Working in production set design is a dream career for many. A movie set design career is exciting and dynamic, working on new and completely different projects all the time. A film set designer has the potential to work with famous film producers and directors, travel around the world and earn a high salary.

Film set design requires the perfect blend of skills. A designer must be creative and artistic, yet technical and analytical. To increase the odds of making it in this highly competitive industry, a potential movie set designer must hone the skills needed by getting film set design education and training in one of the following ways:

1. Learn about film set designing in a traditional school setting.

2. Get much needed experience in movie production design to learn practical application of the skills learned in school.

3. Develop a well-rounded skill set by learning all aspects of movie set design to stay competitive in the industry.

Action Steps
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Get the most complete set designer information with a degree

While there are no specific film set design degrees, most film set designers get their education by starting in a theatre program. Getting a Bachelor of Arts in theatre production set design will provide an education in all aspects of set design, including construction, design concepts, drafting, hands-on experience and much more.

I recommend: The Art Institutes International has a Bachelor's degree program in set and exhibit design. The UMBC Department of Theatre and Illinois State University both have exceptional degree programs in set design.

Shape your education perfectly for film set design

Customize your education for a career in movie or TV set design by adding a short-term film program to a Bachelor's degree in set design. This will give you an education specific to the film production industry, and when supplementing a four-year degree in set design, you will be perfectly trained for a successful career with movie set designs.

I recommend: The International Academy of Film and Television offers diploma, certificate and short-term workshops in film making. The New York Film Academy offers an intensive one-year film program.

Learn essential movie set design software

Training and education in the most widely-used, computer-aided drafting programs will set you above the rest and prepare you for entry-level drafting positions with film set design companies, especially since many college programs concentrate heavily on hand drafting.

I recommend: Familiarize yourself with AutoCAD, the most widely used program, with the tutorials available on Autodesk. Take online courses from The CAD Institute for training in various levels of AutoCAD or 3D Studio VIZ.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Further develop skills as a well-rounded film set designer by having an understanding of art, art history, history, architecture and interior design.

Find or become a film set designer for high quality, creative TV set design, production set design or movie set design. Film, theater and TV set design offer you a means to bring your idea to fruition by giving you a plausible setting for your storyline. Set designers deal with lighting, staging, fake weather conditions and more, all to bring a sense of reality to your production.

Film set design can be a complicated mix of carpentry, paint, building facades and props. These items are all used in conjunction to set the stage and tone for the actors' performances.

To find the right film set design resources for you:

1. Determine if you plan to be your own film set designer or if you plan to hire out to a film set designing firm.

2. Work with your team or with your film set designers on your big idea. Then work with those same people to compile a budget to create your ideal scene or scenes.

3. Remember that lighting is just as important to your scene creation as the props are. Proper lighting is imperative to all film and theater projects.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn how to be your own film set designer

Film set design is a skill that you can learn on a higher education level. Consider formal training like specialized design institutes or artistic academies to improve your skills for your own productions or lend your hand as a professional for others.

I recommend: Earn an M.F.A. and Certificate production set design from the Yale School of Drama. The program includes education in set, costume, lighting, and sound design for the theater. Consider the highly ranked theater school at DePaul University for your production set design education.

Use a production set design search engine

Forget the old standbys of Google or Yahoo. Instead use an industry specific search directory to find the right set or film set designer for you.

I recommend: Find film set designers through the Blu-Book Production Directory or ProductionHUB.COM. You can also find freelance set designers at Guru.com.

Find a professional production set design team

Use a production set design team to cover your film, television or theater production needs. From staging, to lighting to carpentry and more, your set will be developed with a large number of interwoven components that all have to cohesively be assembled to make an impact.

I recommend: Jack Link & Associates, Inc. can provide you a wide variety of film set designing full service options. Check out production set design and painting services offered by 11thourDesign. Take a look at the production and film set designing services of Baker Brothers Creative, Inc. Take a look at the extensive set design portfolio of designSMITH Collaborative, a collaboration of freelance designers.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Movie set design can be far more elaborate than TV set design, often requiring big budget special effects. Work with a trained movie production design professional to handle any set additions that could become any sort of safety risk, such as fire or large amounts of water.

Film set design is an exciting career and requires a good deal of education to break into the field. In fact, most professional set designers hold a Master’s of Fine Arts degree in set design or another theatrical area. Set designers need to pay attention to detail. If they make a mistake, such as including a piece from the wrong time period, audience members will take note. For anyone interested in working in the field of set design, there are several key terms that you should understand.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Scenic Design

Scenic design, or set design, involves creating the places for film scenes. This could be anything from a school to a beach to a home. Set designers need to take care that every object in the scene belongs there, particularly with period pieces.

I recommend: Ruth Neeman is a set designer who offers several pictures of her set designs on her website.

Rendering

Before a crew builds the set for a film production, the set designer may create a rendering, or image, of what it should look like. This could be through sketches with pencil or paint or could also be 3-D images rendered through a computer program.

I recommend: ScrewHead Graphics offers samples of sets that it's rendered for clients.

Set

The set is where filmmakers shoot the film. While it may look like a film takes place inside a house, most films are shot on a set, which does not include all four walls.

I recommend: Merriam Webster offers a visual aid showing what a film set looks like.

Props

Props are the small things in the background of a scene that make it look more realistic. For example, props on a set for a home may include family pictures, lamps and books. The propmaster is in charge of all props.

I recommend: Props Unlimited specializes in prop rentals You can get a feel for different types of props by browsing its site.

Scale models

Before building a set, the set designer may create a scale model of the design. This is a smaller version of the design in which everything has the same ratio.

I recommend: Scale Reproductions creates scale models for its clients, with examples of architectural scale models on its site. The MovieBlog.com has pictures and discussion of scale models used in the making of the movie “The Incredible Hulk.”

Master carpenter

The master carpenter is the person in charge of building the set. The master carpenter takes care of the basics, while the propmaster dresses the set to gain authenticity.

I recommend: The University of Wisconsin at Madison lists a job description for a master carpenter.