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!
Having a degree in design is helpful but not neccesary. A library card is a lot less expensive than a degree from FIDM and books about design movements, furniture and art- plus doing the job hands on - is going to provide you with all the knowledge you need. The best advice I can give is to network and put yourself out there. The road towards being a decorator or designer can be a long one so put your best foot forward and do face time with decorators and art directors. Be bold and cold call or email - some will find the time to get back to you or even meet you in person. Work on low budget projects and build a portfolio and experience. Think big even though you may be starting little.
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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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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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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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Were the replacement refs actually worse than the regular refs?
Cruise Ship Officer
Is the "women and children first" rule still in effect?
Stand-Up Comedian
What types of crowds are the worst for you to to perform for?
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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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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This is a very tricky one... There are two ways to get inducted into Local 44, the union for property, set dressers and decorators - get hired onto a non union show that flips and becomes union. This situation usually involves a very low budget film ($1 million or under) that gets struck by the teamsters and the whole crew goes union. The second way is to get ushered in by someone on the inside. I got my hours when I was hired onto a union film as the decorator by the art director. The art director owns a set shop that had recently gone union and I was on the roster of employees. He sought special permission from the head of the union to bring me onto the film- it was a very unique situation and this does not happen often. My best advice is to network network network. This industry revolves around who you know and every little bit counts.
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