Super tired right now...working two jobs at the same time isn't easy.

The model for VH1 is almost done. It is a simple set, but lots of moving parts so I had to ask the hubby to help me with the engineering.  MAX the cat has become curious and destructive, chewing on my stadium and little custom made parts. 

Well, back to work and hope all of you are well...so tired...but soon I will be done with the projects.

So  William Baldé's "Un rayon de Soleil" just got posted on you tube. It is the MV I did early last month which I posted the process on . I hope you enjoy it!  Kit, you can probably really enjoy it since you'll know what he is singing about. It is one of the few MVs on which I finished the job and still love the song. I did not get sick of hearing it all day on the shoot!


Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNrU05tIS_g

On the other hand, I am making a scale model for an art director friend of mine at MTV.  It is for the VH1 Rock Awards which will take place in UCLA's Pauley Pavilion. For those of you who went to UCLA, here is your pavilion in 1/8"=1'-0" scale.  I am making the model of the sets and audience bleachers this coming week, so it'll be more interesting then. However, MAX the CAT seems to think I am making this for him. He keeps sleeping in the middle of the arena.  I hope the clients aren't allergic to cat hair...

I have actually just finished designing another commercial shoot for an online gaming company...Aeria Games...I felt like it was a way to teach me to understand and appreciate  my husband' s love and addition with WOW a little more. 

However, it has been a while since i blogged.  Here are the photos from the MV from last month. French artist William Baldé, such a talented musician and fun crew. We shot on the Westside of LA, including in front of an awesome mural right on the beach.  It was fun dancing on the job and singing to a French song HAHA!  Too bad I don't live in France. I guess this is meant to be a summer hit this year.
















Lastly,  MAX the CAT update. He is checking himself out (his baby photo) on the AnD website.

I am currently working on a small Music Video and had to look for some props yesterday.

In order to have a successful prop haunting day I needed:

1. A car.
2. Research photos of props my director and singer wanted. 
3. A GPS (Global Positioning System).
4. Good music in the car.
5. Sunglasses.
6. A beverage for the long day.
7. Digital camera or phone to send the photos.
8. A checklist of the props.
9. Addresses of all prop houses or vendors.

Okay, off I go!  Today we are looking to rent vintage cars (circa 1970s), vintage guitars with aged wood body and metal front plate (Dobros or Gretsch), and more...



Dobro guitars...but the one I want is out on a movie...boo! I shall continue.



1960s Gretsch guitars.  Score!  They look good too. Possibilities.



Hum...I think I have enough choices for the maracas.  I have to find out what colors they are interested in. Oval or round shaped ones? Hum...



Phone anyone?  What period do you need? There is an entire isle...



Period cereals! How cool...but not on my list.



Ooo ready to go cakes! Yummy.



Toy robot section...



Cafe chairs on the roof and lots of signage.



Hi, here is me in the hallway of funny mirrors...also not on my list. I hope my producer does not see this and find out I was having too much fun on the job.



Chinatown set?  No wonder they always look so bad...yikes...



Last stop of the day was...Guitar Center.  I thought with the high rental prices, maybe I can just buy a Gretsch guitar.  Here is my find.

Well,  it was a busy day of driving around and prop haunting...now let's see what the director says!

So, a while back Peachy asked me what an Art Director does.  There are many kinds of art directors, in print, marketing, and the entertainment business.  I am one who art directs film mainly and the occasional commercial and music video.

I collaborate with the entire film crew in creating the environment or scenery for the film.  The “look” of the film is generated through discussions and design meetings with the director, cinematographer, and costume designer.  Some production designers or art directors with bigger egos love to say, “We are in charge of everything you see on screen but the clothes on the actors…”  

I have production designed and assisted on projects of all kinds of scales, from designing full on villages and streets from scratch to painting a chosen location on smaller gigs.  The looks are made possible by collaborating with art directors (take the ideas/designs of the production designer and communicate it to all other departments...make sure the it comes out well and on time), set designers (design all scenery that is to be built), set decorators (look for the right furniture, lamps, flowers, curtains, etc.) and prop masters (everything the actors touch, like a mug, cigarette, gun, a pen, etc.).  There many other hard working art department crew, but then the list will be really long! Or, when I am on a smaller film, I sometimes do it all in order get more control over what I am designing ^_^

Above is one part of the job, but my favorite is the time spent collaborating with the director and cinematographer.  Depending on whom I am working with, there is usually long conversations analyzing the scrīpt and characters, exchange of research (artwork, photography, paint colors, a piece of music, a film, an actual location to visit, etc…anything inspiring.)

Once someone asked me, “So you can pretty much just look up the period the film is set in and you’re set right?”  

No…there is so much more and sometimes I don’t get to all of it.  I ask myself, “How long has the character lived here, what’s in this space, what's their financial situation, what are their habits, what colors are the walls, do we want to be colorful or monotone because of a mood the director wants to create?”, on and on and on. It is like being in a good English class and analyzing the crap out of the material and picking at it with your colleagues.

For example, on Kit’s film, I was lucky. I not only had Kit, but T was a friend of ours so I can approach him directly with some questions here and there casually about his room.  His character smoked a lot, so I had 3 ash trays for his bedroom alone.  And the ash trays were from the street markets and dollar stores of Kowloon, because his character can't afford expensive stuff.

However, the preparation process varies, some directors allowed us lots of preparation on our own, very few meetings all together, then when we get on set, it just all comes out.  It really depends on the project and all art directors have their own working habits.  Like performing a piece of music, every time is different.