Scenic Carpentry

As a scenic carpenter I’ve been involved with all types of projects. From building a spaceship, tank, or 30 foot crystal to building a store front, museum, church or log cabin. Each project is different and often presents its own set of unique difficulties. Sometimes you are building something that has never been built befor. That to me is the most appealing aspect of scenic carpentry. You get to build all kinds of things with all kinds of different materials very often in unconventional ways. You get exposed to a different form of construction. How things are built on a set is can a big eye opener even for an experienced carpenter or cabinet maker who works outside the industry. I can honestly say, having worked in both worlds, it makes you a better carpenter in both worlds.

In the real world of carpentry and woodworking, scenic carpentry does not get the respect it deserves. This perhaps is partially due to the life span and expected existence of the product being produced. It could take months to build a set that is ultimately turned into 5 seconds of blurry background in the final cut. Then as sad as it sounds, 99 % of all sets are then demolished to make way for the next production.  They have very little chance of ever gaining the status of an antique or becoming the crown jewel in an architect’s portfolio. Movie sets are temporary by nature and thus they are built in different ways than permanent buildings.  In some cases this actually makes it much more difficult to build than something permanent. This situation is further complicated and very typical of the industry when you are building a set on a sound stage (inside the movie studio) to match the existing exterior (outside, anywhere in the world) set.

Working on a movie set, especially when the shooting schedule is drawing near and every department on the production is showing up at the same time, is like being in a bubble of controlled chaos. Carpenters, painters, sculptors, welders, set decorators, grips and many more people all working on top of each other to get a set ready to shoot.  It’s a unique atmosphere, both challenging and educational where a lot a talented people are working simultaneously in several mediums to bring a creative project to life.

The pictures in this gallery are of an unnamed set I worked on several years ago.  We built the facades of several houses and a large blue screen that eventually played as a neighborhood in Los Angles. These are the only pictures I’ve ever taken while working on a set, mainly because I think we are not allowed to, ( and will take them down if I’m in violation of any agreement ) but I thought they deserve some respect and represent a small glimpse into the world of scenic carpentry.

The following is a list of productions I’ve worked on, both as a scenic carpenter and in the early days in background, some for a couple of days, some for months on end..