8 Things I Learned On My First Set Design Job
Feeling over formula and my theory about the ultimate freelance artist...
Freelancing is the Mary Poppins bag of the working world.
It’s surprising, comical, strange, and a bit hard to make sense of sometimes. One day you’re pulling out a compact and a pair of white gloves, the next it’s a fully lit floor lamp. All from the same dusty carpet bag.
In today’s scenario, I am Mary Poppins (charmed) and my arsenal of random skills is my carpet bag. Occasionally, I reach into my bag and two of the items have morphed together to create some weird new skill I’ve yet to fully flesh out…
Such was the case last week, when I landed my first official set design job.
While I’ve spent plenty of time in front of the camera and even done some prop styling recently, this was my first time building an entire set from scratch. If you know me, though, you know I love interiors, so when the opportunity to design a set came along, I leapt without looking. Straight to coasting downhill- no training wheels. This is often the case with freelance life, I’ve learned. Luckily, this particular project called for simple, cozy, living room vibes and those happen to be my forté (if I may say so myself).
Today I’m listing my biggest takeaways from my first set design experience- what I could have done better, what went well- if you’re interested in hearing about the process…
I absolutely love being on a set. I suppose I learned that this summer (do you want to hear about my experience being on a tv show?), but each time I participate in the process behind the camera, I like it more and more. My hyperactive attention to detail fits right in on a film set or photoshoot. *grabs teeny, near invisible piece of lint, poufs pillow*
I don’t know as much as I’d like to about camera and lighting equipment. And when I say I don’t know as much, I mean my photography education began and ended with a high school dark room development class. It was so cool! But not at all applicable in the context of the projects I’m interested in working on these days. Any good YouTube courses I should know about?
Like laughing with your friends, flower arranging is also great therapy. Wow, that was an earnest sentence- you can shudder if you need to. But it’s true! At least for my meticulous, balance-driven brain, arranging $68 worth of Trader Joe’s florals into $15 worth of glass vessels was a dang delight. I’ll be doing more of it in the future, and you should, too.
Lighting takes…a while. When I first started dipping my toes in tv/film last spring, a more experienced friend told me, “It’s a lot of hurry up and wait.” Can confirm! Be prepared to sit for a few hours and look busy while the lighting folks do their thing. Bring a book, shoot the shit, rearrange your florals, contemplate your existence, listen and learn from all of the artists around you.
Bring more than you think you need. I’m a visual person, and I like to play with lots of options before choosing a final set up. I’m feeling over formula. So my advice to me is rent a U-Haul and pack that thing FULL. It’s annoying, but it’s also your job (today. lol).
Be available. Don’t arrange to return your U-Haul mid-set up/during rush hour unless you absolutely MUST! If you must, do a preliminary set up and take photos so your PAs can help recreate the set up in your absence. Film loves a reference photo.
When you are offered food, eat it! Whether it’s a gourmet meal on Amazon’s dime or greasy Pizza J (yum) in a strange ‘90s office kitchen, don’t pass it up. On a film set, you truly do not know when you’ll have a chance to eat again, and detailed work is sneakily exhausting. Fuel up- and maybe pack snacks.
Caution, another earnest statement coming: Believe in yourself. I almost said “Confidence is key” but something in that sentiment implies fallacy. Fake it ‘til you make it? We can do better. Sometimes the confidence isn’t there yet- this is your first time doing something new, for crying out loud! Instead of faking confidence, why not build something real into your character? Believe that you can do this, you will learn, and confidence will come. You’ve got this!
My biggest takeaway: A freelance artist is Mary Poppins, because Mary Poppins is a freelance artist.
The freelance artist.
Ha. Hear me out- she’s floats into town with her ducky umbrella, cleans up all the messes, fixes the problems, and does it all with singing and style. The pin stripes and red necktie? Practically perfect.
Poppins serves up medicine with a spoonful of sugar and then floats away, back to the cloud she came from. Always with her trusty carpet bag of tricks close by. Have I taken the metaphor too far? Perhaps, but there’s a lot we can learn from MP, the original freelance artist. In the spirit of learning to play and playing to learn, I’ll leave you with one of her best quotes:
“In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun and- SNAP- the job’s a game.”
WHAT I’M GETTING UP TO AND INTO:
Speaking of Mary Poppins, have you listened to Julia Louis Dreyfus interviewing Julie Andrews on her podcast “Wiser Than Me”? It’s so fun to hear Julia fan girl over Julie! They also discuss Julia’s love of The Sound of Music, Julie’s experience with losing her singing voice, and their favorite swear words…
I love wearing a different scent each season- smells have such transporting powers! In the summer it’s a scent my friends and I lovingly call Baby Carrot, but as soon as the air crisps up, I’m going for the Jo Malone C gifted me a few Christmases ago. Wood Sage & Sea Salt feels perfectly musky but still fresh for fall. Which scents do you love?
Did you think the lamp in my Mary Poppins collage was fun? Me too…Duzy Designs on Etsy has all kinds of handmade lamps and lampshades and each one is different and stinking cute. Should I get a crazy new lampshade? Do I talk about lamps too much? Probably and probably.
Sebastian Bergström’s tiny apartment in Stockholm is bursting with color! It’s definitely more intense than my style, but so harmonious and cheerful. Definitely taking notes as I add more and more color to our little NYC apartment this fall/winter.
Have you heard about the new movie “Lee”? Kate Winslet tells the story of Lee Miller, a fashion model turned acclaimed war correspondent for Vogue Magazine during World War I. It looks fantastic- can’t wait to check it out this weekend.
I’ve mentioned before that I have sensitive skin and don’t use a lot of products on my face, but I swear by this sheet mask. It feels so luxurious on my skin, and I swear it smooths out my pores and fine lines. I store it in the fridge for a cooling effect and save it for nights when I know I’m staying in so I can leave it on for hours (some people even sleep in it!). Go have yourself a spa night- they come in a pack of 4 for $19.
CAM’S REC REC OF THE WEEK:
Mile End, by Ariel Posen
WOW WOW WOW! Your writing never disappoints XOXO