Decorating Pages: TV and Film Design

On this episode I speak with Director, Producer, Writer, AD Jeff Rosenberg. I’ve worked with Jeff for a couple of years on different shows as our first AD and second AD and he’s great in both positions. In this past year Jeff finished the film “We Broke Up” which he wrote, produced and directed. I wanted to have him on the podcast because it’s so interesting to me to hear how someone can wear all...

On this episode I am joined by Production Designer James Pearse Connelly and we discuss the nominated designs and the winners of the 2020 Emmys for Production Design. If you have listened to James and I recap before you know we don't’ hold back, and we drink! I’m super glad that he’s up for this and is able to go head to head discussing all of these celebrated TV shows. We talk about who we though...

On this episode I am joined by storyboard artist Gabriel Hardman. I spoke to him in early July after seeing him in the documentary “Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Story”. A documentary about storyboard artist Harold Michelson and his wife Lillian Michelson, a film researcher. In the documentary they interview a current storyboard artist, Gabriel Hardamn. The documentary inspired me to track him d...

On this episode I speak with Production Designer Jamie McCall. From her days of graphic designing on "House" to designing non stop for the past two years on "American Crime Story: Versace", "Pose", "The Politician" and the upcoming Netflix film "The Prom". We talk about her moving around the country to work in this industry, how other Production Designers have helped and influenced her, her work o...

On this episode I speak with Set Decorator / Production Designer Matthew Flood Ferguson. Matthew is currently nominated for an Emmy for his work on the Netflix series “Hollywood” for Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Period or Fantasy Program. His career as a Set Decorator focused on films like "Running with Scissors", "Beautiful Creatures", "The Gift", "Battle of the Sexes" and more…...

On this episode I speak with Production Designer Monica Sotto. Monica is celebrating her nomination for Outstanding Production Design for Variety, Nonfiction, Reality or Reality-Competition Programming for “Drunk History”. She was also nominated in 2017 when she was the Art Director on "Drunk History". This past January, when we were still allow to party, Monica and her team also picked up an Art...

This episode is very special to me because I speak with a Designer idol of mine Production Designer Jane Musky. The films that Jane has designed have influenced me more than I realized. Although I have seen almost all of her films, multiple times, when I refreshed and watched some again, it made me feel passion, excitement, and my love for making set decorating. Jane designed Raising Arizona, Youn...

On this episode I speak with Jonathan Fischer who is an editor in unscripted reality television. Jonathan has been working on shows like Expedition Unknown, Little Woman:Dallas, Battlebots, American Guns, Ultimate Fighter, The Biggest Loser and more. He explains to me how the editing process begins, works and ends on a project. How the Tsunami in Japan in 2011 changed the editing industry forever....

On this episode I speak with Set Decorator Don Diers who’s passion for details in his sets and his choice for specific charter pieces are so wonderful to discover when you watch his work! Starting in film as an art director he quickly discovered his passion for creating the characters in dressing and switched paths to be a Set Decorator. Creating memorable sets on films like the picture perfect “D...

On this episode I speak with the Production Design team of the final season of "The Good Place". Production Designer; Ian Phillips, Art Director; Adam Rowe, Prop Master; Gay Perello and Graphic Designer; Graham Radcliff watch the series finale of "The Good Place" together and reminisce how we all got it done. It was so nice to see each other, especially in this time. Watching the series finale tog...

On this episode I speak with Production Designer Brain Stonestreet. Brian’s crater is jammed packed with huge live programs. Brian designs the stages for live evets like The Grammy’s, The Golden Globe Awards, The Soul Train Awards (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11182954/?ref_=nm_flmg_pdsg_3), The BET Hip-Hop Awards (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10950998/?ref_=nm_flmg_pdsg_4), The Billboard Music Aw...

On this episode I speak with Set Decorator Brandi Kalish. Brandi was brave enough to take over HBO’s "Silicon Valley" season five and she jumped into massive new sets and continued that in season 6, its final season. We get into how she has a mentor in Production Designer Michael Wehstone, the massive sets she decorated for "Silicon Valley", and balancing a budget with help from product placement....

On this episode I speak with Production Designer / Set Decorator Tracy DIshman. I met Tracy on the NBC show Animal Practice, and unfortunately haven't been able to work with her again. Tracy is able to balance a career Production Designing independent films and still Set Decorating inbetween. Her recent credits include the Sundance film “Black Bear”, “Inherit the Viper”, James Franco’s “Zeroville”...

In this episode I speak with my friend, Production Designer Cory Lorenzen. Besides being the Designer for "The Goldbergs" and "Schooled" he also is an Art Director in Entertainment Design for Universal, Nickelodeon and others. Starting his career with the indy hit "Napoleon Dynamite" he’s been designing films and tv shows like "Greek", "The Paul Riser Show", "Breaking In", "Web Therapy" the period...

In this episode I interview Production Designer Bob Shaw, known for his work on "The Irishman", "The Sopranos", "Boardwalk Empire", "Wolf of Wall Street" and so many more. His thoughts on working in New York City on period projects, thoughts on working in this Covid world an his upcoming work on "The Gilded Age" and the Sopranos prequel "The Many Saints of Newark".

In this episode I conclude my interview with production designer Eugenio Caballero. He speaks about a very unique design process in designing the film “Roma”. He has had some extraordinary experiences working on film sand he talks about those collaborations like with director Jim Jarmusch, working and traveling in this work with a family, and how releasing films on streaming verse in the theater.

On this episode I speak with Production Designer Eugenio Caballero. We discuss his current show “Cortes” shutting down for the pandemic. His passion about this subject and the personal relation he has to the project. He shares his journey of starting out designing music videos and set decorating then becoming a Production Designer. He also tells of his collaboration with Director Guillermo del Tor...

In this episode Production Designer Adam Rowe and I analyze the the Best Production Design brackets that hopefully you have been voting on the last 6 weeks. I took the Best Production Design Oscar winners and nominees since the 60’s and had March madness type brackets to vote on each week.  Adam was very kind to support me thru this and honestly was probably one of the few people I can say voted a...

In this episode I talk with Set Dec Buyer Laine Abramson. Laine has been a buyer since the early 2000’s and we talk about how she changed positions from props to find her niche as a buyer. How she chooses challenging shows and different resources she uses to get the set right. She has worked on features like "Oceans 12", "Constantine", "Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift" and "John Carter". Hectic TV s...

This is part two of my interview with Production Designer David Gropman. We discuss how he selects a crew when working overseas, his work with many amazing Set Decorator, Designing "Life of Pi" and working with director Ang Lee. I also check in with Annie Beauchamp, Caleb Duffy, Ethan Goodwin and Derek Hill on their pandemic experiences and their return to work guesses.

In this episode I am talking about my opinion of how this pandemic will effect production in the entertainment industry and my Set Dressing department. Production Designer David Gropman joins me and we also discuss how he has been effected by the pandemic and how his show was shut down in Italy. We talk about how he started in the business, "Chocolat", "Date Night", "One Fine Day"and the many broa...

Part two of my interview with Buyer Ethan Goodwin is all about the projects he has worked on. We talk about the period shows he has been apart of such as "For All Mankind" and "Perry Mason". We also talk about how our vendors somehow come through for us, and how real life timing vs. TV/Film timing is different. If we need it in two days somehow things happen. I also start with how the Coronavirs i...

In this episode I speak with my friend Ethan Goodwin. Ethan has the position of “Buyer” in the Set Dressing department and I couldn't do my job with out it. In an industry of "Hurry Up and Wait", we in Set Dressing have to make very quick turnarounds and figure out the logistics of getting everything to set. The buyer has become a vital position and Ethan is the best of the best. Coordinating sele...

On this episode I resume my conversation with Production Designer James Pearse Connelly. James has his hands full designing hit shows like "The Masked Singer", "The Voice", "Making It", and many more. We talk about his start int he business and how he now runs his own design company.

On this episode I recap the award season and Art Director Guild awards with Production Designer James Pearce Connelly. We talk through each category and about the Oscar winning Production Design of "Once Upon A Time In Hollywood". "Parasite" "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel", "Avengers: Endgame", "Chernobyl (https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=chernobyl&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8)", "The Big Ban...