Qualifications
You’ll need to go to school and get a bachelor’s degree in either fine art or architecture. Going to film school isn’t a bad idea either, as it will help you make connections. But in the end, you’re still going to have to learn about art and architecture. Hmm...so perhaps a double major? Yeah, something like that.
The production designer lives in two worlds—the art world and the film world. The bottom line is that you’ll need to get yourself a graduate degree in production design. This will entail learning all of the computer and graphic art systems you need, including 3D programs (think Maya, CAD, and AutoCAD) and Adobe software like Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.
You’ll need to be a good artist, a good architect, and have good understanding of cinema. You’ll also need to be able to hone a vision and conceptualize a 2D story in a moving, vibrant, visual media.
That’s all. Piece of cake, right?
It’s a tall order—and not like a Starbucks tall, because that's not very big, right? You’ll have to spend years working in set design and art direction before you can achieve the title of production designer. Frustrating? Sure, but there’s no way they'll trust anyone right out of film school to design a big budget movie.
Better strap in for a long, bumpy ride.