FILM
Zak Penn’s television adaptation of Hugh Howey’s 2015 sci-fi novel.
Set in the darkest recesses of space, the series starring Lena Heady and Stephan James, is a suspenseful thriller and love story where two people are trapped in a lighthouse at the end of the known universe.
The Season 1 Pilot Directed by Reed Morano, garnered multiple awards including my Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Production Design at the 69th annual awards.
Two different Production Designers brought their vision to the production, one for the first five episodes and one for the last five. This, as well as the changing and various visions of Directors through the series, necessarily meant that the Director of Photography (Colin Watkinson) and I, as Supervising Art Director, were important components in the creative continuity of the show.
Director: James Cameron
The Avatar Sequels naturally take as their point of departure his epic science fiction film. Engaged as a Set Designer to create Construction Documents + Digital Models. (VFX Assets)
Avatar: The Way of Water (Sequel 2)
Jake Sully lives with his newfound family formed on the planet of Pandora. Once a familiar threat returns to finish what was previously started, Jake must work with Neytiri and the army of the Na'vi race to protect their planet.
Director: Lewin Webb
This chilling psychological drama stars Christian Slater (True Romance, Interview with a Vampire), Molly Parker (TV's "Deadwood", The Center of the World) and Stephen Rea (The Crying Game, The End of the Affair), and tells the story of a priest who fights to clear the name of a fellow priest accused of murder only to find out that the truth will test his faith to the limit and put his only trust in the woman he let go.
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Production Designer Paul Austerberry received multiple accolades for his work on The Shape of Water including an Oscar, BAFTA, and Art Directors Guild awards.
As an Assistant Art Director, modelling select set pieces of ‘period’ scenery involved extensive research into a very limited and particular time and place – Buffalo, New York 1957 -59. Marquee profiles, light sources + graphic styles were paramount in establishing the tone for these scenes.
As an Art Director for the inaugural Season my role was to interpret the design direction, developing and augmenting its visual expression. The Anthology format required specific attention being paid to creating a cohesive tone while expressing the particularities of 10 unique storylines.
“Next stop ahead The Twilight Zone. CBS All Access’ re-imagining of the original series, which premiered in 1959, debuted in early 2019. Jordan Peele serves as host and narrator of the new series, a role made famous by creator Rod Serling, who used socially conscious storytelling to explore the human condition and culture of the times.”
A Netflix Original series created by Katie Cappiello (based on her play SLUT) — “Grand Army tunnels into a generation that’s raging and rising. Five students at the largest public high school in Brooklyn take on our chaotic world as they fight to succeed, survive, wild out, break free, and seize the future.”
Starring Odessa A’zion, Maliq Johnson, Amalia Yoo, Amir Bageria, and Odley Jean.
Director: Mike Barker
Set during a pivot-point in American Culture - the ‘Me Too’ movement is gaining traction simultaneously as the 43rd President is elected.
This adapted screenplay from a New York Times Bestselling novel tells the story of Ani FaNelli (Kunis), a sharp-tongued New Yorker who appears to have it all: a sought-after position at a glossy magazine, a killer wardrobe, and a dream Nantucket wedding on the horizon. But when the director of a crime documentary invites her to tell her side of the shocking incident that took place when she was a teenager at the prestigious Brentley School, Ani is forced to confront a dark truth that threatens to unravel her meticulously crafted life.
As Art Director of this deeply affecting story, the task was to ensure the Production Designer’s vision was supported in staging the protagonist’s seemingly perfect world while also carefully exposing her sublimated turmoil.
Set in a post-apocalyptic world where all beings on the planet with Y chromosome died, Y follows Yorick, the only surviving male human on the planet and his journey in search of answers. Based on the acclaimed comic series '' Y: The Last Man ''.
Director: Dean Israelite
The predominate task as a Set Designer was translating nurbs-based, organic forms into orthogonal based construction drawings critical to ensuring construction in a compressed time-frame. As counterpoint to this fantastical science-fiction world, I was tasked with replicating a specific train car specimen to exacting detail.
Director: David Ayer
Set Designing military vehicles (after extensive research) requiring close coordination with Special Effects, Visual Effects and Stunt personnel resulted in the precise likenesses of helicopters and cargo planes to execute some of the film’s more dramatic action sequences.
Director: Guillermo del Toro
As a Set Designer, translating hand-drawn tracerie, balustrades and newel posts to facilitate CNC fabrication was required to accommodate changing Art and Construction and Scenic Department skills and processes. Effective use of digital fabrication techniques economized in terms of time and manual effort. Working from hand-drawn documentation of the ornate design work would have required extensive hand sculpting and carefully coordinated final assembly with scenic finishing. Under Guillermo del Toro’s writing and direction , the ‘Sharpe Mansion’ is a central ‘character’ in the overall story arc.
Director: Jose Padilla
Set Designing the opening scene of the movie to launch the dramatic narrative, this set required extensive coordination with Visual and Special Effects crew members, engineers and cultural consultants.
This set created the illusion of being in a Middle Eastern location, built within a found exterior location. Motion Capture technologies as well as practical concussive effects were deployed to communicate the desired effect .
Director: Guillermo del Toro.
Set Design responsibilities included designing and coordinating a set seen early in the drama, establishing the foreboding tone of the movie. Coordinated with Special Effects crew members, engineers and maritime consultants, this set created the illusion of being at sea within an enclosed studio environment. Gimbal Rigs, Water Canons and Ritter Fans assisted in amplifying the desired effect.
Director: David Goyer
Blade Trinity is the last of the Blade trilogy starring Wesley Snipes, Jessica Biel and Ryan Reynolds. Executed in the early days of the contemporary Visual Effects environment, the Set Design accommodated dynamic action in the Vampire’s Lair and required extensive consultation with engineers, Special Effects personnel, the Production Designer and Director. Digital design and fabrication tools were required for the non-orthogonal configuration of the space.
Director: Paul W S Anderson
My role as Set Designer under Production Designer Paul Austerberry was to participate in the design of several ancillary sets. The significant effect these sets had enriched the visual context outside of the heroic settings.
Director: Gil Kenan
In my role as Set Designer under Production Designer Kalina Ivanov I was responsible for the design of the 2-storey Hero house built on a Sound Stage.
Careful duplication of critical components of the specific and matching practical location was undertaken. And careful coordination with Special Effects and Visual Effects Crew was paramount to create the desired effect.
Director: Donald Petrie
My role as Set Designer under Production Designer Therese DePrez was to participate in the design of the work environments of the two main characters: Magazine Headquarters and Corporate Offices. Additional responsibilities were to create an interior Apartment Set to match the exterior New York location for Matthew McConaughey’s character.
