International Production Design Week: A new initiative to celebrate production design

Following the significant success of the first-ever international Gathering for production designers which took place last October in Spetses, Greece where designers had the meaningful opportunity to meet, exchange ideas and discuss techniques, the Production Designers Collective is now coordinating an international week of production design events which will take place worldwide from October 20th-29th.

The ultimate behind-the-scenes workers, production designers are at the heart of the stories told on stage and screen–by developing and manifesting the visual concept and look of a project, these artists elevate the initial intention of a director in order to ensure a cohesive and vibrant aesthetic that translates to audiences through the screen.

International Production Design Week will be an opportunity to shine a light on the craft and its practitioners. The week will feature a diverse program of in-person and virtual events including panels, workshops, masterclasses, screenings, meetups and receptions. The program is open to filmmakers, industry collaborators, and the general public.

Events will focus on themes of Creativity, Research and Inspiration, Sustainable Design Methods, Digital Tools and Emerging Technologies, Collaboration, Leadership, Mentorship, Representation and Inclusion.

Envisioned as a biennial event, International Production Design Week is organised in collaboration with production design guilds and associations in the USA, Europe, South America, Asia and Australia. While the list of affiliates is constantly growing, the initiative’s 21 founding partners include the Art Directors Guild and United Scenic Artists in the USA, The

European Federation of Production and Costume Design (Artscenico), the Australian Production

Design Guild, Brazilian Art Directors (BRADA), the Turkish Art Directors Association and the Japanese Film and Television Art Directors Association.

Other collaborators will include production design educational programs and film schools, film organisations and screening rooms, industry vendors and media outlets.

The initiative is created by the Production Designers Collective, a group of over 1200 colleagues dedicated to mutual support through sharing knowledge, encouragement and experience.

Production Designer Inbal Weinberg (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)–the founder of the collective along with Kalina Ivanov (Lovecraft Country)–stated that “ International Production Design Week will be a an opportunity to highlight the immense creative work done by production designers behind the scenes, and their essential contribution to telling stories on screen”.