Meet Casserley Grace | Production Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Casserley Grace and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Casserley, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Growing up, movies and recorded theatrical performances were always playing in my house. My dad worked from home as a watch designer. He would pick my brother and me up from elementary school, and then the music of Les Misérables would fill the living room as we’d work on homework or a new design. Mundane trips to the grocery store would become Sondheim guessing competitions of trying to name which musical was playing. While watching Spielberg’s Hook, we would name each actor and connect their other projects. This exposure to art from a young age was deeply inspiring and created such an appreciation for storytelling through a visual medium. It allowed me to visit new places, experience lives outside of my reach, and develop empathy.

My dad wasn’t the only artist in my family; his father was an oil painter and a jack-of-all-trades in the art world. Christmas Eve trips to Washington, DC, as a child were almost like stepping through the looking glass, where chairs were delicately painted to look like people sitting. My grandfather’s home was a celebration of the fine arts. On the other side of my family, my grandmother and great-grandmother are also artists. Both of them worked in the textile craft realm, with my great-grandmother being a master seamstress and weaver. Spending the summers with my grandmother meant learning sewing and embroidery. Early skills that would influence my love of costume design.

When deciding what direction I wanted to go with for my life, I could not shake the love of creating that was instilled in me through my family members. The entertainment arts felt so alive, and production design specifically felt like a perfect combination of so many areas. Scenic design requires a knowledge of subjects like history, English, architecture, interior design, and art. Through production design, I feel like I get to celebrate my favorite parts of life.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Coming from an interdisciplinary background has given me an interesting perspective on entertainment design. I often find myself drawn to the abstract or theatrical when it comes to set design. Having an education in the big three areas of Film & TV, Theatre, and Themed Entertainment has allowed me to apply concepts from each one to all of my projects. Specifically, this underlying idea of making entertainment immersive and feel like a world for audiences to not only watch, but experience and live in.

I am most proud of my senior capstone, which was creating a set design for a production of the off-Broadway musical, Dogfight. The musical is an adaptation of the 1991 movie by the same name. This project meant a lot to me because, as a production designer, you often have to work to the director’s concept and their vision for what a show should look like. That is one of the beautiful parts about the entertainment arts: you are constantly working collaboratively, and no person is bigger than the project they are working on. With that in mind, as a production designer, it is so much fun when you have an idea for a spec set design, to get to come up with a design statement and take your concept and run with it. It felt very nice for my final project of my undergrad to be a culmination of the skills I had learned during my time at SCAD.

While it wasn’t easy to get where I am today, I am very proud of everything I have learned. I think the hardest part was finding like-minded crews, in the sense that they are also very driven and professional, whilst also having such a passion for storytelling visually. It was an interesting challenge when brought onto a short film as the Production Designer, when a lot of times people were actually looking for someone to set dress their project or buy items as a set decorator. Once I began finding teams that loved set design and wanted me to be in the conversations with the director and director of photography, it became easier to advocate for my team and myself. Producing better results for everyone. Enthusiasm, kindness, and meeting people where they are at are some of the best ways to find your place on set. Time management is necessary for production design, and managing an art department can be stressful if tasks are not properly organized and assigned.

I want the world to know that production design and scenic design are such beautiful art forms. It requires both aesthetic and technical knowledge. Art direction is one of the most important parts of a film’s production, and is as important to a movie’s storytelling as the directing, writing, and cinematography. An appreciation for a movie’s visual look needs to go past just admiring the director for their eye, but also for the production designer, art director, and countless set designers, set dressers, scenic painters, graphic designers, and construction team.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If I were to show a friend around Atlanta, I would make sure to take them to El Azteca for a meal. They have one of my favorite meals ever, the pollo a la parilla is fantastic! Next, I would make sure we stopped for a movie at the Plaza Theatre. The Plaza is a cinema that screens so many older or independent movies. As a huge film fan, this is amazing because I get the chance to see some of my favorite movies that were released before I was born, on the big screen. Recently, I was able to see a screening of Across the Universe (2007). They hosted an event with a live tribute band for that screening, and it was so much fun! I’m a huge advocate for supporting local theaters, especially those that screen independent movies, so I highly encourage everyone to check them out.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to thank my parents, Amanda and Cannon, as well as my younger brother, Jack. My entire family has been such a huge support to me. From the countless number of calls needing advice, to all the hugs in person, my family has always been the biggest support in my life.

I would also like to thank my boyfriend, Carl, for being such a kind friend to me throughout the past four years. Having another filmmaker that I can so closely rely on for advice and opinions has been wonderful, and it is lovely getting to collaborate on projects with someone that you love.

My best friend and roommate, Kelsey, has been one of the most important lifelines for me. Meeting her freshman year of undergrad is one of the greatest gifts I have ever received in my life. I have never known anyone who can make me laugh as hard as her, and who constantly impresses me with her talent.

I also have to thank my friends in my undergrad program, like Julia, Ashley, Alisanna, and Galen whom I loved becoming friends and collaborating on projects together. As well as my professors, like Jake and Tyler, who were important mentors to me throughout my undergrad degree.

Website: https://casserleygrace.com

Instagram: @casserleygrace

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/casserley-grace