Set dresser Stephen Williams has been working in TV and movie studios for the last 13 years. He talks about the ins and outs of his job and its influence on production. He also discusses his role in a former North American TV hit and the state of the industry as a whole.
Sam Longstone: So Stephen, what can you tell me about being a set dresser?
Stephen Williams: Our job is basically to create the set designers vision, and create an environment for the actors to feel like they’re really there. The actors have to feel like they’re in a club, or an alley when they’re not. We place the items [props] in the scene that is anything other than the actual structure of a room.
SL: Are there any specific pros and cons that spring to mind?
SW: We get to see and get into parts of the city that no one else sees and our job is different every day. It’s not as monotonous and your average office job.
SL: What are the most enjoyable projects you’ve worked on?
SW: The original Night at the Museum, I got to meet Ben Stiller and Robin Williams, which was cool. I’m a big Ben Stiller fan. I also got to fool around with a monkey from the movie. It was trained, obviously.
I worked on Smallville for a number of years as well and it was great. There was a real community feel on that show. I have a framed Smallville magazine signed by the cast and crew.
SL: Is it a career path you always wanted to pursue?
SW:A. No, I kind of stumbled across it. Although once I knew I had my foot in the door, I wouldn’t let it close.
SL: So how did it all begin?
SW: I was unemployed and a friend recommended work as an extra in movies and television. I tried that for a while but got bored. Over time, I became fascinated by set work and the production side of film, so I made some contacts, and got into it from there. That wasn’t before I spent six months pestering a contact to help me get my foot in the door.
SL: What does it take to be successful?
SW: You have to be able to get along with people, be quick on your feet and know that no job is impossible.
SL: Would you have any tips for someone wanting to get involved with media as a career?
SW: Yeah, don’t! You have to be a certain kind of personality who is willing to put in a lot of hours. You should love film and media and be prepared to work 80 hours a week.
SL: What’s the state of the industry currently?
SW: At the moment I think it’s pretty good. There was a big boom not too long ago, but job security wise you are contracted on a series-by-series basis. So as long as the ratings are good, I’m happy.
Isabela and Gabriela
Really nice!! That’s cool that you could talk to a person that worked with many famous and well-known actors and in hollywood movies 😀 Congratulations!
Cindy St-Laurent
Was interesting to see how someone could end up in the movie industry without really wanting to be there. My dad pretty much did the same thing and he fixes cameras for movie sets. Every time I have been on a movie set with him I have been amazed with what people like this guy do. Its truly a form of art and must be lots of fun but challenging to do.