The Green Wing Art Department

In case anybody's interested as to how my dept. works and what we do, here's a little description.

The Production Designer and the Art Dept. are basically responsible for the following (and also on most other TV Shows or Films, although there is some variation)

• Design, drawing, specifying and overseeing of build of all set construction (studio or location)
• Erecting the set in the studio and taking it down
  
• Dressing of all location sets to script requirements (and re-instating!)
  
• Sourcing and hiring/buying all dressing props (background)
• Sourcing and hiring/buying/making all action props (specific props to the script requirement, used in action)
• Hiring of all character or script specific vehicles
• Hiring of all animals, insects, fish, stuffed animals!
• Arranging all special effects (rain, smoke, fire plus specific effects)
• Co-ordinating stunts with Production
• Arranging any on-set food (edible or otherwise)
• Making all on set graphics (posters, wall dressing, hospital files, signs)
• Co-ordinating Armourers if weapons are used as props
• Scheduling prop dressing crews and studio chippies and painters
• Budgeting (without over-spending!)
• Creating Risk Assessments for all filming relating to all of the above!

Basically, anything that you can see on screen, that isn't to do with Lighting, Costume or Make-Up, falls under the Art Dept umbrella.

My Art Dept on Green Wing consisted of the following crew:

• The Production Designer (yours truly)
• The Art Director
  
• The Assistant Art Director
• The Prop Buyer or Production Buyer
• The Assistant Buyer or Petty Cash Buyer
• Various work experience/trainees on a short term basis (I try to give as many people starting out in the Industry a chance to get some work experience because the hardest thing in TV is getting a foot in the door)
• The Prop Master (in charge of all the props once they arrive on set, checking and returning)
• The Storeman (helps the Prop Master)
• Standby Prop Men (in charge of making sure all the action props are given to the artistes at the right time and standing by for all things prop related on set)
• Dressing Props (in charge of pre-dressing a scene before the film crew arrives)
• Chippies (in charge of erecting the pre-fabbed set in the studio or loc.)
• Painters (Location or scenery painting)
• Prop Drivers - somebody has to collect all the props and take them back again
• Sub-Contractors that included Prop makers, Set Builders, Animal Handlers, Special Effect Technicians, Action Vehicles and Stunt Arrangers. Plus ceiling tile and lino specialists for the studio.

If anybody missed it, there's a picture of me, my Art Director, Assistant AD, Buyer and Assistant Buyer over on my Series 1 blog (although this is the Series 2 Art Dept.)