The set decorating department brings all sets and locations to life. They do this by creating the visual style of every shooting location. They dress sets with furniture, carpets, artwork—anything that helps bring the story to life. They even decide what to put in the refrigerator and what books to place on a character’s shelves.

Set decorators work closely with production designers and the props department to create a consistent look and feel for each set and the overall production.

The larger the production, the more items are needed and the larger the set decorating department. The set decorator is aided by assistants, on-set dressers, set buyers, set dressers, drapers, upholsterers and warehouse supervisors.

The set decorating department is represented by IATSE.

Attention to detail

There can be thousands of items to store, keep track of and have in place when needed.

Organization

Set decorators need to break down the script to know what they need to buy, rent or build for a production.

Production knowledge

Set decorators must know how colors and patterns will look under different lighting conditions.

Creativity

Set decorators help the director tell a story. Every element they select contributes to character exposition.

Set decorators are magicians. But they’re magicians who pull off their tricks through attention to detail and sheer hard work. It’s a bit of an underappreciated profession among the public, but those in the film industry know it’s indispensable.