Production Design: Scott Bird’s steps to a satisfying career

Designers for the screen can have an anxious but ultimately satisfying time. This is what it looks like from the inside.

Since COVID struck, veteran production designer Scott Bird has been sheltering in his large rambling house stuffed with his collections. This is not eccentric, even though he hunts for artefacts as varied as historic Australian pottery and Danish stainless steel, along with books on drawing, on surfaces, on 1940’s photography and the drafting work for other film sets. 

‘It’s only now as I as I get older, I realise that some of the process work for achieving it can be incredibly beautiful as well,’ he says. 

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David Tiley was the Editor of Screenhub from 2005 until he became Content Lead for Film in 2021 with a special interest in policy. He is a writer in screen media with a long career in educational programs, documentary, and government funding, with a side order in script editing. He values curiosity, humour and objectivity in support of Australian visions and the art of storytelling.