Kitty_K
5 Years Experience
Los Angeles, CA
Female, 30
I am a Los Angeles based decorator and have worked on a range of projects from an Academy Award winning feature to commercials for brands like Bank of America and Kay's Jewellers. An average day on the job involves me visiting high-end stores and prop houses in Los Angeles to photograph and price furniture, lighting fixtures, drapery, and art. I am responsible for running a crew and collaborating creatively with the director, production designer and cinematographer. Ask me anything!
Signing up for the SDSA is a great idea - attend as many GMM meetings as possible and make your face familiar. Start working on low budget or non union projects, offer to Art PA on commercials or TV shows and familiarize yourself with the prop houses. The shortest path to becoming a decorator is acting as a shopper. Decorators want shoppers who have a good eye and know where to find what they want. Shoppers are asked to source all kind of things - everything from vintage mason jars to cryogenic tanks. If you can prove yourself knowledgable in where to locate things like this - you are on the right path.
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There are a couple ways I have heard of people dealing with this issue. Either buying off brand items at places like the 99 cent store where the items are so non-descript that they can be featured on camera, or simply "turning" the products so you don't get a good look at the label. I have also heard that as long as said product is not focused on closely in a frame it counts as "fair usage". Another option is obtaining product placement but you would have to consult with a company like HERO and they would have to review your script prior to approving any products to be featured in your film.
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If you are in Los Angeles, join the SDSA and start going to the GMM meetings and meet people. You can at least get a first hand account from the best and brightest to see if this is the job for you. The rewards are big but it also involves long hours and lots of pressure. This is no 9 to 5.
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Being hired to decorate a big budget movie is a slow climb and there is no formula to getting there quickly even if you have the right connections. It takes a lot of hard work and building on your knowledge and experience. My mentor who production designed movies like "The Purge" and "Whiplash" has been working in the film industry for almost 30 years and it was not until recently that she got her big break towards higher profile projects. If you want to work your way up to big budget films, the key is to network, have a great attitude, always be open to learning new things and most of all - PATIENCE.
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Your kit should involve a variety of expendables and essentials - colored and metallic tapes, greeking stickers, streaks and tips, bailing wire, pliers, movie paint, adhesives, contact paper, dulling spray, leatherman tool, gloves, tape measure and of course your best friend - a laptop and phone. Check out the website for "Set Stuff" in Hollywood and you'll get an idea of what set dressers might need day to day on set. A kit rate is a stipend you are given to make use of your kit. It can be anywhere in $100-400 range depending on the project and it is negotiable.
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Film and television productions are moving outside of Los Angeles so even if you're in another city like Atlanta or Detroit, there is an opportunity for you. Productions want to hire locally to fulfill their tax incentives. In my experience, being on set and learning hands on is more useful than sitting in a classroom. The knowledge I use everyday for my job I learned AFTER school - not during it. Check out the trades like Below the Line to see what productions are happening in your area and look into getting hired as a PA.
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For both union and non-union projects the pay range can vary. On a non union commercial I have made between $150- to $400 to shop or assist. For a set dresser on a union job it can be anywhere from $250- 600 per day depending on if its a Tiered project or not. It really depends on the job.
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