What Do Set Designers Do?

Set designers create plans and scale models of sets for film, television, and theatrical productions. They typically start by reading the script thoroughly and meeting with the director to fully comprehend the style and tone of the story. They also work with the costume, lighting, and sound departments to develop a unified plan of action to carry out the director’s vision. The goal is to design a set that accurately conveys the historical period, location, time of day, and mood of the scene. Set designers research and create a list of requirements for building the set, including props, furnishing, and other materials, while working within a reasonable budget.

Set designers have an excellent understanding of space and scale as well as great technical skills, which helps them read blueprints, create set sketches to scale, build set models to scale, and use design software programs. Coupled with their creative skills, set designers are terrific problem solvers and find inspiration in nearly everything they see. They are also effective collaborators, not only working with the director and the design team to come up with the initial set ideas, but also working with the construction team after set models have been approved.

Learn more about what a set designer does:

“Design Challenge – designing and making a set” by Royal Opera House

Set designers have an important role in how a production’s story gets told. They create the environment in which the story takes place, offering both minor background details and bold, larger-than-life visuals that elicit the proper reaction from audience members. Without a scenic backdrop, props, painting or flooring, it can be harder to make a story believable.

If you are looking for a set designer for your next production, we have professional set designers in Nevada who have worked on such projects as Stranger Things, Party Bus to Hell, Lake Mead, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, and more. If you are looking for a set designer for your next production, check out our online Nevada Production Directory for a list of set designers in Nevada or drop by our office and pick up a free printed directory!

If you have a set design company in Nevada and are not yet listed in our Nevada Production Directory, you can learn more about how to sign up for the NPD here.

Related Production Services: Set Construction, Production Designer

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