Set Dressing

Learn how to dress both practical locations and constructed movie sets to create a realistic environment for the characters.

Set Dressing

Developed by Jason Tomaric, FilmSkills
ABOUT THIS LESSON
Most constructed sets are empty rooms, void of life and character.  Set decorators bring in everything from rugs and drapes to items on surfaces, artwork on the walls, and anything the actors do not touch.  The quality of the set dressing not only adds to the visual impact of the frame, but to the characters themselves.
 
This module takes you inside the set decorating process, on a tour of a Hollywood prop house, and gives you dozens of tips and techniques for dressing your set, whether it's on a soundstage or a real location.
 
  • 33:17 video that teaches you how to dress a set
  • Video walk through of a Los Angeles prop house
  • Illustrated resource guide
  • Use of Trademark contract template
  • Use of Artwork contract template
  • Product Placement contract template
  • Use of Still Photos contract template
  • Use of Poster contract template
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
  • How to work in an existing location
  • How to dress a constructed set
  • How to navigate prop houses
  • How to use set dressing to create more character depth
  • How to avoid copyright issues
  • Determine whether to rent or buy set dressing
ABOUT THE LESSON AUTHOR
View full profile
Jason Tomaric

Jason Tomaric

Director, Cinematographer Los Angeles, California
Jason J. Tomaric is an Emmy, Telly, and CINE Award-winning director and cinematographer of four internationally-distributed feature films, dozens of national television commercials, music videos, and the largest film training content library in the world, published author of 8 books - used in many top universities, and creator of AccuSkills.com, an industry-changing learning management platform. 
 
Jason has worked in Los Angeles and around the world in over 20 countries. His clients include Disney, NBC/Universal, National Geographic, McDonald’s, Toyota, Scion, Microsoft, and Paul Mitchell, with narrative work screened at Sundance, Slamdance, and South by Southwest film festivals as well as on Netflix and on all broadcast networks.
 
Jason has taught and/or guest lectured at some of the nation's most prestigious film schools including UCLA, Columbia College, John Carroll University, Kent State University, San Francisco State, University of Notre Dame, and numerous film festivals.
 
Jason has written eight industry-defining books, all sold in bookstores, and used in film schools around the world. The American Society of Cinematographers hails Jason's books - "There are no wasted words in Tomaric's tome, which concisely summarizes each facet of the director's craft.  It's difficult to think of a step in the process that Tomaric fails to address." 
 
Jason’s DVD training series on Hollywood film production have trained filmmakers in over 40 countries, with distributors in Europe, Hong Kong, New York and Australia.
 
In 2010, Jason launched FilmSkills, which combines the world’s largest film training video library with his proprietary learning management system.  Adopted by 47 universities within the first year, FilmSkills is now the leading industry-standard training solution for motion picture and television production.
 
In 2015, Jason launched AccuSkills.com, an industry-changing learning management platform that bridges the gap between academia and industry.
CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS LESSON
Anthony Pearce

Anthony Pearce

Emmy-nominated Art Director, "Saw II", "Hirokin: The Last Samurai" and "Prey: The Light in the Dark"

A graduate of San Diego’s School of Creative and Performing Arts, Anthony Pearce founded his art studio, Goth’k Graf’x in 1995 and began providing design to corporate clients from Harley Davidson and Home Depot to the 2003 Superbowl and Coke. His art, design, and storytelling skills have served entertainment industry clients from Discovery Channel and Lion’s Gate to Warner Brothers and Walt Disney Imagineering. In 2010, his art direction for National Geographic garnered a nomination for the Emmy.

Jeffrey H. Luther

Jeffrey H. Luther

Production Designer and Art Director, "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "The Sarah Silverman Program," "Without Warning"
Jeffery Luther is a Los Angeles-based production designer and art director, whose credits include: "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "The Sarah Silverman Program," and "Without Warning."
Kevin Lewis

Kevin Lewis

Production Designer

Kevin Lewis is a Los Angeles-based Production Designer

Mark Fenlason

Mark Fenlason

Emmy-nominated Production Designer, "Hard Rain", "Titanic" and "Red Shoe Diaries"

Mark Fenlason is known for his work on "Hard Rain," "Titanic," and "Red Shoe Diaries."

Robert "Cass" McEntee

Robert "Cass" McEntee

Construction Coordinator, "24", "Mad Men", "Roswell", and "The Italian Job"

Robert "Cass" McEntee is a construction coordinator with such credits as Pair of Kings, Hawthorne, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Mad Men, Wizards of Waverly Place,  Leagally Blonde 2, The Italian Job, 24, Roswell and Felicity.

Ron Franco

Ron Franco

Emmy-nominated Set Decorator of "True Blood", "X-Files", "The Day After Tomorrow", "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" and "Heroes"
Ron is an Emmy-nominated set decorator on the TV shows The X Files, Help Me Help You, Californication, Cold Case, and Pacific Blue. He has also worked on the films In the Mix, The Day After Tomorrow, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and Daredevil. Ron is also the president of Set Decorators Society of America, a non-profit oranization dedicated to supporting the set decorator profession.