Joanna Wezik - Art Department Portfolio

PORTFOLIO

Joanna Wezik | Art Department | 2023

JOANNA WEZIK

I’m a graduate of TV and Film Set Design with an appreciation for visual arts. I have always been fascinated by the film industry and during my university experience, I designed for both drama and non-drama productions. I gained practical knowledge by working on student short films and BBC productions, which honed my skills in the Art Department. My strength lies in my ability to think outside the box and come up with unique ideas.

EDUCATION:

BA (Hons) in TV and Film Set Design

University of South Wales (Atrium Cardiff)

2020-2023

College of Stefania Sempołowska in Tarnowskie Gory (Poland)

Math and Geography profile

2017–2020

SKILLS:

Scale Model Making

Drafting (Manual & Autocad)

Prop Sourcing

Location Surveys

based in

UK: Cardiff

PL: Katowice/Cracow

email

joanna.wezik1@gmail.com

phone

+44 7554 065703

Linkedin:

@Joanna Wezik

SOFTWARE:

High Quality Research

Set Dressing

Scenic Painting

Basic Prop Making

Visuals And Concept Art

EU Driving License Type B

Polish (Native)

EXPERIENCE:

BFI CAMP - art department camp for BFI’s Film Academy

11/02-17/02/2023

Supporting the Art Director Martha Baines with teaching as one of the assistants. Sharing my knowledge and helping with developing the skills useful for the Art Department such as draughting or prop making, with students aged 16-19 (in a group of 25).

“Pobol y Cwm” - welsh soap opera produced by BBC

13/06 - 15/07/2022

I worked under the Production Designer Steve Groves in the Art Department where I did some set dressing, helped in the workshop with making props and assisted the standby art director on the set.

“The Pact II” - british tv drama series produced by Little Door Productions and brodcasted on BBC

23/05-27/05/2022

I worked in the Art Deprtment that was led by the Production Designer Keith Dunne where I did graphics, some set dressing and helped with props.

Celtic Prop Hire in Cardiff - supplier for props to the Film, Tv, Theatre, etc.

13/06-22/06/2022

I helped with returning props, shipping, organizing items finding and putting back props. I also took some photos of the props for their online website.

‘Cardiff’ Iris Film Festival - to be aired on Channel 4

03/2022

I worked in the Art Department where my role was to do continuity pickups for reshoot.

CONTENTS

PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR FEATURE FILM

p. 6-11

LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT DESIGN

Designing for the Brit Awards ceremony located in Elstree stage 2.

THE PACT II

Design of a set based on the book ”Caraval” by Stephanie Garber. A village full of peculiar stuff located on a magical island where the owner prepares a challenging and magical game for the people he invited. 1 2 3

p. 16-17

Work experience as an Art Department Assistant on BBC series. Preparing props such as aging photos, creating graphics, and set dressing

POBOL Y CWM

Work experience as an Art Department Assistant on BBC soap opera series where I undertook prop preparation, such as Halloween baskets, searching for specific props, and painting furniture. Assisting the Art Director Standby on set.

PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR FEATURE FILM

Designing a set for a chosen location based on Garth Nix’s ”Confusion of Princes” book.

p. 18-19

p. 20-21

p. 12-15 4 5

USW GRADUATE SHORT FILM

Working in the Art Department co-art directing a short film. Conducting research, creating mood boards, sourcing locations and props, as well as managing budgets, schedules, and art direction on set.

MULTI CAMERA SOAP OPERA

Designing for a small business and upstairs flat based on exterior location of Clifton Street in Cardiff and given script about characters.

p. 22-25

p. 26-31

Caraval Village

Production Design for Feature Film

The design was based on a chapter from the book ”Caraval” by Stephanie Garber where the characters are navigating through a village to find the entrance to the game. The village, resembling stacked hat boxes, exudes an otherworldly charm where each building offers peculiar wares for sale. Merging art nouveau influences, mosaic craftsmanship, and the enigmatic allure of ”Russian drawings”, I sought to craft a place that transcended reality - a realm of wonder and disconcertion, forever etched in the minds of those who beheld it.

’(...) a maze of twisting streets. All were lined with mismatched, rounded shops, painted shades of jewels or pastels, and piled on top of one another like sloppily stacked hatboxes.’

- Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Physical Model

Caraval Village

Production Design for Feature Film

CARAVAL VILLAGE

Production Design for Feature Film

BRIT Award

Light Entertainment Design

For this particular award show, I drew inspiration from the deconstructivism movement. With a focus on generating a powerful and thrilling viewing experience, my objective was to ensure that each and every camera angle captured the essence of the event in a

BRIT Award

Light Entertainment Design

Design Sketch

The Pact II

Art Department Assistant

During my work experience, I assisted in the Art Department office by preparing props such as aging photos, creating graphics, and dressing sets.

Book cover graphic design

YEAR: MAY 2022

Poster graphic design

Screenshots of ORIGAMI BOOK from the series

Pobol y Cwm Art Department Assistant

During my work experience, I gained insight into the inner workings of the Art Department for TV series, specifically soap operas. My responsibilities inc luded assisting with prop preparation, such as Halloween baskets, searching for specific props, and painting furniture. I also assisted the Art Director Stan

Props for Christmas episodes

Baskets decorated for autumn episodes (screenshot from the series below)

Bookstore windows decoarted for autumn episodes

YEAR: MAY 2022

Painted bench for one of the episodes

The Confusion of Princes

Production Design for Feature Film

For my project based on Garth Nix’s ”Confusion of Princes” book, I selected a chapter where the main character attempts to fix a control panel to launch a missile from a damaged spaceship. The spaceship is unique as it has two Bitek (organic technology) hearts and electric cables that look like veins connecting various parts of the ship. To bring the story to life, I created designs for both the spaceship’s exterior and the bridge’s interior.

Visual of the bridge’s interior.

’No, this ship wasn’t so much a missile launcher as a missile hauler. It would take the missile to a launching position, maneuver it out of the bay, and skedaddle before it actually fired. All of which would take forever, so the missile would only be useful for shooting at something static. (...) As the ship was essentially a living organism, and this kind of vessel didn’t have backups of other tek, that meant both crew and ship systems were killed at the same time.’

- Confusion of Princes by Garth Nix

Hand drawn section

Hand drawn plan

Visual of the spaceship exterior

Prime Time

USW Graduate Short Film

I worked in the Art Department co-art directing a short film following the life of Julian as he makes it in the entertainment industry.

My duties involved conducting research, creating mood boards to define the atmosphere of the movie, sourcing locations and props, as well as managing budgets, schedules, and art direction on set. Additionally, I oversaw costume sourcing, makeup, and hair for the production.

Set dressing

Before

Set dressing on location

Before

Design sketch of location

Soap Opera - The Walkers Gym

Multi Camera Soap Opera - continuing drama

The Walkers Gym is set on Clifton Street in Cardiff, where the characters reside. I was given a story about two brothers who run a gym on the building’s lower level, hoping to impress their father. Additionally, two new girls moved into the newly renovated upstairs flat. My challenge was to make the gym appear larger than its 5x12m size.

To accomplish this, I created a two-story exterior and added doors to other rooms. I also incorporated a metal net that can be shot through, such as in the changing room and on the staircase. To match the characters’ descriptions, I opted for an industrial style, which is quite popular with young people in particular.

Physical Model Elevation of the exterior

The

MESH SEE IMAGE NO.9

MESH SEE IMAGE NO.9

BACKING WALL (REMOVABLE)

REMOVABLE BENCHES ON WHEELS

ANGLED MIRROR (REMOVABLE)

SOAP OPERA PROJECT

LANDING MARKED WITH CROSS EXIT FROM SET UNDER THE LANDING

REMOVABLE LOCKERS ON WHEELS

REMOVABLE WALL WITH DOORS

BACKING WALL (REMOVABLE)

SOAP OPERA PROJECT

WINDOWS

ALL FURNITURE AND GYM EQUIPMENT INCLUDED IN INTENDED POSITION AND TO SCALE

REMOVABLE TRUCKS (FOURTH WALL)

Visual of Location

Soap Opera - The Walkers Gym

Multi Camera Soap Opera - continuing drama

The flat owned by two brothers had been recently refurbished, so I chose neutral colors for the walls and furniture in the girls’ living space. Although the kitchen and living room appear standard at first, the girls will gradually add their personal touches to make it their own. To match the stereotypical girl persona, I added many pink elements to the decor, using a variety of items in shades of pastels and pink.

I went a little bit further and built a balcony that posed a challenge for a soap opera set. However, I carefully planned the design to create the illusion that it’s a genuine location by using brick walls that resemble a New York-style balcony which is typically small and overlooks other buildings.

Third Floor Plan

Extended Elevation of Balcony Extended Elevation of Kitchen Area

YEAR: MAY 2022

Physical Model