The role of Production Designer is an important one, especially on a low budget feature where there may not be a budget for Set Designer and or an Art Department. In such a situation the Production Designer and her Assistant(s) may make up the entirety of this aspect of your film. Tasked with realizing the look of your film through the medium of paint, furniture, props, set design, and set dressing while at the same time working closely with the Director of Photography to ensure proper placement and lighting of the set and it’s dressing, the role is a Herculean task for a department let alone a few people. The significance of working with a talented and experienced Production Designer can make a huge difference in how your film is perceived because like the actors and the DP, their work is the foundation of everything the viewer sees on screen.
Working with the Tottey House for the Moderngrumble trailer shoot I felt like we could get away with not hiring someone for this important role and so I did not budget for it. The house after all was already dressed but as we’ve grown closer to the shoot I have realized that we do need someone to make some sense of the overwhelming clutter. We are overflowing with props and dressing but there is no rhyme or reason to it. Part of me likes it that way but even if we are to maintain the sense of chaos present in the Tottey House there still has to be some practicality exercised for issues such as camera and actor movement. Add to that, that the trailer hopefully will be a chance for our core crew to get a chance to work together, a test run so to speak for the feature film and we have every reason to bring aboard someone to fill this essential role.
That said, Lotushead Productions is proud to announce that Mitchell Crisp has joined the project as our Production Designer. Fresh off working on Arkansas native Jeff Nichol’s latest ‘Take Shelter’ and upcoming ‘Mud,’ Mitchell has the experience to help realize Moderngrumble’s unique blend of Southern Gothic, Manson-chic and seventies styled occult psychedelia. With over 20 years professional experience on everything from Law & Order to some of the best short films to come out of Arkansas in the last ten years, Mitchell is a major addition to Moderngrumble’s visual aesthetic helping to complete the core of our visual team. She is also a painter of some note. Her mother and grandmother's work hang in national Museums, while her own work shows nationally, but sells primarily into private collections in New York and Los Angeles. Her paintings have appeared in script specific roles on NBC's "Law and Order" and on the sets of many films. She paints to support her filmmaking obsession, in which she is known as "Mitchell Patterson." Combined with the talents of our DP, Joriah Goad, and FX master Marcus Koch we can be sure that the trailer and subsequent feature will look fantastic. Please help me in welcoming her aboard the production!
Comments