Will “Set and Exhibit Designers” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔

Job Description

Design special exhibits and movie, television, and theater sets. May study scripts, confer with directors, and conduct research to determine appropriate architectural styles.

Job Details

• The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 27-1027.00
• The Mean Annual Wage in the U.S. is $ 57,600.00
• The Mean Hourly Wage is $ 27.00
• Currently, there are 12,060 people on this job

Also Known As…

• Show Design Supervisor
• Set Designer
• Set Decorator
• Scenic Designer
• Production Designer
• Exhibit Preparator
• Exhibit Designer
• Display Coordinator
• Designer
• Design Chief
• Theater Set Production Designer
• Stage Set Designer
• Scenic Arts Supervisor
• Room Designer
• Presentation Specialist
• Museum Exhibit Designer
• Miniature Set Designer
• Food Stylist
• Exhibit Specialist
• Event Designer
• Event Decorator and Designer
• Display Designer
• Design Supervisor
• Art Director
• Art Coordinator

Tasks for “Set and Exhibit Designers”

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

Related Technology & Tools

• Portable stepladders
• General purpose paintbrushes
• Digital still cameras
• Personal computers
• Pneumatic nail guns
• Furniture staplers
• Portable air compressors
• Liquid crystal display LCD projectors
• Electric arc welding equipment
• Sewing machines
• Airbrush paint applicators
• All-purpose scissors
• Tablet computers
• Claw hammers
• Synthetic web slings
• Paint application rollers
• Laptop computers
• Rotary saws
• Sound mixing boards
• Handsaws

• Microsoft Word
• Autodesk AutoCAD
• Figure 53 QLab
• Act-3D Quest3D
• Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign
• Corel CorelDraw Graphics Suite
• Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Autodesk Maya
• McNeel Rhino software
• Nemetschek Vectorworks Spotlight
• Google SketchUp
• Adobe Systems Adobe Director
• Adobe Systems Adobe Creative Suite
• Microsoft Excel
• Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
• Autodesk 3ds Max