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VIRAL EXCLUSIVE
Jan. 24, 2024
A Closer Look at the Nominated Production Designers
Let us delve into the history, significance and artistry behind the esteemed category. By: Wee Yan Ling
The allure of the academy
awards or the Oscars, extends far beyond the glitz and glamour of the red
carpet. These awards recognise the excellence across diverse friends from
acting and reacting to visual arts and sound. However, the unsung hero in the
filmmaking process is the production designer, a visionary whose work takes the
limelight in crafting immersive cinematic experiences.
A production designer role
is vital as they are in charge of shaping the aesthetic and the physical
essence of a film. They are the creative head of the art department and work
hand in hand with the director and cinematographer to breathe life into scripts
and sculpt visions into a tangible reality.
The recent announcement of
nominees for the 28th Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards by the Art
Directors Guild has revealed the monumental contributions of production
designers. Films are divided into three genres: Fantasy, Period and Contemporary.
TV series span a spectrum which includes fantasy, drama, contemporary, and many
more. However, the diversity of these categories show the wide landscape of
storytelling as each is in demand of a unique visual.
The 2024 Art Directors
Guild nominations were unveiled on January 9th which included titles such as Barbie,
Poor Things, Killers of the Flower Moon, Maestro and Oppenheimer. Rivalry
surrounds the two feminist films, Barbie and Poor Things as they
encompass similar themes of rebirth and the unique construction of the
world.
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie is
a visual feast as it encompasses the representation of Barbie Dreamhouse
playhouses set in the mid-century Palm Springs. They made sure to reduce the
scale up to 23% to make the film characters appear smaller sized. However, they
failed to take into account the shortage of the fluorescent pink paint as they
utilise it heavily for their film.
On the other hand, Poor Things have made use of painted backdrops, screen projections and LED screens for their sky and ship. They also employed several soundstages for the construction of the monochrome worlds of London and Baxter’s house.
Another example, Oppenheimer,
have combined practical locations with sets to construct the desert town of
Los Alamos. As they were not able to film in Los Alamos, they have turned to
Ghost Ranch instead which is 21,000-acre and a retreat in Northern New Mexico.
It was the optimum place as it possessed a plateau to construct the town
accompanied by impeccable backdrops in all directions.
The winners of the Feature
Film Production Design Awards often find themselves on the podium at the
Academy Awards for Art Direction / Production Design. The close correlation
between the awards underscores the importance of the Art Directors Guild in acknowledging
and forecasting excellence in cinematic design.
In order to be qualified
for the awards, a Feature Film, Television Program, Commercial or Music Video
produced in the U.S. or Canada must comply with the standards set by the
International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) agreement. Despite
the restrictions and regulations for entries from global countries, the award
is widely celebrated for cinematic artistry.
The celebration is
scheduled to take place on 10 Febryuarty where the winners will be announced at
Ovation Hollywood's Ray Dolby Ballroom. The oscar is more than an accolade as
it symbolises the international recognition and validation of production designers’
artistic prowess in the complex tapestry of filmmaking.
It is crucial that we
recognise the effort and hardwork that often goes unnoticed from the using
heroes, the production designers who are entrusted with the responsibility of
turning scripts into captivating visual tales and bringing the magic of cinema to
life.
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