Production Design A Message from Production Design's Senior Filmmaker-in-Residence Attracting artists from architecture, interior design, theater arts, scenic design and other related fields, the Production Design curriculum focuses on the creative process of visually and physically developing an environment that becomes an essential component of the storytelling process. Production Designers must possess a keen understanding of the story in order to create a believable and realistic world on screen. First Year Fellows collaborate on at least three produced narrative projects, learning to transform designs into reality on a soundstage or location, while adhering to restricted budgets. Fellows develop design skills through classes, workshops and practical set construction, learning traditional drafting methods as well as computer-aided design. Digital design tools and techniques are integral to the curriculum. Second Year Fellows design an entire thesis production, while completing an independent design project for their portfolio. The curriculum also includes more advanced classes on set illustration, drafting, model building, budgeting, color theory and the latest digital design. These courses help Production Design Fellows learn to communicate their visions to their AFI production teams, as well as to future professional colleagues. During the course of study, Fellows have the opportunity to meet art department professionals during campus seminars and visits to Los Angeles film sets. FIRST YEAR CURRICULUM PRN 510: Introduction to Cycle Production - Boot Camp (First Term) (4 Credit Hours) Intensive introductory workshop on the fundamentals of story, cycle production, critical analysis, and collaborative processes. All discipline Fellows collaborate on production exercises as well as receive specialized instruction from their particular program's point of view. Production design Fellows will be exposed to basic stagecraft techniques such as set construction and faux finishing and will be required to design, construct and dress a standing set on the sound stage for production use during the academic year. PRN 511: Cycle Production I (First Term) (5 Credit Hours) A workshop wherein Fellows team to form production groups which produce a short narrative project on digital video. Production Design Fellows provide basic art direction on two projects as well as work as crew in order to strengthen on-set experience as well as contribute to the visual storytelling effort. If for any reason Production Designers design more than the minimum required, they are expected to fulfill all responsibilities and will be evaluated accordingly. PRN 512: Cycle Production II (Second Term) (10 Credit Hours) A continuing production workshop wherein Fellows team to produce two short narrative projects. First Year Production Designers must successfully fulfill all pre-production and production responsibilities on at least two narrative short projects per production cycle. If for any reason Production Designers design more than the minimum required, they are expected to fulfill all responsibilities and will be evaluated accordingly. DES 521 & 522: The Art and Craft of Production Design: Art Department Skills/Dramatic Analysis (First and Second Terms) (2 Credit Hours Total) Introduces Fellows to some of the creative and technical skills necessary for film concept design and presentation. Fellows will be required to perform research exercises and document existing locations with photographs, measured plans and elevations and physical models as an aide to pre-visualization by the creative team. There will also be short exercises to strengthen the Fellows design abilities. In addition, Fellows will be required to present research, sketches, models and scale drawings of their own design concepts for sets based upon a screenplay provided by Faculty. The emphasis will be on design solutions that complement the narrative of the screenplay and the characters within. DES 511 & 512: Production Design Workshop (First and Second Terms) (3 Credit Hours Total) A workshop exploring theory of production design in film, television and new media, as well as the application of art, design and architecture to moving image storytelling. Fellows learn about the role of the Production Designer in the production process. The seminar also covers the business of production design, including breakdowns and budgeting as well as the organization and running of the art department. The work of established production designers is examined through research, set visits and guest speakers. In addition, all First Year productions are deconstructed and analyzed by faculty and Fellows addressing specific issues, techniques and strategies of production design. DES 532: Perspective (Second Term) (1 Credit Hour) This course focuses on traditional perspective drawing techniques and their use in communicating design concepts. The different types of perspective drawings such as thumbnails, set sketches, production paintings and when they are used will be discussed. Additional topics include the use of line, tone and color in the development of 1, 2 & 3 point perspectives. Fellows will be required to draw perspectives from a variety of source material including photos, virtual models and life itself. Linear perspective methods will be demonstrated. DES 541: 2D Digital Design (First Term) (1 Credit Hour) A workshop covering computer design related systems and operations, digital design fundamentals, digital graphics and imaging, and computer assisted drafting. Includes orientation to digital production lab, basic software including PhotoShop and After Effects and other tools. Fellows are required to engage in extensive self-study and lab work in addition to workshop presentations. DES 542: 3D Digital Design (Second Term) (1 Credit Hour) This workshop introduces some of the many ways 3D digital tools are used in the contemporary Art Department. Topics of discussion will include 3D Pre-visualization, set extensions and animation. Fellows will be instructed in the use of SketchUp software to create virtual 3D models of their own design concepts. CON 511 & 512: Master Seminars (First and Second Terms) (2 Credit Hours Total) The Master Seminars present leading figures from all aspects of the motion picture, television and digital media arts. The seminars are designed to provide Fellows with a broad and varied perspective on the contemporary moving image arts and profession. Active participation and attendance is required. CON 521 & 522: Approaches to the Moving Image Arts (First and Second Terms) (2 Credit Hours Total) This seminar and screening series provides a broad survey of American and international cinema in order to explore the aesthetic, cultural, historical and social phenomenon of the moving image arts. Active participation and attendance is required. CON 531: Design for Film (First Term) (1 Credit Hour) This course will offer a thorough analysis of film design using scenes from historic and contemporary landmark films. It will explore and analyze the production designer's role in the art of storytelling. Critical fundamentals of the film design process will be discussed, including, but not limited to: light & color theory, composition in film (a moving target) and narrative driven set design. A film driven roundtable format, handouts, lectures, film clips and participating guest speakers will reinforce course content. Fellows will be required to critically analyze the design of two films of their own choice. Year One Portfolio Review Upon review of the First Year work, faculty invites Fellows to continue to the Second Year and candidacy for the Master of Fine Arts Degree or Certificate. The portfolio review is conducted by Production Design faculty through a formal interview of each Production Design Fellow, which results in a recommendation regarding future work in the program. SECOND YEAR CURRICULUM PRN 610: Thesis Production - Production Design (12 Credit Hours Total) Building on the First Year production experience, the Production Design Fellows must successfully fulfill all pre-production and production responsibilities on a thesis production--a professionally executed short film or digital video project--which is evaluated by the senior faculty. Production Designers collaborate with project team members under the guidance of thesis production mentor faculty. Thesis production teams participate in special development, pre-production and post-production workshops. In addition, teams visit discipline workshops on a scheduled basis over the course of pre-production, production and post-production in order to gain a thorough understanding of the collaborative interdisciplinary creative process. If a Production Design Fellow is approved by faculty to design more than one thesis production, the additional project(s) will be considered an additional thesis requirement for completion of the degree or certificate. DES 611 & 612: Advanced Production Design Workshop: Set Design (First and Second Terms) (2 Credit Hours Total) This course on advanced set design reviews and strengthens the Fellow's conceptual and drafting skills. It immerses the Fellows in the process of design through drafting, and through construction into filming. Class emphasis will also involve the use of standard and film construction techniques and materials, and how they can best be employed to achieve the desired design. Each Fellow will be provided with a series of script pages, be required to design the given sets, and then must produce the corresponding series of drafted drawings. Training will also be provided regarding the anticipation of problems in the construction and filming of their sets, and general art department troubleshooting. DES 621 & 622: Advanced Art & Craft of Production Design (First and Second Terms) (4 Credit Hours Total) An intensive hands-on computer laboratory class on the use of the Macintosh computer and Form Z software. Digital drafting and rendering will be studied concurrently throughout the two terms on an increasing complex level to keep Fellows design drafting work in synch with advancing modeling and raytraced rendering skills. The Second Term concentrates on more advanced 3D modeling techniques, such as lighting a 3D model and creating an animated walk-through of a set. Emphasis will be placed on using software to quickly visualize concepts and present finished drawings in a practical situation for art directing purposes. A final project is required which can be coordinated with the Fellow's thesis project. DES 631: Advanced Production Design Topics: Storyboarding (First Term) (1 Credit Hour) In this workshop, Fellows will create storyboards, shot lists and camera diagrams from an existing scene. In addition, Fellows will continue to develop freehand sketching skills by drawing from the live model. Gesture, expression and body language as well as camera position, angle and distance and their use in composing storyboards will be discussed. Fellows will then create original storyboards, key frame illustrations, shot lists and camera diagrams from a scene of their choice. DES 632: Advanced Production Design Topics: Advanced Imagery (Second Term) (1 Credit Hour) Different rendering techniques such as dry markers, pastel, watercolors, acrylics and oil painting techniques are demonstrated in this workshop. Using any of the techniques demonstrated, Fellows are required to create two production paintings of designs they develop in DES 611 & 612. Fellows are also required to explore a design specialty of their own choice. Possible options include costume design, prop-making or visual effects. DES 651: Digital Design: Graphics (First Term) (1 Credit Hour) This workshop explores digital design of graphics, signage and titles related to film. Fellows are instructed in the use of Illustrator and are required to select from a series of graphic exercises related to their thesis project. DES 652: Digital Design: Portfolio (Second Term) (1 Credit Hour) A workshop in digital design related to new media. Fellows are instructed in how to design and produce their own website and design and edit their own demo DVD. DES 670: Internship Practicum (Term TBA) (1 Credit Hour) Elective or Required This is an internship course that may become a required course for credit as recommended by the discipline faculty mentor. All aspects of this internship must be an integral part of the Fellow's discipline curriculum. The objective of this course is to provide working experience in the approved film/TV profession as it pertains specifically to the Fellow's discipline and degree/certificate requirements. Specific duties and requirements will be outlined and supervised by the faculty mentor. This internship qualifies an international Fellow for Curriculum Practical Training; approval must be obtained by the International Advisor as well as the faculty mentor and Dean prior to enrolling in the course. DES 690: Thesis Portfolio - Production Design (Thesis Term To Be Arranged) (8 Credit Hours) Fellows are required to document the development of their thesis project including analysis and visual interpretations of the script, color flows, storyboards, key frame illustrations, set design sketches, floor plans, perspective drawings, models, computer renderings, as well as set construction and finished set photographic documentation. In addition, Design Fellows select and prepare additional illustrative work for this professional portfolio. The completed portfolio will be presented to senior faculty for review, evaluation and approval for graduation. CON 611 & 612: Master Seminars (First and Second Terms) (2 Credit Hours Total) Elective The Master Seminars present leading figures from all aspects of the motion picture, television and digital media arts. The seminars are designed to provide Fellows with a broad and varied perspective on the contemporary moving image arts and profession. Second Year Fellows may attend the seminars on a space available basis only. CON 681 & 682: The Profession (First and Second Term) (2 Credit Hours Total) This series of seminars provides an overview of the contemporary motion picture professions. In order to aid the transition into a professional career, this course provides current information and insight into the workings of the established and independent motion picture and television professions.