Decorating Pages: TV and Film Design (Kim Wannop - Set Decorator)

In this episode of Decorating Pages I speak with Art Director Adam Rowe. Adam as been involved with projects such as Criminal Minds, Dexter, Parks and Recreation, American Crime Story: Versace and XQ Super School Live. He has also production designed episodes of Criminal Minds, Dexter and the long running Rizzoli & Isles. We talk about how he got into the business, his advice for people trying to get into production design and how he was a winner on The Price is Right!

On this episode of Decorating Pages I talk to Production Designer, Ian Phillips. Ian Phillips has worked on the TV shows Parks and Recreation, LOVE, Splitting Up Together and has worked on film such as Twilight, A Single Man and Celeste & Jesse Forever. We talk about how he got into the union, his love of designing hallways on Parks and Recreations and the challenges of a budget.

In this episode of Decorating Pages I am going to give you some tips for online sources I use in quickly decorating sets. Free shipping, 2 day delivery, great customer service, these are the things I depend on when ordering furniture online.

In this episode I talk with Production Designer Derek Hill. If you don’t know his name that’s one thing but you have definitely seen his work. A career that spans since the early 80’s he’s Set Decorated films such as Silkwood, Trip to Bountiful, Born on the Fourth of July, Ace Ventura:When nature calls. He’s Art Directed films JFK, Any Given Sunday, Three Kings, Pirates of the Caribbean: the Curse of the Black Pearl and has Production Designed tv and films like House, Into the Wild, W., Community, Hatfields and McCoys, Bonnie and Clyde, Southpaw, The Magnificent Seven, All eyes on Me, #Ozark, and #SMILF. He has five Art Directors Guild Nominations and three #Emmy noms and he’s currently in New Zealand working on an ABC pilot.

In this episode I talk with Production Designer Derek Hill. If you don’t know his name that’s one thing but you have definitely seen his work. A career that spans since the early 80’s he’s Set Decorated films such as Silkwood, Trip to Bountiful, Born on the Fourth of July, Ace Ventura:When nature calls. He’s Art Directed films JFK, Any Given Sunday, Three Kings, Pirates of the Caribbean: the Curse of the Black Pearl and has Production Designed tv and films like House, Into the Wild, W., Community, Hatfields and McCoys, Bonnie and Clyde, Southpaw, The Magnificent Seven, All eyes on Me, #Ozark, and #SMILF. He has five Art Directors Guild Nominations and three Emmy noms and he’s currently in New Zealand working on an ABC pilot.

In this episode I’m talking to Production Designer Jim Gloster. Jim is a Southern gentleman who has Art Directed films such as Semi-Pro, The Other Guys, and Banshee. He has Production Designed Eastbound and Down, 13 Reasons Why, Ballers and my favorite VEEP. He has 5 ADG nominations and 2 wins and 4 Emmy nominations and 1 win for VEEP, which I share with him. I have been working with him on VEEP for the past three seasons and we recently ended the show in it's seventh season. Jim is from North Carolina and has been working in Los Angeles for the past couple of years since VEEP moved from Baltimore to Los Angeles for season five of the show.

In this bonus episode I talk with Production Designer Ian Phillips and Art Director Adam Rowe to discuss episode 301 - "Janets" -of the Good Place. We are discussing each set what each of our departments did to take the episode from page to screen. Follow along with the pictures on decoratingpagespodcast.com episode blog post to see the sets we are talking about.

On this episode I will be talking with Director Beth McCarthy Miller. Beth is one of the most versatile directors working in TV today. She bounces from single camera shows to Live TV performances and Stand Up Comedy specials. Beth started out directing live MTV shows and then worked her way to an eleven year gig directing Saturday Night Live. Beth directs mostly half hour TV comedies such as 30Rock, Modern Family, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmitt, Divorce, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, VEEP and many more. She’s directed the stand-up comedy shows of Bill Maher, Dave Attell, Jim Norton, D L Huley, Bob Sagat and more. Live events such as the NFL Superbowl halftime shows with Britney Spears and Aerosmith, and the Janet Jackson, Justin TImberlake halftime show. She has 31 nominations including 11 Emmy noms, and 11 wins including multiple DGA and Cable ACE awards, Golden Derby, Gracie Allen, and Online film and television awards.

In this episode I talk with Location Manager, Caleb Duffy.I have been working with Caleb Duffy for the past 3 years on the show VEEP and The Good Place, He’s a super chill guy that no matter how rearranged the schedule gets and flying minute by minute he always keeps his cool. And believe me on VEEP things changed every thirty seconds sometimes. I know how hard he worked on VEEP to get the locations every episode… some episodes as many as 20 or more.In preparing for this interview I looked him up on IMDB, which I don’t think I had before, and I had no idea the resume this guys has! And actually how many people we know in common. Caleb started in the early 2000’s and as assistant location manager on projects like Erin Brokovish, Traffic, Oceans’11, Terminator 3, And location manager on Superman Returns, Into the WIld, The Artist, Behind the Candelabra, Thor, and Wine Country.. He’s ;location managed TV shows including Greek, True Detective, The Good Place and VEEP.

In part two of this interview with Location Manger Caleb Duffy he talks about hiking a mountain with Sean Peen, the locations of Behind the Candelabra and the Netflix movie Wine Country and much more.

Joining me on this episode is Prop Master Gay Perillo. Her range of talents span from creating Leslie Knope's massive amount of detailed scrapbooks on Parks and Recreation to filling Gary’s Leviatian on VEEP. She has a career of being a Prop Master with long running shows like Crossing Jordan, Mad Men, Parks and Rec, VEEP and The Good Place. Gay's feature films include A Single Man, Sex and the City, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, Gloria Bell and just released on Netflix, Wine Country.

Joining me on this episode is Prop Master Gay Perillo. Her range of talents span from creating Leslie Knope's massive amount of detailed scrapbooks on Parks and Recreation to filling Gary’s Leviatian on VEEP. She has a career of being a Prop Master with long running shows like Crossing Jordan, Mad Men, Parks and Rec, VEEP and The Good Place. Gay's feature films include A Single Man, Sex and the City, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, Gloria Bell and just released on Netflix, Wine Country.

This epeisode is all about the final season of #VEEP. Production Designer Jim Gloster talks about his run on #VEEP, how he took over the show, moving VEEP from Maryland to Los Angeles, the finale of the show, and obviously how much he loves working with me. I think one thing that's interesting is we describe what happens when a set goes wrong. What went wrong and how we fixed it in top speed!

I am joined on this bonus episode by show runner, writer, director, editor, #StarWars super fan, Dave Mandel. A career that starts with the Harvard Lampoon and drifts to #SNL, #Seinfeld, #CurbYourEnthusiasm, #VEEP and films including #Eurotrip and #TheDictator. He's talking about it all in this 2 part bonus episode!

On this epiosde I’m joined by Set Decorator Lydia Marks. Being from New York City she certainly has made a mark on some recent films that burst with #NYC design. WIth a background in photography and art history you can see in her sets how she works in he details to the frame. I talk to her about #FosseVerdon and the detailss and research it took to bring their lives to the screen. I asked about the influence New York City has on her films and about working woth femail directors. Lydia’s fims include You can Count on Me, Broken Flowers, The Namesake, #TheDevilWearsPrada, #SexandtheCity 1 and 2, Away We go, Synecdoche: New York, The Brave One, Money Monster, and the #Netflix show #Maniac. She’s also worked with great directors such as Jim Jermush, Jodi Foster, Sam Mendes, and Charlie Kaufman.

In this episode I speak with On-Set Dresser Jordan Steinberg. Jordan has worked on films such as Flightplan, Evan Almightly, A Single Man, and Transformers. His television work includes shows such as Mad Men, Parks and Rec, LOVE, VEEP, The Good Place and upcoming Sunnyside.

This is part two of my interview with Dave Mandel. We talk about how the dialogue of Curb Your Enthusiasm morphs itself from an outline to the hilarious show that you see. What his favorite episode of Seinfeld is, BONUS! He has two! How they got the Curb/Seinfeld reunion together, his time at SNL and how it schooled him in show running. His feature Eurotrip, the VEEP finale, and how sad I really thought it was, writing for the whimsical The Cat in the Hat, an amazing story about Yoda, his co authoring of the book the design of Star Wars… I mean, I geek out with this man!

In this episode I speak with the Production Design Queen of Period Film: Jeannine Oppewall. Her films include Catch Me If You Can, Seabiscuit, LA Confidential, Pleasantville, The Good Shepherd, The Bridges of Madison County. In this first of two episodes she talks about her beginnings of working beside Charles Eames and how she started in films.

In this part two of my interview with Jeannine Oppewall we talk about her ADG lifetime achievement award, how she picks her projects, how she dreams of wallpaper, working with producers and budgets, and her interaction with writers on projects.

Here is part two of my interview with Set Decorator David Smith, and to be honest, the man has so much to say, and it’s all gems! He has such a wonderful career decorating sets for tv and film. We get into some of his specific projects like his first film Shop Girl, working with Nancy Meyers on The Holiday. Working with the same Production Designer for 12 projects, filming on locations for some of his films like Last Holiday and The Vampire’s Apprentice. Being an additional Set Decorator on projects like Argo, Gone Girl, Vice and Unbelievable. We also talk about budgeting and working deals with prop houses and talking over the budget with producers.

The Good Place is nominated for an ADG award for our work for this last season. I thought it would be fun to get together with Production Designer: Ian Phillips, Art Director: Adam Rowe and Graphic Designer: Graham Radcliff. We have an in depth conversation about the sets and graphics of the show. We talk about the Bad Place and Demon-Con, Janet’s jail, set extensions, how we finally built Mindy’s house on stage and all those funny easter egg graphics that you gotta pause real quick to catch.

On this episode, My interview is with Production Designer John Schaffner who’s work has been consistently on TV for the last 25 years. Have you ever seen Friends? Two and a Half Men?, The Big Bang Theory?? Mom?? You gonna watch The #SAG awards this weekend?… he’s done it. He has such a plethora of long running hit multi camera shows on his resume, I don’t think he has had a break in at least 25 years!

Currently nominated for an ADG award and a British Film Designers Guild award for his Production Design of Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Patrick Tatopoulos is a force in the production design world. His talents have allowed him to work so many positions from illustrator, creature supervisor over to costume designer, producer, director and more. He seems almost too nice of a guy to be in this industry but you can hear his passion and his love to create come through in his amazing stories of films like Independence Day, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Stargate, Batman vs. Superman, Justice League and Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.

In this episode I am talking with Australian Production Designer Annie Beauchamp. Her work includes Black Mirror, The Lego Movie, On Becoming a God in Central Florida, Top of the Lake: Season Two, Sleeping Beauty and Art Directing on on films like The Quiet American and Moulin Rouge! to name a few. Living and working in Australia, she also traveled to many locations includingSouth Africa, Brazil, Vietnam and the US in New Orleans and Los Angeles. She is currently nominated for an ADG award for her episode “Striking Vipers” in the Black Mirror series.

On this episode I recap the award season and Art Director Guild awards with Production Designer James Pearce Connelly. We talk through each category and about the Oscar winning Production Design of "Once Upon A Time In Hollywood". "Parasite" "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel", "Avengers: Endgame", "Chernobyl", "The Big Bang Theory", "Drunk History", "Russian doll", "Toy Story 4".

On this episode I resume my conversation with Production Designer James Pearse Connelly. James has his hands full designing hit shows like "The Masked Singer", "The Voice", "Making It", and many more. We talk about his start int he business and how he now runs his own design company.

In this episode I speak with my friend Ethan Goodwin. Ethan has the position of “Buyer” in the Set Dressing department and I couldn't do my job with out it. In an industry of "Hurry Up and Wait", we in Set Dressing have to make very quick turnarounds and figure out the logistics of getting everything to set. The buyer has become a vital position and Ethan is the best of the best. Coordinating selections, pickups, paperwork and dressing in the charter of sets.

Part two of my interview with Buyer Ethan Goodwin is all about the projects he has worked on. We talk about the period shows he has been apart of such as "For All Mankind" and "Perry Mason". We also talk about how our vendors somehow come through for us, and how real life timing vs. TV/Film timing is different. If we need it in two days somehow things happen. I also start with how the Coronavirs is effecting our industry and how it all went down in the past week.

In this episode I am talking about my opinion of how this pandemic will effect production in the entertainment industry and my Set Dressing department. Production Designer David Gropman joins me and we also discuss how he has been effected by the pandemic and how his show was shut down in Italy. We talk about how he started in the business, "Chocolat", "Date Night", "One Fine Day"and the many broadway productions made into films that he has designed. You can currently see his work on the Hulu series on Catch-22.

This is part two of my interview with Production Designer David Gropman. We discuss how he selects a crew when working overseas, his work with many amazing Set Decorator, Designing "Life of Pi" and working with director Ang Lee. I also check in with Annie Beauchamp, Caleb Duffy, Ethan Goodwin and Derek Hill on their pandemic experiences and their return to work guesses.

In this episode I talk with Set Dec Buyer Laine Abramson. Laine has been a buyer since the early 2000’s and we talk about how she changed positions from props to find her niche as a buyer. How she chooses challenging shows and different resources she uses to get the set right. She has worked on features like "Oceans 12", "Constantine", "Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift" and "John Carter". Hectic TV shows like "Glee", "The Mindy Project", "Silicon Valley"and "Glow". Her upcoming projects include the feature "Malignant" and the Amazon show "Them: Covenant". We also get into the effects of this pandemic on the buyer position and talk about how we think things will change.

In this episode Production Designer Adam Rowe and I analyze the the Best Production Design brackets that hopefully you have been voting on the last 6 weeks. I took the Best Production Design Oscar winners and nominees since the 60’s and had March madness type brackets to vote on each week.  Adam was very kind to support me thru this and honestly was probably one of the few people I can say voted almost every day. This was fun! We break down every decade and have a lot of opinions on which film beat out the other. It was great to reminisce about these films that inspire us and I’m sure inspired you.

On this episode I speak with Production Designer Eugenio Caballero. We discuss his current show “Cortes” shutting down for the pandemic. His passion about this subject and the personal relation he has to the project. He shares his journey of starting out designing music videos and set decorating then becoming a Production Designer. He also tells of his collaboration with Director Guillermo del Toro on "Pan’s Labyrinth", specifically the use of certain color pallets in the film to distinguish the fantasy scenes

In this episode I conclude my interview with production designer Eugenio Caballero. He speaks about a very unique design process in designing the film “Roma”. He has had some extraordinary experiences working on film sand he talks about those collaborations like with director Jim Jarmusch, working and traveling in this work with a family, and how releasing films on streaming verse in the theater.

In this episode I interview Production Designer Bob Shaw, known for his work on "The Irishman", "The Sopranos", "Boardwalk Empire", "Wolf of Wall Street" and so many more. His thoughts on working in New York City on period projects, thoughts on working in this Covid world an his upcoming work on "The Gilded Age" and the Sopranos prequel "The Many Saints of Newark".

In this episode I speak with my friend, Production Designer Cory Lorenzen. Besides being the Designer for "The Goldbergs" and "Schooled" he also is an Art Director in Entertainment Design for Universal, Nickelodeon and others.Starting his career with the indy hit "Napoleon Dynamite" he’s been designing films and tv shows like "Greek", "The Paul Riser Show", "Breaking In", "Web Therapy" the period hits "The Goldbergs" and "Schooled".

On this episode I speak with Production Designer / Set Decorator Tracy DIshman. I met Tracy on the NBC show Animal Practice, and unfortunately haven't been able to work with her again. Tracy is able to balance a career Production Designing independent films and still Set Decorating inbetween. Her recent credits include the Sundance film “Black Bear”, “Inherit the Viper”, James Franco’s “Zeroville” and the upcoming “Music” directed by Sia. We chat about budgeting the design of a project, salaries of Set Decorators, independent film making and more.

On this episode I speak with Set Decorator Brandi Kalish. Brandi was brave enough to take over HBO’s "Silicon Valley" season five and she jumped into massive new sets and continued that in season 6, its final season. We get into how she has a mentor in Production Designer Michael Wehstone, the massive sets she decorated for "Silicon Valley", and balancing a budget with help from product placement. Also, diving into her decorating decisions on the the popular Netflix show “Dead To Me”. In all her spare time she has just opened up a Prop house called Studio Arts in downtown LA which focuses on rental of contemporary art. She has been nominated for her work on Silicon Valley with Emmy and ADG nominations and you can see her delightful decorating in the second season of the Netflix show "Dead To Me".

On this episode I speak with Production Designer Brain Stonestreet. Brian’s crater is jammed packed with huge live programs. Brian designs the stages for live evets like The Grammy’s, The Golden Globe Awards, The Soul Train Awards, The BET Hip-Hop Awards, The Billboard Music Awards, The Annual Academy of Country Music Awards and more. He also has Production Designed The Kennedy Center Honors, Al Pacino and George Clooney An American Cinematheque Tributes, and more. He has Won 3 Primetime Emmy Awards, 2 Art Directors Guild Awards and another 26 nominations. So I knew that he did these shows but when I really looked at sets for the performances he has designed.. It’s incredible. Moving parts and coordinating the artist and the lighting… and it’s live! Just some ….SOME of the amazing performances he has designed for Luciano Pavarotti, Whitney Houston, Carlos Santana, Elton John, Madonna - multiple times, Alicia Keys, U2, Prince and Beyoncé, The White Stripes, Adele, Foo Fighters, Sting, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Brian Wilson, Amy Winehouse, John Fogerty, John Legend, John Mayer, Andrea Bocelli, Lady Gaga, Mick Jagger, Barbra Streisand. And that’s just the ones I like! The design of his Kennedy Center Honors class include Leon Fleisher, Steve Martin, Diana Ross, Martin Scorsese, and Brian Wilson, Merle Haggard, Jerry Herman, Bill T. Jones, Paul McCartney, and Oprah Winfrey.

This is a fascinating interview at least it was for me, I really learned a lot from this. We talk about his shows and what his designing challenges for these live shows will be for this Corona Viruse phase. In fact, the BET awards are this sunday, June 28th, so I’m intrigued to see what the design is of it. He’s amazingly talented, and a super nice guy so I hope you enjoy.

On this episode I speak with the Production Design team of the final season of "The Good Place". Production Designer; Ian Phillips, Art Director; Adam Rowe, Prop Master; Gay Perello and Graphic Designer; Graham Radcliff watch the series finale of "The Good Place" together and reminisce how we all got it done. It was so nice to see each other, especially in this time. Watching the series finale together was special, we really appreciate each other's contributions to the look of the show. It was a fantastic series to be apart of. Many of us on the crew were also on Parks and Rec together and it’s like we say in this interview we all just click, and have a short hand of communication.

Bonus! I also have made a video of this podcast accompanied by pictures of the sets and the props for you to view and listen at the same time! You can watch this on the www.decoratingpagespodcast.com website or the Decorating Pages Podcast YouTube channel. Today also starts Emmy voting, so I hope you will consider the series finale of "The Good Place" for Outstanding Production Design in half hour or less.

On this episode I speak with Set Decorator Don Diers who’s passion for details in his sets and his choice for specific charter pieces are so wonderful to discover when you watch his work! Starting in film as an art director he quickly discovered his passion for creating the characters in dressing and switched paths to be a Set Decorator. Creating memorable sets on films like the picture perfect “Down with Love”, in TV the collage campus world of “Community” and even decorating for the “The Muppets” which he has an Art Directors Guild award for. He currently has the second season of Showtime’s “Kidding” under his belt and these sets are not to be missed.

On this episode I speak with Jonathan Fischer who is an editor in unscripted reality television. Jonathan has been working on shows like Expedition Unknown, Little Woman:Dallas, Battlebots, American Guns, Ultimate Fighter, The Biggest Loser and more. He explains to me how the editing process begins, works and ends on a project. How the Tsunami in Japan in 2011 changed the editing industry forever. Who knew?? We discuss the ethical responsibility an editor has especially in reality television and how under current conditions working remotely is doable but not ideal. Also why he decided to change his career and focus on Virtual Reality.

This episode is very special to me because I speak with a Designer idol of mine Production Designer Jane Musky. The films that Jane has designed have influenced me more than I realized. Although I have seen almost all of her films, multiple times, when I refreshed and watched some again, it made me feel passion, excitement, and my love for making set decorating. Jane designed Raising Arizona, Young Guns, When Harry Met Sally, Ghost, Glengarry Glen Ross, City Hall, The Devil’s Own, Boomerang and even recently Hustlers. We talk about her start as a scenic designer, meeting up with the Cohen brothers to start her film career, giving great advice about the set atmosphere, her recent season of the Murphy Brown reboot, working with DP’s like Barry Sonnenefeld, Dante Spinotti. Discussing the recent film Hustlers, the classic and in depth dressing of Glengarry Glen Ross, and then I pull everything I can out of her about Raising Arizona.

On this episode I speak with Production Designer Monica Sotto. Monica is celebrating her nomination for Outstanding Production Design for Variety, Nonfiction, Reality or Reality-Competition Programming for “Drunk History”. She was also nominated in 2017 when she was the Art Director on "Drunk History". This past January, when we were still allow to party, Monica and her team also picked up an Art Director Guild award for "Drunk History". I met Monica on “Bones”, she was the art department coordinator. It was great to catch up with her and see what she's been up to since I last worked with her. A USC film school grad, Monica started as being an agents' assistant and then moved into the art department. She’s worked on some great shows like “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”, “Rizzoli & Isles”, the last season of “American Horror Story” and more.

On this episode I speak with Set Decorator / Production Designer Matthew Flood Ferguson. Matthew is currently nominated for an Emmy for his work on the Netflix series “Hollywood” for Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Period or Fantasy Program. His career as a Set Decorator focused on films like "Running with Scissors", "Beautiful Creatures", "The Gift", "Battle of the Sexes" and more… but recently turning to a string of high end TV Dramas like "American Crime Story: Versace", and the upcoming "Ratched", he then moved to Production Designer for “Hollywood”. We talk about how we met on Versace, how he started his career in commercials, the ridiculous pace it takes to get a series like "Versace" and "Hollywood" made and if he’ll be sticking to Production Design. I also gush about my love for the film "Running with Scissors" and make him talk about all the good stuff.

On this episode I speak with Production Designer Jamie McCall. From her days of graphic designing on "House" to designing non stop for the past two years on "American Crime Story: Versace", "Pose", "The Politician" and the upcoming Netflix film "The Prom". We talk about her moving around the country to work in this industry, how other Production Designers have helped and influenced her, her work on "Banshee" and designing the Ryan Murphy world.

On this episode I am joined by storyboard artist Gabriel Hardman. I spoke to him in early July after seeing him in the documentary “Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Story”. A documentary about storyboard artist Harold Michelson and his wife Lillian Michelson, a film researcher. In the documentary they interview a current storyboard artist, Gabriel Hardamn. The documentary inspired me to track him down for this podcast. A storyboard artist is a position in the art department but as Gabriel explains they work more closely with the Director then the Production Designer. Gabriel’s resume is quite impressive. Huge films like Ford vs. Ferrari, Pirates of the Caribbean, Logan, Interstellar, The Dark Knight Rising, Inception, Angels and Demons, Tropic Thunder, The Siderman movies, The Austin Power movies. I definitely learned from this interview about specifics of the position and the imagination and talent it takes to be a storyboard artist.

On this episode I am joined by Production Designer James Pearse Connelly and we discuss the nominated designs and the winners of the 2020 Emmys for Production Design. If you have listened to James and I recap before you know we don't’ hold back, and we drink! I’m super glad that he’s up for this and is able to go head to head discussing all of these celebrated TV shows. We talk about who we thought would win, not necessarily who we voted for. And.. we were mostly wrong.  Which goes to show, you never know… even as insiders, he’s even on the Emmy committee, ya just never know. James also just won a Daytime Emmy in June for his design of the Kelly Clarkson show, so cheers to that! He currently is the designer for show that are filming during covid like “The Masked Singer”. We talk about how designing for covid has changed his designing style.

On this episode I speak with Director, Producer, Writer, AD Jeff Rosenberg. I’ve worked with Jeff for a couple of years on different shows as our first AD and second AD and he’s great in both positions. In this past year Jeff finished the film “We Broke Up” which he wrote, produced and directed. I wanted to have him on the podcast because it’s so interesting to me to hear how someone can wear all the hats and have the passion to get a project completed. It took him years to get this together and while working long hours on productions like “The League” “VEEP”,  “The Good Place” and films like “Wine Country”.  He has an ADG award for “VEEP”, and wins and nominations for writing, production and directing his film Orenthal:The Musical which is now showing on Amazon Prime. And he won the Audience Award at the Friars Club Comedy Film Festival for it. We talk about how we both started in Hallmark movies… he excelled a lot quicker then I did, his story of getting into this business is unbelievable.

On this episode I speak with Production Designer Rose Lagace. She is also the creator of the successful Hollywood art department insider website Art Departmental.  We spoke in mid august and we both were starting back to work at the time. We talk about her show “The Baroness Von Sketch Show”, which if you haven't checked it out, it’s pretty funny and a little dark.  We discuss the ebb and flow of the work in Canada in the past decade, some of our tricks we used for getting into the business and her work designing many short films like Patient, Close your Eyes, Suffer, Plus One and so many more. She also describes how she came up with the successful website Art Departmental. Incredible how she is able to juggle working, keeping up with this site, interviewing Designers and Decorators.

In this episode I describe the structure of the Art, Set Decoration and Prop department. I’ve been in this business since 1999, and I know in describing all this to you I’m still not right. Every show it seems some positions do more or less then what you thought they did. Some people bring out the union handbook to prove they do or do not have to do something or that it is or isn’t coming out of their departments budget. Some people like the control of doing more then their position. I am going to be reading from the the local 44 union book and the Art Directors Guild of what their definitions of positions are and then trying to explain it in everyday use. My hope is to be as instructive as I can in helping you understand all the different positions it takes to make these amazing cinematic worlds come to life.

As a holiday present to my loyal listeners I’m giving away my top 5 tips for getting into the business. I’m sharing the story of how I got into production and eventually a job in the art department. It is hands down the most asked question I get over the years. I’ve spent hours emailing people back the same story and the same tips. So this is my holiday gift to anyone looking to get into his crazy business. Happy Holidays!

On this episode I speak with Dean Holland, an Emmy winning editor for his work on The Office” He seven nominations fro his work on The Office and Parks and Recreation and the 76th annual Academy awards. He also has three Online Film and Television award nominations in directing for “Parks and Recreation” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”. I met Dean on “Parks and Rec” and was lucky enough to start up the Netflix series “LOVE” with him after Parks ended and then again work with him on “The Good Place”. Starting out in a post production house he quickly found his way to editing and working on shows like “Behind the Music” then comedies like Dave Attell ‘s ”Up All Night” and Comedy Central’s Celebrity Roasts. Working for nine years between “The Office” and then “Parks ad Rec”, Dean was able to move from Editing to Producing and then Directing. He has been directing recent shows like “Splitting Up Together”, “Bless This Mess” and “The Unicorn”.

On this episode I explain the day to day of how Covid is effecting the way the set gets decorated. From meetings to last touches on set, the way we all work in this industry has changed, and I hope not for long.

In this episode I speak with the "Queen of White House Set Decorating" Jan Pascale. Her career includes so many great looking film I had to give you two episodes of her amazing decorating stories. With the highly acclaimed film "Mank" already sweeping up the nominations, I'm sure Jan will not be overlooked for her decorating in this black and white film. Her resume includes gems like "Good Night and Good Luck", "Sicario", "Argo", "Anchorman", "The Spiderwick Chronicles", "VICE", "Training Day" and the soon to be released "Maverick" the long awaited sequel to "Top Gun". A plethora of great stories decorating these films, so many this is part one of two... your welcome.

In this part two of my interview with Set Decorator Jan Pascale we discuss her beginnings in Pittsburgh as a set painter on "Mr. Rogers"! Then the obvious shift to Roger Corman films. Her early work propping then moving to set decorating on films  like "Forever Young", "Dracula Dead and Loving It", TV shows like "Gidion’s Crossing" and "Boston Public", then decorating "Training Day". Her string of heavy dramas intermixed with hilarious comedies like "Good night and Good Luck", "Anchman", "Spiderwick Chronicles", "Kicking and Screaming", "Leatherheads", "Horrible Bosses", "Argo", "Suburbacon", "VEEP", "All the Way", "Vice" and the upcoming "Maverick", the sequel to "Top Gun" and she is currently working on the Obi-Wan series for Disney. Jan’s beginnings to now is an extraordinary carer of decorating the screen.

It’s been a goal to speak with Jim Bissell since starting this podcast because on my wish list of designers and decorators I wanted to selfishly interview people who inspire me and inspire the world of cinema and tv. Jim Bissel has so many films that I cherish that of course I’m a total dork in this interview. He has a fascinating origin story that put him in the sights of Stevan Speilberg on one of his first films E.T. We talk about comparing his spaceship design from E.T. to The Midnight Sky. He reveals some Easter eggs from ET and The Rocketeer.  The magic of trashing the house in Harry and the Hendersons. He won an Emmy Award in 1980 for his work on Palmerstown, U.S.A. followed by a BAFTA nomination for production design on Steven Spielberg's E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. He has a Oscar nomination for Good Night and Good Luck. Three ADG nominations, and the ADG Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015, which.. He’s going strong, he might need another one.

In this part two interview with Production Designer Jim Bissell we throw back to "The Twilight Movie".  His feelings about designing CGI heavy films like "300" and "Jumanji", working six times with director George Clooney including "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind"and "Good Night and Good Luck". His love of  "The Spiderwick Chronicles", designing of a 5 million dollar parking garage for "Mission Impossible: Rouge Nation" and how he basically invented computer PreVis on "The Boy Who Could Fly". He also gives us some great insight into his recent film that he is nominated for an ADG award “The Midnight Sky”

The ADG awards are this Saturday, April 10th, which lets me celebrate the nomination of my friend Shaun Page for his work on "Wheel of Fortune". "Wheel of Fortune" is nominated for an ADG Award in the Variety, Reality or Competition category. We speak about the nominated sets and how the show being on for 35 years and being nominated now is such a special accomplishment. Shaun also manages to flips houses on the side, how he does that and work full time on this iconic show I have no idea.

On this episode I am airing an interview I did last month with my alma mater Jefferson University. They have a great online series of webinars of how-to's from some of their alumni in their speciality fields. You can check out other webinars on their website jefferson.edu. In this webinar give tips on staging your home for selling from a set decorators design eye. Very grateful that I was considered for the series and hope that it was helpful. If you would like to watch the slide show for this episode you can find it on the Jefferson University YouTube channel and soon on the Decorating Pages YouTube channel.

On this episode I speak with Production Designer Kalina Ivanov about her design of the 50's noir series "Lovecraft Country". Studying theater at NYU lead Kalina to storyboarding for films such as "Silence of the Lambs", "Quiz Show", "Sleepers" and more. Kalina transitioned to Production Designing films that range from comedies like "The Best Man", "Uptown Girls", and "Long Shot", to the TV musical "Smash", dramas such as "Rabbit Hole", "The Conspirator", the series "Kings",  and Netflix's "Seven Seconds". Kalina's Production Design also won an Emmy award for HBO's "Grey Gardens".

On this episode I speak with Director Michael Uppendahl. Michael has an very interesting story of how he got into directing that intertwines passion, talent and good old fashion luck. He is an award winning theater director and has been directing hugely acclaimed TV series like "Walking Dead", "Madmen", "Turn", "Legion", "Castle Rock", "Hunters", "Hollywood", "Ratched", "Fargo" and I am currently working with Michael on "American Crime Story: Impeachment". I was just delighted when I learned he had directed an episode in this past season of "Fargo" that was shot in black and white. It's a beautiful hour of television. With Emmy voting going on till June 30th please consider Michael’s work on "Fargo", "Ratched" and "Hollywood".

Ryan Garton is a Set Designer who has worked on shows TV shows like “Banshee”, “Sleepy Hollow” and “Scorpion”, his work can recently be seen in the film “The Prom” and I’ve been working with him for the past year on “American Crime Story: Impeachment”.  Ryan has a gift for creating gorgeous virtual renderings of the sets he designs. These days with our schedules being so tight and revisions constantly coming at you, a Set Designers job has become more demanding. Ryan and I also have a deep love for the Real Housewives franchises. We talk some gossip and rate the homes and decor of some of the Real Housewives.

On this episode I’m talking with Set Decorator Sarah McMillan who is Emmy nominated for her work on the riveting limited series “Mare of Easttown”. Sarah’s resume has some real hidden gems like AMC’s “Dispatch’s from Elsewhere”, Netflix’s “Living with Yourself”, the period film “Kill Your Darlings”, and her first Set Decorating job was on Gus Van Sant’s "Last Days". In starting out she set dressed on “The Royal Tenenbaums”!  Sarah and I talk about the home town vibes she created in absolute perfect detail in capturing the look of Easttown, a fictional town outside of Philadelphia.