ART DEPARTMENT COORDINATOR IN MOTION PICTURE PRODUCTION… (In the Entertainment industry. Art Department Coordinator)

Bad Boys 2, Tapia Mansion, Del Rey Beach Set / Photo Credit: Bruce Bisbey Art Department Coordinator

ART DEPARTMENT COORDINATOR IN MOTION PICTURE PRODUCTION… (In the Entertainment industry. Art Department Coordinator)

Bruce Bisbey…please follow me at: https://dumbdogproductionsllc.blogspot.com or https://www.facebook.com/DumbDogProductionsLLC/ thank you.

Art Department Coordinator in Motion Picture Production

I personally was an Art Department Coordinator for over a decade. Bad Boys II, Flight of the Phoenix, When A Stranger Calls, Employee of the Month, Basic, etc. Bruce Bisbey

The art department coordinator acts as the administrator of the crew; he or she is under the supervision of the art director. The coordinator assists this person in the business matters of the department, as well as the smooth operation of pre-production, principal photography, and wrap-up.

The art department is always the biggest department on any film, involving vast numbers of crew, equipment, material and most significantly, money. Art Department Coordinators provide day-to-day administration and support to help keep the department running efficiently. They must be highly capable and organized to cope with the work load and long hours involved.  

Their main responsibility is to co-ordinate information between the following departments: Set Decorating, Props, Production, Locations and Construction. They usually report to the Supervising Art Director and the Production Designer.

They are among the first to be employed in a film's Art Department, usually starting work with the Production Manager. They make sure the Art Department budget (e.g. labor costs, set dressing, drapes, etc.) is kept under control and properly communicated to the film's Producers via the Production Manager.

Art Department Coordinators perform a wide range of duties including: compiling a build, dress and strike (take down) schedule for the art department; organizing transport and travel; shipping equipment when working abroad and supplying copies of all drawings and information. They also download and prepare all location photographs for the Production Designer and make a list of all sets for the Construction and Set Dressing budgets.

Art Department Coordinators collate all location notes with details of construction, dressing and vehicle requirements so that they can organize permissions from local councils, police, etc. They are also responsible for the implementation of Health and Safety procedures.

They oversee legal clearances for all name-brand props used as part of the set dressing.

During filming, they are the point of contact for the Standby Art Director who liaises with them about any urgent requests from the art department.

Art Department coordinators usually continue to work until a week after shooting wraps (is completed), ensuring that all models have been photographed and packed away and that all drawings have been filed and/or correctly archived.

They also provide General Personal Assistant support to the Production Designer.

Art Department coordinators work on a freelance basis and may be required to spend long periods working away from home.

Duties

The art department coordinator begins work during pre-production and is responsible for tasks as delegated by the art director. These tasks will include managing all department communications concerning scheduling, such as informing pertinent staff of design meetings, delivery deadlines, and related events. It is the coordinator’s job to ensure that all parties are on the same page and informed about decisions and changes that will affect the development of art assets and concept material. He or she will also participate in research. If the art director is trying to pin down the accurate aesthetic of Morocco in the early 1900s to produce a convincing exterior set, the coordinator must use all available resources to gather necessary information concerning color, style, textures, and materials for that purpose.

In preparation for construction of scenery, this person is responsible for documenting a complete materials and equipment list and then for gathering vendor proposals for renting or purchase. When the appropriate vendors have been selected, the coordinator will oversee the purchase or rental agreements and collect applicable paperwork for billing. Therefore, the coordinator is also tasked with tracking the art department budget and delivering that information to the line producer. Other duties delegated to this position may include scheduling crew and documenting time sheets. During production, the coordinator continues to monitor expenditures against the budget and turns that information over to the production office, as well communicating call times for the art department crew. At the conclusion of principal photography, he or she must hand over all budget documentation for billing to the line producer, and see that vendors are paid. This person must also manage the return of all rentals to the appropriate vendors.

Skills & Education

There is no formal training or qualification for becoming an Art Department Co-ordinator. You will need to gain experience, contacts and good people skills by working at junior levels in Production or in the Art Department.

What’s the best route in?

You can expect to start your career at a junior level as a Production Assistant, Art Department Assistant or Runner.

You will need to work on a number of films to gain the experience and valuable contacts to co-ordinate the biggest department on film crews. Because of the heavy demands of the job, the progression to Art Department Co-ordinator can take several years.

You could apply to be a trainee through Trainee Finder, which gives you hands-on experience in the industry and helps you build those all-important contacts that are essential when competing for a job:

A college degree in film and television production or theatrical design is helpful, and study should include courses in entertainment business with an emphasis on finance, accounting, and management. An art background with training in fine art is also useful. The art department coordinator must understand the production process, as well as the procedures for obtaining vendor bids, securing contracts, billing, and budgeting. Excellent computer skills are required, and the coordinator should be familiar with Word, Excel, and various budget-tracking software. The individual best suited for the role is highly organized, meticulous, and able to juggling multiple competing priorities.

What to Expect

If you are more comfortable around spreadsheets and purchase orders than a paintbrush, than this may be the right gig for you. The art department coordinator is able to contribute to the creative process of filmmaking or television production, without the necessity for advanced artistic skill. However, there can de a downside. For those who are looking to advance in an artistic role, the coordinator job may be a dead end, as no one will have the opportunity to see your talent if you are stuck plugging in Excel formulas. Those wishing to advance to the position of assistant art director or set designer should concentrate on artistic roles within the department. On the other hand, coordinators who are strictly interested in the business side of entertainment can pursue opportunities as a line producer, unit production manager, associate producer, or similar role. A path toward becoming an art department coordinator usually begins as an office production assistant or as a full-time employee at a scenic and props company.

Sources, References & Credits: Google, Wikipedia, Wikihow, WikiBooks, Pinterest, IMDB, Linked In, Indie Wire, Film Making Stuff, Hiive, Film Daily, New York Film Academy, The Balance, The Numbers, Film Maker, TV Guide Magazine, Media Match, Quora, Creative Skill Set, Investopedia, Variety, No Film School, Daily Variety, The Film Agency, Best Sample Resume, How Stuff Works, Career Trend, Producer's Code of Credits, Truity, Production Hub, Producers Guild of America, Film Connection, Variety, Wolf Crow, Get In Media, Ken Adam: The Art of Production Design (Faber and Faber) by Christopher Frayling,

Production Design and Art Direction (Focal Press) by Peter Ettedgui, By Design: Interviews with Film Production Designers (Greenwood Press) by Vincent LoBrutto, Film Architecture: From Metropolis to Blade Runner (Prestel Publishing Ltd). Edited by D. Neumann 2001, Filming the Future (Aurum Press Ltd) by Piers Bizony, The Invisible Art: The Legends of Movie Matt Painting (Chronicle Books) by M. Cotta Vaz and C. Barron

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND BRUCE BISBEY MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY, AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, REGARDING THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY OR TIMELINESS OF THIS INFORMATION. YOUR USE OF THIS INFORMATION IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. YOU ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND RISK OF LOSS RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, WHETHER IN AN ACTION BASED UPON A STATUTE, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE, RELATING TO THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION.

Bad Boys 2, Tapia Mansion, Del Rey Beach Set / Photo Credit: Bruce Bisbey Art Department Coordinator