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The Lifton Institute
| Art Director Career Track |
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Total Hours to complete track: 512 Total cost for all track courses: $9000
SET DRESSER This course prepares the student for the role of Set Dresser for film and television – a first step towards ultimately becoming an Art Director. Students learn to “set” the props, furniture, and wall treatments and implement the “look” of the set or location under the direction of the Production Designer and Art Director. Students learn the roles of the “property department” including The Lead Person and Set Decorator. This course includes identification and location of all prop houses and companies supplying the products necessary to decorate the sets; the correct and safe measures for loading and unloading trucks; packing and unpacking small items and proper moving skills of large items. Must be able to lift a minimum of 50 lbs. Course objective: Course graduates will be able to perform skills necessary as a Set Dresser on a film or television production. Each graduate will have a production credit from a video and/or film project produced at the Institute. PROP MASTER This course teaches the role of the Property Master (aka Prop Master). He or she is responsible for purchasing, acquiring and/or manufacturing any props needed for a film or television production. Students collaborate with the Director, Production Designer, Set Decorator and Script Supervisor to physically express their aesthetic and production requirements. The Prop Master is on staff during preproduction, developing the stylistic concept of the physical production, and then continues on as a member of the physical shooting/production crew. Food styling, weapons and animals are often directly or indirectly within the Prop Master's domain. Must have a valid driver’s license. Course will end with 8 weeks of hands on video and/or film projects. Course objective: Graduates will be able to perform skills necessary to become a Property Master on a film or television production. ART DIRECTOR This course is the final step in training to become an Art Director. An art director, in the hierarchical structure of a film art department, works directly below the production designer, in collaboration with the set decorator, prop master, hair, makeup and set construction personnel. A large part of their duties include the administrative aspects of the art department. They are responsible for assigning tasks to personnel, keeping track of the art department budget and scheduling, as well as overall quality control. Course objective: Graduates will understand the skills necessary to work as an Art Director on a film or television production. SET CONSTRUCTION TRACK Total Hours to complete track: 512 Total cost for all track courses: $9000 SET CONTRUCTION In this course students learn set construction, a process by which a Production Designer works in collaboration with the Director to create the set for a film or television production. Course includes hands-on instruction in standard operating procedure in the set department, vocabulary and crew positions (Production Designer, Head Carpenter, Key Scenic, Greens Man, Set Painter, etc.) Students will learn the unique way of building sets for production including safety aspects, color schemes, building techniques and moving of sets. A comparison to standard construction and how it differs from set construction will be studied as well. Must be able to lift a minimum of 50 lbs. and have extensive building experience. Course includes up to 6 weeks of hands-on video and/or film projects. Course objective: Course graduates will be able to perform skills necessary to build sets in the Set Construction department on a film or television production. SCENIC PAINTING After the construction is complete, paint must be applied. Students will learn to do standard set painting as well the basics of specialty painting required to create illusory effects. Must be able to lift a minimum of 50 lbs. and have extensive building experience. Course objective: Course graduates will be able to perform skills necessary to paint scenery and other set elements. |