This book uses in-depth case studies to explore the significance of the design of the home on screen. The chapters draw widely upon the production designer's professional perspective and particular creative point of view. The case studies employ a methodology Barnwell has pioneered for the analysis of production design called Visual Concept Analysis, which can be used as a key to decode the design of any given film. Through the nurturing warmth of the Browns' home in Paddington, the ambiguous boundaries of secret service agent homes in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and the 'singleton' space occupied by Bridget Jones, Barnwell demonstrates that the domestic interior consistently plays a key role. Whether used as a transition space, an ideal, a catalyst for change or a place to return to, these case studies examine the pivotal nature of the home in storytelling and the production designers' significance in its creation. The book benefits from interviews with production designers and artwork that provides insight on the creative process.

Packed with colour film stills, exclusive pre-production artwork and behind-the-scenes production images, this landmark book celebrates the production designer’s contribution to visual storytelling on screen. It illuminates the visual concepts behind familiar screen spaces and unpicks how and why they are so effective in conveying character and story. Seven case studies, developed from exclusive interviews with world-renowned designers, reveal the concepts behind some of the most engaging imagery on screen and establish a dialogue around the shared language of visual storytelling. Jane Barnwell offers a new methodology for evaluating the designer's work on screen through five categories of analysis: space, interiors and exteriors, light, colour and set decorating. All of which combine to create the visual concept evident in the final screen image and together provide a model for the analysis of production design. Practical exercises and examples of real world projects walk you through the design process from breaking down the script and developing initial ideas to identifying a coherent conceptual vision. If you are a filmmaker, Production Design for Screen will inspire and guide you in your own work.

"Production Design: Architects of the Screen" explores the role of the production designer through a historical overview that maps out landmark film and television designs. From the familiar environs of the soap opera to the elaborate and disorientating "Velvet Goldmine" and the hyper-realism of "Trainspotting," production design is integral to understanding moving-image text, with the emergence of themes, motifs and colors offering clues to unravel plot, character and underlying concepts. In considering the importance of physical space in the creation of a filmed environment, the book investigates questions of authenticity in detail, props, colors and materials. The design codes of period drama are examined and contrasted with more playful productions of the past, and the creation of distinctive contemporary looks are discussed through the use of key examples ranging from musicals of the 1930s to cult films of the 1990s. The book also includes interviews with leading production designers.