I worked as a set dresser on this Rag & Bone Spring 2015 Campaign Film. It was a fun set to set dress because as I mentioned back in October, the location had a crazy view.
This project was also great because I had the chance to work with Emmy-award winning Production Designer Amy Williams. Working with her team and seeing how she created and decorated a huge empty hotel suite was so instructive.
In the end, the video posted doesn't showcase much of the detailed set dressing we did, but that bed featured prominently with the female protagonist (photos above), guess who made that bed bringing my best hotel style bed dressing skillz?
Additionally one of the fun details about this shoot was unwittingly running into Al Capone the night we loaded in the set dressing. We were moving all this big furniture, I was steaming out some bed skirts, and then I took a stop out onto the balcony, and all of a sudden I saw:
It was a little bit jarring of a moment cause I had just seen the series finale the night before so the character was still fresh in my mind when I bumped into the actor, Stephen Graham, who plays him.
I said something like "hey! I just saw you last night in the series finale." and told him the interchange with his son in that episode was really touching. He said thanks and that he was glad to hear it turned out well because he hadn't seen the final cut yet.
Anyways, he was at set, because as you might have noticed in the film clip above, he makes a guest appearance in this campaign video.
His guest appearance might have to do with the fact that Michael Pitt directed this video, and as you know Michael Pitt was one of his co-stars on Boardwalk Empire as the beloved and early departed Jimmy Dormady.
Boardwalk Empire was one of my favorite dramas when it was on the air because I LOVE historical period dramas and especially delighted in the ability to hang out in the visual aesthetic of the 1920's on a regular basis as viewer. The show was great for learning early 20th century American history in a different, less idealized, and more embodied character driven light.
Working on a project as committed to the historical visual authenticity of the 1920's as Boardwalk Empire's production design was is one of my ultimate dreams as a set decorator.