Sets are crucially important to a film’s success. A great set can inform a character, story, and mood all at once. But great sets don’t just appear out of nowhere– they arise out of a keen attention to detail and tons of hard work from a set dresser. So what is set dressing, and what does a set dresser do?
What is set dressing
Set Dressing Defined
Set dressing can sometimes be confused with set decoration or prop work, but the term has its own specific definition.
SET DRESSING DEFINITION
What is set dressing?
Set dressing refers to the decor and/or furniture which create a believable world for the story.
Set dressing is not the same as props, which are objects that are handled by the actors and managed by the props department. Remember: with the exception of furniture, it’s only a prop if an actor uses it in the scene. Otherwise it’s set decoration.
Roles Associated with Set Dressing:
- Set dresser
- Set decorator
- Production designer
Now, let’s differentiate two oft-confused roles.
What is Set Dressing
Set Decorator vs. Set Dresser
Set decoration is its own department within the art department, and the head of the department is the set decorator. The set decorator is responsible for sourcing anything to be used for set dressing.
In other words, the set decorator purchases or rents — or has other members of the art department build — whatever is needed to make each set look like a real, inhabited place.
For more on the set decorator’s job, check out this video:
Set decorator job
The set decorator works under the production designer. The set dresser works under the set decorator, taking the items procured by the decorator and placing them in the scene to realize the vision of the director, production designer, and set decorator.
A set dresser’s main job is maintaining this vision. If a piece of set dressing needs to be moved for camera, the set dresser will move it back after the shot is achieved, ensuring continuity.
On low-budget independent productions, the set dresser and the set decorator tend to be the same person.
What is set dressing
Set dresser jobs in action
Set dresser jobs are under the overall supervision of the set decorator, and the immediate supervision of the leadperson. Like a key PA, the leadperson is essentially the key set dresser who coordinates the areas of responsibility for all the other set dressers.
This video is a great, quick breakdown on the job:
Set dresser job description
Set dresser jobs on a production include being responsible for cataloging all set dressing items, transporting needed set dressing items to the set, and storing and securing all set dressing items.
Set dresser jobs may also include upkeep and repair of set decorations, which includes everything from furniture and rugs to wall hangings and books on shelves.
What is set dressing
How to Set Dress
Now that we know what a set dresser does, let’s look at the steps taken to make set dressing effective. Remember, the following considerations are usually the realm of production designer and set decorator.
Set dressing all starts with the script. What is the type of story that is being told? What is the purpose of each set? What is the desired mood? What information needs to be conveyed? These are all questions set dressing needs to take into account.
Hail, Caesar stage dressers at work
On a more immediate level, however, breaking down a script means going scene by scene and identifying all the different elements required within it.
The line producer or AD will send the set decorator the initial script breakdown, along with several production reports that list the set dressing elements. One of those reports is called a breakdown summary.
Check out a sample breakdown we made using StudioBinder's script breakdown software.
Sample breakdown for stage dressers
Let’s see how this process manifests by looking at an existing scene.
What is set dressing
Set Dressing Example
By their very nature, scripts don’t outline every detail of a set in a scene. Doing so would result in overlong paragraphs of description, which screenwriters usually avoid.
This means that production designers and set decorators typically have a sizable amount of creative freedom, reading between the lines in a given scene to create a set which enhances the story.
Take this scene from Almost Famous, which we imported into StudioBinder’s screenwriting software:
Almost Famous PDF
Writer/director Cameron Crowe includes almost no description of what the interior of Elaine’s home looks like. This means that production designer Clay A. Griffith and the rest of the art department had to decide for themselves how Will’s childhood should be presented.
Take a look at what the set dressing eventually looked like:
Almost Famous set dressing
Let’s break it down. First, the set dressing indicates the time period we’re in: the early 1970s. The furniture is adequately dated, and there is shag carpet in the background. It’s not over-the-top, but it subtly situates us in the decade.
Second, the dressing informs Elaine as a character. There are a plethora of books, emphasizing Elaine’s profession in academia. On the walls are different inspirational quotes, and one of the most prominently featured ones is a Christian prayer. Elaine is religious and buttoned-up.
The beige color palette emphasizes Elaine’s traditional temperament, and creates the perfect environment in which a teenage girl with a rebellious streak would feel stifled.
With well-chosen set dressing, the team for Almost Famous effectively establishes the conflict and characters within the scene.
Set Dressing Definition
How to Become a Set Dresser
Does set dressing seem like a career path you’d want to go down? If so, here’s how you can achieve your goal.
Often, future set dressers will start as production assistants. Once you’ve established yourself as a worthwhile PA, your aim should be to start working in the art department, where set dressers work.
As an art PA, you’ll both learn the tricks of the trade and be able to introduce yourself to people higher up in the department. If you can get on the set decoration team within the department, even better.
Did You Know
A set dresser salary is typically around $75,000 a year, and they are paid by the hour. Of course, the amount you can expect to get paid depends on the type of set you’re working on. The set dresser salary on a super indie film will be less than a union blockbuster.
From there, it’s all networking, meeting art department vets and telling people of your interest in the field.
Being a set dresser doesn’t have to be the end goal. Many set dressers go onto work as leadmen, set decorators, prop masters, or even production designers farther down the line.
As a set dresser, you should expect your hours to vary. You’re at the whim of the shoot, and as such, overnights and long hours come with the territory. Most set dressers stress that to love the job, you have to love set life.
Up Next
What is Production Design?
Now that you know everything there is to know about set dressing, it’s time to look at production design. In this post, we’ll walk you through the profession, and explain why good production design is necessary for a movie to truly be great.
Up Next: What is Production Design →
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