Baby Shoes Production Design
Pre-Production
The process for me started in October, where I would secure locations with the producer. Before we started looking at locations, I looked at the script to ensure that everything we needed to do was practical at the location we were at.
I also created a general lookbook with the help of our director so I could accurately capture her vision. The lookbook includes the color scheme, luts, set design, and general wardrobe.
After we secured locations and the script was locked, I started tagging the script with everything I needed to buy. Each location was color coded and the items that belonged in each scene matched the location’s color.
Finally, I created a very detailed spreadsheet of what we need at each location ranging from props to outfits, how much everything costs, and who is bringing it. To keep costs down, I utilized Facebook Marketplace free groups, thrift stores, seeing if anyone in the group had what we needed, and returning things to Amazon. I ended up spending just a little over $100 on everything because the actors also had most of the outfit pieces we needed.
In the sheet, there was also a checklist for all five days of filming of what I needed to bring.
Production
On the days of filming, I made sure to take photos of every location before we started shooting to ensure that we did not cause any damages. Additionally, if props were set up in a specific way, I made sure to have pictures on my phone for multiple takes and angles.
With the actors, I made sure to greet every one of them when they arrived to set and made they knew what outfits to wear. Many of their outfits contained pieces they already owned due to the reality of the storyline, they were borrowed from me, or I took a quick trip to the thrift store to accurately portray the vision.
Post-Production & Today
Baby Shoes went on a festival run for a little while after production wrapped and was shown at festivals such as Cannes, NY Short Film Festival, and Best Hollywood Day Short Film Festival.
Producer Grace Doyle and 1st AD Alex Kendall at Cannes Film Festival
Baby Shoes being shown at the NY Short Film Festival