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How to become
Art director in the audiovisual sector
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Who are Art Directors in the audiovisual sector?
Whether it is a television programme or feature film, Art Directors are strategic figures in the field of audiovisual productions. These profiles are charged with a project’s artistic and visual direction. These professionals work closely with directors, cinematographers and production teams to shape the style of films, television series, or live broadcasts. Art Directors play a crucial role in conveying to viewers a work’s creative vision and atmosphere.
What do Art Directors do?
During the various creative phases of an audiovisual product, Art Directors are first involved in research and conceptual development. Ideas and visual concepts take shape through mood boards, sketches and storyboards that help define the project. Art direction includes the supervision and coordination of set designers, costume designers, hairdressers, make-up artists and other professionals involved in the creation of a visual design. Among the role’s tasks are the evaluation and choice of locations in accordance with the narrative outline; scenery design; and the selection of colour elements, set materials and tones in agreement with the Director of Photography. Supervising the shoot is another important part of the job - a crucial activity to ensure that the visual output is consistent and reflects the original vision.
What skills should Art Directors have?
In the audiovisual sector, Art Directors’ skills are different from those required in other fields (e.g. in graphics or marketing). However, there is a common basis of artistic, creative and management skills. Below is a list of widely required skills.
- Visual Creativity: artistic sensitivity and creativity to translate the director's vision into coherent sets and visual design; understanding of the principles of audiovisual language such as composition, lighting and perspective; awareness of set design techniques and materials to create credible and detailed scenarios.
- Software knowledge: ability to use Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.
Other skills: leadership skills to lead the artistic department and collaborate with other team members, ability to plan and organise artistic activities and production schedules in order to meet budget and deadlines.
How to become an Art Director for film and TV?
Learning the basics of art direction and delving into its specific aspects requires constant training. The Three-year BA Program in Cinema and Animation (link) at NABA is designed to train professionals in the field of audiovisual design and production, with particular reference to the film sector, both for live action and animation productions. Among the courses on offer is, for example, the course in Methodology of Visual Communication - a programme that aims to provide the methodological tools to build a design scheme including creativity and organisational details. At the same time, awareness is built of the final product’s execution stages, and the predisposition to work in small groups is trained.
- Three-year BA Program in Film and Animation