Since September 2021 I joined work with a national award winning Production Designer. It is my dream job and working 13 hours a day without any fixed working days has never felt more satisfying.
My first project was the production/set design for the Netflix movie- Dhaka which stars Kartik Aryan and is directed by Ram Madhavani.
When I joined work the team was way past the conceptualisation stage. Now what was needed to be done was execution. Execution of a set design plan includes-
1. Set structure construction- Material sourcing, manpower sourcing, set building
This was done by the Art Director and his team
2. Set decoration- Prop sourcing, material sourcing, furniture sourcing, prepping, setting up, cleaning and settling accounts.
I got the opportunity to involve myself in this part of the execution.
I went around the city to various shops (suggested by my seniors) to find certain props. Once I found them I had to send in pictures to my seniors for approval. Once I got the approval I would go back to the shops and pick up the props. I would make sure to always take pictures of the bill and account for everything.
A day or two before the shoot I had the opportunity to work on location/set. I helped my seniors in setting up the props and more than anything was in awe of the scale of work.
The daily wage labourers were efficient to the T. We had a 11-12 panel house, built, pained, floored in two days. I was a huge learning experience.
Workers creating artificial groves on the floor to give the effect of a panelled wood floor. They used a tread to measure and a cutter to cut, with hand.
Five hours worth of effort for an effect barely noticed by the viewers. Talk about attention to detail!
On shoot day, there were over 300 people on set. Everyone was doing what they had to and no one really was bother by the presence of multiple celebrities on set.
I had the opportunity to work inside the set and watch and learn from my seniors on how propping and framing is done. It was inspiring to see them work 13 -14 hours everyday and not show a sign of tiredness once. At the end of the day they were satisfied and happy with the work they did each day and I felt the same way too.
I happily continue my work in this field, learning and growing with each project.
