Art department planning

Art Department

Give the production designer, art director, set decorator, construction team, and buyers a clear record of what each set needs, where it shoots, when it is required, and what it costs.

Build the set list from the screenplay, connect story sets to practical locations, prepare dressing and construction, keep references close, and follow the numbers without losing the design intent.

SET 24MERCER FAMILY KITCHEN
INT. / DAY
Hawthorne HousePractical location - Stage dressing required
SET DEC18 itemsDressing, hero pieces, multiples
CONSTRUCTION7 materials2 labor rows
SCENES12, 14, 315 2/8 pages
Set Dec $4,860Construction $2,940SET $7,800

Start with the story set

Turn the breakdown into a working art department plan

The set list carries the script information into art department prep. Select a set, see where and how often it plays, then build the dressing, construction, location, references, dates, and cost picture around it.

01

Read the set list

Review episode, scene use, pages, set type, notes, and the story set's place in the script.

02

Choose the practical

Connect the story set to the selected location and keep its location record and address close to the work.

03

Dress and build

List set pieces, construction materials, and labor with references, quantities, vendors, rates, and working dates.

04

Carry the cost

Read set decoration, construction, location, and full set totals while the department prepares the job.

The department at a glance

Every practical, piece, build, reference, and cost tied to the set

Work from the same set record while each desk keeps the detail needed to prep and execute the design.

Script-based set list

Read board ID, episode, set name, occurrences, page count, set type, notes, location, and address.

Scenes for each set

Open the scenes linked to a set and understand how the space plays across the script before prep begins.

Set dressing lists

Build the furniture, practicals, hand dressing, hero pieces, multiples, and other pieces required for the set.

Construction materials

List build materials with quantities, unit prices, totals, images, vendor details, and notes.

Construction labor

Prepare labor rows with crew quantity, rate, and total beside the materials for the build.

Practical locations

Assign the selected location to its story set and keep the practical, set-in-location link, and address visible.

Visual references

Keep design references and item thumbnails with the set and the exact dressing or construction piece they describe.

Sourcing details

Record buy or rental, vendor, SKU, quantity notes, price, status, pickup, return, storage, and disposition.

Production dates

Use the set's production calendar to see the dates attached to prep, sourcing, returns, and other department work.

Set cost rollups

Read set decoration, construction, location, set, and props totals in the project's working currency.

Search and filter

Find the set or group of sets needed for the current episode, location conversation, build meeting, or scout.

Department pages

Print the current set or all sets, and print, email, or export the set list for the people who need it.

Set list

Know every story set before the scout, concept meeting, or tech recce

The set list is the department's script map. It shows how often a set appears, how much page count it carries, which scenes use it, and whether a practical location has been chosen.

  • Board ID, episode, set name, occurrences, and page count.
  • Selected location, set within the location, and working address.
  • Set type and department notes.
  • Direct view of the scenes that use the set.
  • Search, filtered or full PDF, email delivery, and XLSX export.
EPSETOCC.PAGESLOCATION
1Mercer Kitchen35 2/8

Hawthorne House

1Police Bullpen68 4/8

Stage 2

2Roadside Motel46 1/8

LOCATION TBD

2Hospital Corridor22 6/8

St. Mark Annex

SET DECMERCER KITCHEN$4,860

Farmhouse dining tableRent - Miller Prop House - Hero

1 x $650$650

Mixed dining chairsBuy - distress to match references

6 x $85$510

Amber pendant practicalRewire and test before dress day

2 x $140$280
PICKUP AUG 12DRESS AUG 14RETURN AUG 22

Set decoration

Build the dressing list down to the piece

Give each piece a name, visual reference, quantity, price, and sourcing record. Keep the creative choice beside the practical information the decorator, lead person, buyer, and swing gang need.

  • Item name, description, image, brand, color, and size.
  • Buy or rental, vendor, SKU, quantity, and unit price.
  • Pickup, return, sourcing status, and disposition.
  • Storage, wrap information, frequency, and notes.
  • Automatic line totals and set decoration total.

Construction

Put the build materials and labor against the set they serve

Separate the construction build from the dressing list while keeping both under the same story set. Price materials and crew labor independently so the art director and construction coordinator can see where the build stands.

  • Construction material lists with images and descriptions.
  • Quantities, unit prices, and material totals.
  • Vendor and sourcing information for each build item.
  • Labor quantity, rate, and total.
  • Combined construction cost for the selected set.
CONSTRUCTIONFALSE WALL AND WINDOW FLAT
MATERIALS$1,740
4 x 8 scenic flats8 x $115$920
Lumber, hardware, scenic skin1 allowance$820
LABOR$1,200
Carpenters2 x $480$960
Scenic finish1 x $240$240
CONSTRUCTION TOTAL$2,940

For every art department desk

The same set, read from the position doing the work

Each member of the department can stay focused on their own decisions while the set remains the common reference.

Production designer

See the full set picture: script use, visual references, chosen practical, department scope, and the cost carried by the design.

Art director

Follow each set from breakdown into location, construction, dressing, calendar dates, printouts, and working totals.

Set decorator

Prepare the dressing list, keep reference images and sourcing details, and track quantities, vendors, pickups, returns, and costs.

Construction coordinator

Keep materials and labor separate, enter quantities and rates, and read the total build cost for each set.

Buyer

Carry vendor, SKU, buy or rental, unit price, status, and collection and return dates with every sourced piece.

Lead person and swing gang

Read the set piece list, thumbnails, quantities, notes, practical location, and dates needed to dress and strike the set.

SET DEC TOTAL$28,460
CONSTRUCTION TOTAL$19,840
LOCATION TOTAL$12,500
SET TOTAL$60,800
PRINTCURRENT SET / ALL SETSLetter - Legal - A4

Costs and department pages

Keep the estimate close to the creative decisions

Quantities and unit prices build line totals, set totals, and department totals. Print a single set for a focused meeting or all sets for a broader production design and art direction review.

  • Set decoration, construction, location, set, and props totals.
  • Project currency and decimal preferences.
  • Current set or all-set art department pages.
  • Letter, Legal, or A4 output.
  • Filtered or complete set-list PDF, email, and XLSX export.

Art department FAQ

Questions from prep

Does the set list come from the breakdown?

Yes. Sets identified in the script breakdown carry episode, scene use, occurrences, pages, type, notes, location, and address into the list.

Can story sets be linked to practical locations?

Yes. Assign the selected practical to the story set and keep the location, set-in-location connection, and address visible.

What can be tracked for set dressing?

Track descriptions, thumbnails, quantities, pricing, buy or rental, vendors, SKUs, status, pickup, return, storage, and disposition.

Are construction labor and materials separate?

Yes. Prepare material and labor rows independently, then read both inside the construction total for the set.

Can the department keep visual references?

Yes. Keep references with the selected set and item thumbnails beside the exact set dressing or construction piece.

What can leave the department as a report?

Print the current set or all sets. The set list can be filtered, printed, emailed as a PDF, or exported to XLSX.

Know what the set needs before the truck arrives.

Carry the script, location, dressing, build, references, dates, and costs through art department prep in one clear set record.

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