Video and Film Art Department Fundamentals

Explore how the art department shapes film visuals, led by the production designer, with the art director enforcing vision, budgets, and prop and set construction from pre-production through on-set work.

Explore how the art department shapes the film set through set decorators, prop masters, and production designers. Learn practical steps for sourcing props, managing inventory, and preparing locations.

Assemble an on-set toolkit for the art department, including gloves, a Leatherman multi-tool with a belt clip, blade, lighter, headlamp, and rain gear, to handle heavy items and weather changes.

Learn on-set prep for the film art department: pack gloves, a Leatherman multi-tool with belt clips, a lighter, headlamp, a sharp blade, and rain gear to handle heavy items safely.

Explore the art department's tape roll essentials, from gaffer and paper tapes to beedle, baling wire, and masking tricks that solve on-set problems quickly.

Build a power tools kit for the art department, led by an impact driver and drill. Use saws, jigsaw, and sander with screws to modify sets quickly on site.

assemble a portable art department hand tool kit in a bin with essentials like scrapers, levels, clamps, screwdrivers, and Exacto blades to handle on-set fixes quickly.

Explore essential art department sprays for film, including 3m super 77 spray, spray foam, primers (black gray white), dulling and rust sprays, and cleaners for on-set fixes.

Explore essential on-set specialty items—from shims and zip ties to monofilament and license plates and Hudson sprayers—empowering quick fixes, secure rigging, prop customization, and safe special effects in production.

Explore greeking, the art of removing brands from sets using fake labels or generic covers, and learn practical methods like tape and blanking logos to avoid product placement.

Learn practical greeking techniques to conceal logos and labels on set using vinyl tape, paper tape, and removable adhesives for safe, generic on-location props.

Keep a ready art kit with brushes, masking tapes, drop cloths, and mixing containers for painting walls or props. Carry acrylics, primary paints, and paint pens for quick touches.

Master using a laptop and the Adobe suite, including InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator, to craft on set graphics, signage, and photo composites, while printing on site and building a portfolio.

Learn to transport your art department gear via a box truck with a lift gate, secured by ratchet straps and furniture pads, and organized on carts and crates with inventory.

Build a ready art department kit with essential tools. Use tape, beedle, bailing wire, Velcro, and magnets to fix set elements quickly and keep the story polished.