Supervising Art Director
Supervising Art Directors have a primarily organisational role on big budget films which require a number of sets and involve large Art Departments. They manage the budget and schedule, enabling Production Designers to translate their vision into reality. The sheer complexity of the work and the speed inherent in film production means that it is unrealistic for Production Designers to depend on one Art Director to realise their vision. Big sci-fi epics or action films require teams of Art Directors and Supervising Art Directors to ensure that the work and the department run smoothly. Most Supervising Art Directors are requested by the Production Designer or Producer and usually work, on a freelance basis, exclusively on feature films. The hours are long and the job can involve long periods working away from home.
What is the job?
During preproduction, Supervising Art Directors work closely with the Production Designer and the Construction Manager to estimate the costs of the three main areas of Art Department spend: Set Construction, Set Decoration, and Art Department labour. Supervising Art Directors consult with the Producer and Production Manager and offer practical guidance to the Production Designer, ensuring that budgets are not exceeded. Supervising Art Directors also carefully analyse the shooting schedule (also known as the Final Schedule and usually determined by Actors' availability), calculating the precise dates when sets must be ready and in place, or dismantled and new sets built. This requires careful planning, precise attention to detail, and constant monitoring so that the shoot runs smoothly.
Supervising Art Directors delegate the work created by the Production Designer, making sure that accurate technical drawings and models are produced, sets constructed, and all props and set decoration organised. They are in constant communication with each of the Art Directors (who are responsible for the production of individual sets). During the shoot, they oversee the entire Art Department, ensuring that there are no hidden costs or overspending, and that all sets and locations are prepared and ready for filming. After the film has wrapped (is completed), Supervising Art Directors ensure that the records of the entire department, including all research materials, drawings and models, etc., are properly filed and stored. As Supervising Art Directors have considerable knowledge of the Art Department and about how each set has been constructed, they may also work as Standby Art Directors during filming.
Typical career routes
Supervising Art Directors should have extensive experience of working within the Art Department and must have acquired their reputation as reliable, highly capable Art Directors on a number of films. They usually progress from working as Art Department Runners or Assistants, to Junior Draughtsmen*, to Draughtsmen or Assistant Art Directors, and eventually to Art Directors. Because this role is only required on big budget films, most Supervising Art Directors also work as Art Directors.
Essential knowledge and skills
Supervising Art Directors should have an expert knowledge of Interior Design and Architecture as well as a practical understanding of building and construction. Excellent knowledge of computer budgeting software, e.g., Excel, is vital. A full clean driving license is required.
Key Skills include:
Training and qualifications
Supervising Art Directors are usually graduates of Art, Architecture, Theatre, Interior or 3D Design courses. Some individuals may also undertake higher level courses in Film and/or Theatre Production Design. After training, it is equally important to acquire on the job experience of how Art Departments work.
Individual course accreditation in certain subject areas is currently being piloted. As part of Skillset's and the UK Film Council's Film Skills Strategy, A Bigger Future, a network of Screen Academies and a Film Business Academy have been approved as centres of excellence in education and training for film.
Where to go for more informationSkillset is the Sector Skills Council for the Audio Visual Industries. The first sources of information for all jobs in the industry are the National Occupational Standards. Browse Skillset's website for links to our network of training partners, information about training and access to the comprehensive Skillset/BFI course database. Finally, Skillset Careers is UK's only specialist media careers advice service; for detailed media careers information and advice, visit www.skillset.org/careers.
Websites
- British Film Designers Guild
- American Cinematographer has regular features on film design and digital production techniques.
Publications
- Ken Adam: The Art of Production Design (Faber and Faber) by Christopher Frayling
- Production Design and Art Direction (Focal Press) by Peter Ettedgui
- By Design: Interviews with Film Production Designers (Greenwood Press) by Vincent LoBrutto
- Film Architecture: From Metropolis to Blade Runner (Prestel Publishing Ltd). Edited by D. Neumann 2001
- Filming the Future (Aurum Press Ltd) by Piers Bizony
- The Invisible Art: The Legends of Movie Matt Painting (Chronicle Books) by M. Cotta Vaz and C. Barron
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Supervising Art Director
*The terms Draughtsman or Draughtsmen are used generically and refer to both men and women practitioners
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