armor-in mo mukha mo

stolen from michael cassutt


"The common wisdom is this: For a sci-fi series or movie to work, you've got to have interesting characters, and it never hurts to have an engaging story. No argument.

But that's true of any series or movie. For a sci-fi series, you've also got to have a world.

And to have a world, you've got to have a designer—a production designer.

The role of every production designer is slightly different, mediating as she does between the style of the director, the visionary palette created by the cinematographer, the look of the set, the texture of the costumes, the realism of the effects, the score, the sound, the alien appliances—

But it is becoming clear that the production designer can make or break your sci-fi project."

(more here)

And methinks my scifi project is being broken... how on earth can one expect to work with someone who texts you messages like this:

"mga director ko...nagsabi lang ng eksena, ako na bahala sa gagawin namin... tsaka sanay aq macho at industrial un design"

"Ikaw na magdesign, kmi na lng magconstruct.."

"Unang una... pang girl un costume... d aq gumagawa ganun.. Armor kami"

Whoever gave this person the idea that costume design is a "girly" job? And that minimalist (as opposed to his "industrial" look) is un-macho? Ok, granting that he is a chauvinist pig, do production designers really think like this?

I don't want cluttered, retro-scifi industrial! I don't want stupid armors! and bulky gadgets! how many pre-prod meetings do you need to understand "minimalist" and "alien"? how hard is it to ask us for an allowance so you could get off your ass to actually canvass for materials? how hard is it to consult other PD's when you can't think of an idea?"

But how do you fire a person when you don't have a replacement? And will i ever hope for a any PD to bravely attempt this endeavor (considering the meager budget)? And how can you communicate to this person that he is a FAKE, and that REAL designers DESIGN, and are OPEN-MINDED, and CREATIVE?

(sigh) ok. i'm done whining. back to work...