Set / Exhibit Designer

Design special exhibits and sets for film, video, television, and theater productions. May study scripts, confer with directors, and conduct research to determine appropriate architectural styles.

O*NET reports this occupation under titles such as: Designer; Display Coordinator; Exhibit Coordinator; Exhibit Designer; Exhibit Preparator; Historical Society Window Dresser; Installations Designer; Projection Designer; Scenic Designer; Set Designer

Tasks

• Develop set designs, based on evaluation of scripts, budgets, research information, and available locations.
• Prepare rough drafts and scale working drawings of sets, including floor plans, scenery, and properties to be constructed.
• Prepare preliminary renderings of proposed exhibits, including detailed construction, layout, and material specifications, and diagrams relating to aspects such as special effects or lighting.
• Read scripts to determine location, set, and design requirements.
• Submit plans for approval, and adapt plans to serve intended purposes, or to conform to budget or fabrication restrictions.
• Attend rehearsals and production meetings to obtain and share information related to sets.
• Confer with clients and staff to gather information about exhibit space, proposed themes and content, timelines, budgets, materials, or promotion requirements.
• Research architectural and stylistic elements appropriate to the time period to be depicted, consulting experts for information, as necessary.
• Observe sets during rehearsals in order to ensure that set elements do not interfere with performance aspects such as cast movement and camera angles.
• Collaborate with those in charge of lighting and sound so that those production aspects can be coordinated with set designs or exhibit layouts.
• Select set props, such as furniture, pictures, lamps, and rugs.
• Design and build scale models of set designs, or miniature sets used in filming backgrounds or special effects.
• Examine objects to be included in exhibits to plan where and how to display them.
• Assign staff to complete design ideas and prepare sketches, illustrations, and detailed drawings of sets, or graphics and animation.
• Inspect installed exhibits for conformance to specifications and satisfactory operation of special-effects components.

Knowledge

• Fine Arts
• Design
• Computers and Electronics
• Building and Construction
• History and Archeology
• English Language
• Communications and Media
• Administration and Management
• Production and Processing
• Mathematics

Skills

• Reading Comprehension
• Active Listening
• Speaking
• Critical Thinking
• Writing
• Active Learning
• Monitoring
• Mathematics

Abilities

• Fluency of Ideas
• Oral Comprehension
• Visualization
• Written Comprehension
• Originality
• Problem Sensitivity
• Oral Expression
• Written Expression
• Information Ordering
• Near Vision
• Speech Recognition
• Deductive Reasoning
• Speech Clarity
• Inductive Reasoning
• Category Flexibility
• Flexibility of Closure
• Selective Attention
• Far Vision