Design special exhibits and movie, television, and theater sets. May study scripts, confer with directors, and conduct research to determine appropriate architectural styles.
<ul><li>Prepare rough drafts and scale working drawings of sets, including floor plans, scenery, and properties to be constructed.</li><li>Develop set designs, based on evaluation of scripts, budgets, research information, and available locations.</li><li>Read scripts to determine location, set, and design requirements.</li><li>Confer with clients and staff to gather information about exhibit space, proposed themes and content, timelines, budgets, materials, or promotion requirements.</li><li>Collaborate with those in charge of lighting and sound so that those production aspects can be coordinated with set designs or exhibit layouts.</li><li>Attend rehearsals and production meetings to obtain and share information related to sets.</li><li>Prepare preliminary renderings of proposed exhibits, including detailed construction, layout, and material specifications, and diagrams relating to aspects such as special effects or lighting.</li><li>Research architectural and stylistic elements appropriate to the time period to be depicted, consulting experts for information, as necessary.</li><li>Select set props, such as furniture, pictures, lamps, and rugs.</li><li>Inspect installed exhibits for conformance to specifications and satisfactory operation of special-effects components.</li><li>Assign staff to complete design ideas and prepare sketches, illustrations, and detailed drawings of sets, or graphics and animation.</li><li>Examine objects to be included in exhibits to plan where and how to display them.</li><li>Direct and coordinate construction, erection, or decoration activities to ensure that sets or exhibits meet design, budget, and schedule requirements.</li><li>Submit plans for approval, and adapt plans to serve intended purposes, or to conform to budget or fabrication restrictions.</li><li>Observe sets during rehearsals in order to ensure that set elements do not interfere with performance aspects such as cast movement and camera angles.</li><li>Design and build scale models of set designs, or miniature sets used in filming backgrounds or special effects.</li><li>Estimate set- or exhibit-related costs, including materials, construction, and rental of props or locations.</li><li>Plan for location-specific issues, such as space limitations, traffic flow patterns, and safety concerns.</li><li>Select and purchase lumber and hardware necessary for set construction.</li><li>Coordinate the removal of sets, props, and exhibits after productions or events are complete.</li><li>Coordinate the transportation of sets that are built off-site, and coordinate their setup at the site of use.</li><li>Acquire, or arrange for acquisition of, specimens or graphics required to complete exhibits.</li><li>Design and produce displays and materials that can be used to decorate windows, interior displays, or event locations, such as streets and fairgrounds.</li><li>Confer with conservators to determine how to handle an exhibit's environmental aspects, such as lighting, temperature, and humidity, so that objects will be protected and exhibits will be enhanced.</li><li>Arrange for outside contractors to construct exhibit structures.</li></ul>