AFI Production Design Curriculum

 

PRODUCTION DESIGN: First Year

PRN 510: Introduction to Cycle Production — Boot Camp
FIRST TERM
4 CREDIT HOURS

This intensive six-week workshop is meant to introduce Fellows to the AFI Conservatory. There is a focus on narrative storytelling. Classes for all first-year Fellows, orientations into production policies and procedures and discipline-specific workshops will prepare Fellows for both the academic and production work ahead. The production component of this course is the Boot Camp Shoot, a digital video exercise shot in four hours that guides first-year Fellows through Conservatory production procedures. The production teams engage in the processes of development, casting, pre-production, shooting and post-production, resulting in a project three to five minutes in length, to be screened the week following the shoot.

PRN 5111: Cycle Production I
FIRST TERM
4 CREDIT HOURS

Narrative Cycle Project 1 is the first of three collaborative narrative projects that each Fellow will complete during the first year. Narrative Cycle Projects are shot digitally, then edited, evaluated and screened in Narrative Workshop. They cannot run longer than 20 minutes in length, including credits.

PRN 5122 and 5123: Cycle Production II and III
SECOND TERM
8 CREDIT HOURS

This course encompasses narrative Cycle Projects 2 and 3. Narrative Cycle Projects 2 and 3 follow the pattern of Narrative Cycle Project 1. In addition to the above-mentioned required production coursework, other production at the AFI Conservatory may include first-year Cinematography 35mm Visual Essays, as well as other in-class exercises. In all cases, all AFI Conservatory production policies and procedures must be followed. Narrative Cycle Projects 2 and 3 follow the pattern of Narrative Cycle Project 1.

PRN 5211, 5222 and 5223: Narrative Workshop and Analysis I – III
FIRST AND SECOND TERMS
6 CREDIT HOURS TOTAL

At the end of the production process, all first year Cycle films are screened and reviewed for all first year Fellows, key Production faculty members, and staff. Each screening is followed by a critical analysis of the project, specifically for team members, led by a faculty member. Fellows receive feedback from the first-year class, allowing them to broaden their perspective beyond their study discipline. Team members then adjourn for one-on-one analysis with the NW faculty member.

DES 511: Production Design: From Script to Screen I
FIRST TERM
2 CREDIT HOURS

A workshop exploring the history and contribution of Production Design in film, television and new media, as well as the application of art, design and architecture to moving image storytelling. Fellows learn about the role of the Production Designer in the production process, from the job interview to a film’s completion. The course will also introduce the Fellows to all the other positions in the art department and their contributions. The work of established designers is examined through research, film design assignments, set visits and guest speakers. A range of topics will explore the production designer’s journey to find and develop the visual design approach/concept from the script, art-department breakdowns and budgeting, presentation of designs, finding locations, pre-production and production, to interfacing with various other departments that the Production Designer deals with.

DES 512: Production Design: From Script to Screen II
SECOND TERM
2 CREDIT HOURS

A workshop exploring the history and contribution of Production Design in film, television and new media, as well as application of art, design and architecture to moving image storytelling. Fellows continue to learn about the role of the production designer in the production process from prep to wrap. This course will continue to introduce Fellows to the other creative collaborators in the art department and in other departments. The work of established production designers will be examined through set visits and visiting guest speakers. The big focus in the second semester will be the design process, execution and presentation of Set #1 ADTL and Set #2 from a feature film chosen by each Fellow.

DES 523: Set Design and Art Direction: Craft & Practice in the Art Department I
FIRST TERM
2 CREDIT HOURS

Introduces Fellows to some of the creative and technical skills necessary for film concept design and presentation. Fellows will be required to perform research exercises and document existing locations with photographs, measured Floor Plans and Elevations, and physical scale Models as an aide to pre-visualization by the creative team. There will be short exercises to strengthen the Fellows’ design abilities. The emphasis will be on design solutions that complement the narrative, and the characters within.

DES 524: Set Design and Art Direction: Craft & Practice in the Art Department II
SECOND TERM
2 CREDIT HOURS

Introduces Fellows to some of the creative and technical skills necessary for film concept design and presentation. Fellows will be required to perform research exercises and document existing locations with photographs, measured plans and elevations and physical models as an aide to pre-visualization by the creative team. There will also be short exercises to strengthen the Fellows design abilities. In addition, Fellows will be required to present research, sketches, models and scale drawings of their own design concepts for sets based upon a screenplay provided by Faculty. The emphasis will be on design solutions that complement the narrative of the screenplay and the characters within.

DES 533: Introduction to Set Sketching
FIRST TERM
1 CREDIT HOUR

One of a production designer’s essential skills is the ability to draw environments quickly and convincingly in perspective set sketches. This class develops the Fellow’s freehand set sketching skills through a series of lectures and demonstration by the instructor as well as weekly in-class drawing exercises. Topics include creating one- and two-point perspectives layouts from a variety of sources and using the layout to develop a final line drawing.

DES 534: Applied Set Sketching
SECOND TERM
2 CREDIT HOURS

Fellows further develop their set sketching ability by applying what they have learned in DES533 to their set design exercises. Advanced concepts introduced include linear perspective techniques, adding light and shadow to create volume and using color and reflections to render materials convincingly in their drawings. Fellows are required to complete and deliver a variety of in-class drawing exercises, a series of homework sketches as well as set sketches of both sets they design during this semester.

DES 544: Modeling with SketchUp for Entertainment Design
SECOND TERM
2 CREDIT HOURS

DES544 is an intensive hands-on computer laboratory class on the use of SketchUp as an Art Department tool for 3D modeling, rendering and drafting. Emphasis will be placed on using the software to quickly visualize design concepts and then develop those concepts into finished drawings in practical real-world Art Department situations.

DES 551 & 552: Fundamentals of Visual Storytelling I & II
FIRST AND SECOND TERM
3 CREDIT HOURS

This course will provide a survey of methods used by the production designer/filmmaker to understand fundamental principles that shape their work in the visual story telling process. We will explore systematic approaches to script analysis, genre, tone, character development, and historical reference as it pertains to film studies. Fellows will view research that reaches across disciplines into art and architecture for both narrative realism and symbolism. The course will be structured around film genre and style, each week we shall focus on one particular genre and analyze the film, identify visual motifs and tropes common to that genre and discuss it in both a historical, social and narrative context. Given the tools and framework within which to work from, students will create presentations of all visual development for that cycle project to the class. The class will then workshop the ideas and it will discuss each designers approach. The designer will refine his or her ideas before the cycle project enters production. The final projects will be screened, analyzed and discussed upon completion. DES 552 builds upon DES 551.

DES 562: Introduction to Visual Effects (VFX) and Special Effects (SPFX) **
SECOND TERM
CREDIT HOURS TBD

This course provides an overview of the analogue processes and techniques along with digital tools and work pipelines to understand the collaborative process of working with the VFX and SPFX departments (and the 1st/2nd A.D.s) in order to stage and execute complex set pieces and action sequences while still balancing the vision of the director, budget, time, and quality.

** NOTE that this class may not run in 2019 – 2020; DES 562 is dependent upon instructor availability

CON 521 and 522: American Approaches to Film
FIRST AND SECOND TERMS
2 CREDIT HOURS TOTAL

An American narrative, live-action screening series of classic and contemporary feature and short films, highlighting the work of each discipline, in order to explore the aesthetic, cultural, historical and social phenomenon of the motion picture arts.

First-Year Fellow Comprehensive Review

At the end of the first year, a panel comprised of the Discipline Head and key faculty members meet with each individual Fellow to review professional growth over the course of the first-year program. Fellows are asked to bring with them their best cycle film, as well as examples of work from each class. Both academic and production work will be discussed. The review will note accomplishments, identify areas of strength, include an assessment of skills learned, denote areas of concern and provide recommendations for focus and improvement in order to advance to candidacy for the Master of Fine Arts degree or Certificate of Completion.

PRODUCTION DESIGN: Second Year

PRN 610: Thesis Production — Production Design
12 CREDIT HOURS TOTAL

Building on the first-year production experience, the Production Design Fellows must successfully fulfill all pre-production and production responsibilities on a thesis production in a professionally executed short film or digital video project that is evaluated by senior faculty. Production Designers collaborate with team members under the guidance of thesis production faculty mentors. Thesis production teams participate in special development, pre-production and post-production workshops. In addition, teams visit discipline workshops on a scheduled basis over the course of pre-production, production and post-production in order to gain a thorough understanding of the collaborative interdisciplinary creative process. If a Production Design Fellow is approved by faculty to design more than one thesis production, the additional project(s) will be considered an additional thesis requirement for completion of the degree certificate.

DES 601: Art Direction & Set Design Essentials
FIRST TERM
2 CREDIT HOURS

The goal of this course is to educate and strengthen the Fellow’s conceptual, drafting, and communication skills by providing training in practical design methods used for set building. This training will be augmented with insights into Art Direction, which will include: organizing the workflow for both your project and your department, understanding how to communicate your design goals with all personnel and departments, and how to foresee potential problems within your set concepts and/or builds that could make filming problematic and/or expensive.

DES 602: Applied Art Direction & Set Design
SECOND TERM
2 CREDIT HOURS

This course on advanced set design reviews and strengthens the Fellows’ conceptual, drafting, and communication skills.  Each Fellow will select their own film projects (with instructor approval) and produce working drawings for two major sets within that film over the course of the semester. Drawings for the project include all plans and elevations, plus some details, and a white model (to be discussed).

DES 623: Modeling with VectorWorks for Entertainment Design
FIRST TERM
2 CREDIT HOURS

DES623 is an intensive hands-on computer laboratory class that will concentrate on the use of VectorWorks as Art Department tool for 3D modeling, rendering and drafting. These skills will be studied concurrently with other digital tools throughout the two second year terms. Emphasis will be placed on using software to quickly visualize concepts and then develop those concepts into finished drawings in practical, real world Art Department situations. The course will consist of in class lecture and demonstration and student hands-on experience to demonstrate the tools and concepts of each program. Each week we will examine different aspects of the programs in class, and each week there will be an assignment to be done to reinforce the weeks classwork.

DES 624: Advanced Design Software Skills
SECOND TERM
2 CREDIT HOURS

This course will instruct students in the design of scenery for Film and Stage using advanced modeling techniques in both VectorWorks and SketchUp, as well as introduce students to the design of production graphics using Adobe Illustrator.

DES 641: Concept Development
FIRST TERM
2 CREDIT HOURS

Fellows are required to select a screenplay of their choice, create a breakdown, budget and schedule, then design and present two key set concepts by the end of the class.

DES 642: Advanced Concept Development
SECOND TERM
2 CREDIT HOURS

Working from their interpretation of a more complex source, Fellows research and develop an advanced set design that fits on a given sound stage and addresses the technical concerns of the key disciplines including cinematography and visual effects. Their concept must be clearly presented in drawings including perspectives, plans and elevations as well as a physical study model. After the conclusion of the course each Fellow presents their work to a panel of professional production designers.

DES 655: Introduction to Concept Modeling with Rhino I
FIRST TERM
2 CREDIT HOURS

DES 655 introduces the Fellows to the flow of information into and out of the art department. We will look at blocking and framing as the basis for design and explore the ways that 3D digital modeling (in Rhino 3D) is used in a feature film art department. Through in class design charrettes, the Fellows will learn to use Rhino 3D and be introduced to the basics of concept modeling and how it is used to bring a set from their initial concept, through construction, shooting and post before being seen in the finished film.

DES 656: Concept Modeling with Rhino II
SECOND TERM
2 CREDIT HOURS

DES 656 builds on DES 655. We take the modeling skills we developed last semester and learn to apply them to several scenarios that are faced during production. We will start with learning the particulars of designing a set with set extension component. We will then move on to designing a set with a special effects component. And finally, you will take one of the sets you previously did in this class and revisit it to bring it up to a finished standard.

DES 670: Internship Practicum
ANY TERM
1–3 CREDIT HOUR(S)
ELECTIVE

The objective of this course is to provide working experience in the film/TV industry as it pertains specifically to the Fellow’s degree/certificate requirements. Specific duties and requirements will be outlined and supervised by the faculty mentor. This internship qualifies an international Fellow for Curriculum Practical Training; approval must be obtained by the international advisor, as well as the faculty mentor prior to enrolling in the course.

DES 690: Thesis Portfolio — Production Design
THESIS TERM TO BE ARRANGED
8 CREDIT HOURS

Fellows are required to document the development of their thesis project including analysis and visual interpretation of the script, color flows, storyboards, key frame illustrations, set design sketches, floor plans, perspective drawings, models and computer renderings, as well as set construction and finished set photographic documentation. In addition, Design Fellows select and prepare additional illustrative work for this professional portfolio. The complete portfolio will be presented to senior faculty for review, evaluation and approval for graduation.

CON 621 and 622: World Approaches to Film
FIRST AND SECOND TERMS
2 CREDIT HOURS TOTAL

A non-American narrative, live-action screening series of classic and contemporary feature and short films, highlighting the work of each discipline in order to explore the aesthetic, cultural, historical and social phenomenon of the motion picture arts.

CON 631 and 632: HLMS (Harold Lloyd Master Seminar)/ Seminar Series
FIRST AND SECOND TERMS
2 CREDIT HOURS TOTAL

This second-year seminar features a series of screenings and interviews with leading figures from all aspects of the motion picture, television and digital media arts. The seminars provide Fellows with a broad and varied perspective on contemporary stories being told, directly from the artists creating them