I am a huge, huge, huge movie buff. I love movies for the entertainment factor, obviously, but I also love them for the entire creative process that envelopes them. If you think about all that goes into the production of a movie from screenplay adaptation to casting to location scouting to set design to wardrobe creation to trailer development, I would love to do all of it! My dad has always teased me that The Oscars are like my version of The Superbowl.
As you can image, I have always dreamed about doing set design. While working at a retail shop in Charleston, I met a production assistant for the film The Notebook. I bombarded that poor woman with so many questions that I ran her out of the store! Before she left she was nice enough to invite me to watch them film a block away on Pitt Street. One of the coolest experiences of my life! [Should I not admit that?] It was fun to see how they transformed our quaint little Mt. Pleasant village into a 1940's storefront.
Anyway, there are certainly some iconic films when it comes to set design: Somethings Gotta Give, The Holiday and Father of the Bride are the films that my clients mention most often. All of which, were created by famed director Nancy Meyers who is a god when it comes to depicting stunning dream homes that are undeniably timeless. Learn more about this talented director in this article via Silver Screen Surroundings blog (great source!) or here on imdb.com.
Can you guess which photo is from which movie?
Answers: 1) Somethings Gotta Give 2-4) The Holiday 5) Father of the Bride 6) Somethings Gotta Give
I cannot talk about movies without mentioning a few of my obsessions. Hitchcock and Dorris Day films, both of which I discovered in high school and both of which require their own entire post so I will refrain from getting started. However, I also grew up watching James Bond movies with my dad and my brother and although I enjoyed the plot; over-the-top bad guys, high-tech gadgets, and kitschy one-liners, I especially loved watching the films. The Bond series spans over five decades (and counting) so each film captures the trends of the times in regards to fashion, furnishings, architecture and technology.
Dr. No (1962)
Moonraker (1979)
Casino Royale (2006)
Have a movie you love for the set design? Let me know!
~Images: Courtesy of Silver Screen Surroundings Blog, Urban Grace Blog and hotflick.net