come away from this course with a solid understanding of departmental positions, workloads, expectations, and skill sets. Film is an exciting and rewarding environment and because instructor Terry Lewis’s 34 years of experience are shared with humour and enthusiasm, students will leave this micro-credential with a true sense of the work and the opportunities available. Film clips sourced from Terry’s long career and the work of other film professionals bring design concepts to life.

Course Outline

  • Introduction to the Set Decoration department and to the broader film environment
  • Set decoration’s role in enhancing performance, story and visual presentation
  • The collaborative process
  • Understanding how to work with and breakdown the script
  • Researching, sourcing, and placing set dressing
  • Working in studio vs on location

Learner Outcomes

By the end of this micro-credential, learners will be able to:

  • Describe the positions working in the Set Decoration department and the role of each position
  • Describe how the Set Decoration department interfaces with other departments on a film set
  • Read and understand a synopsis, script, floor plan, call sheet, and rental agreement
  • Working with a script, create a comprehensive dressing list
  • Source appropriate set dressing
  • Place items of set dressing on a floor plan
  • Recognize and discuss opportunities and challenges associated with on-location and studio work
 

About the Instructor

Terry Lewis is a 35-year veteran of the West Coast film industry. He began art-directing commercials in 1990 after a successful career as an exhibit designer with a number of local and national museums and galleries. He has worked at virtually every position in the Art and Set Decoration departments including Production Designer, Art Director and Set Decorator and has lent his skills to both big-budget Hollywood blockbusters and smaller television productions, including; Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Tron: Ares, The Last Air Bender, Peter Pan and Wendy, The Adam Project, Deadpool 2, Star Trek 3, The Planet of the Apes trilogy, Alpha, Warcraft, Mission Impossible 3, The Boy, and many others. His work on the series Spooksville brought him 2 Daytime Emmy nominations.

When not working directly in film, Terry continues to share his knowledge of the industry through guest speaker spots for a number of organizations including Royal Roads University, Vancouver Island Comic Con, STARTE, Camosun College and the South Island Film Commission.

Loading...

Be the first to know when this course is available!

Unfortunately, this course is currently not open for enrollment or is in the process of being rescheduled. Join Our Interest List below to be notified via email when the course is next available for registration.

FNES Logo

We are especially grateful to live, work, and play on the traditional territories of the Lekwungen (Songhees, Kosapsum), Malahat, Pacheedaht, Scia'new, T'Sou-ke, and WSÁNEĆ (Pauquachin, Tsartlip, Tsawout, Tseycum) peoples. We acknowledge their welcome and graciousness to the students who seek knowledge here.

Required fields are indicated by .