Careers guide: Joseph Bennett describes his experience of the production design industry

Joseph Bennett designs 3D sets for film, fashion, advertising and events. He describes his working history as a production designer for the Dezeen Jobs careers guide.

Bennett’s first taste of the film industry came after leaving university, when he worked on the sets of music videos for bands such as The Cure. He spent the following years collaborating with creatives directors, fashion designers and filmmakers to develop set design concepts for clients including Alexander McQueen and Louis Vuitton.

“I realised that the film industry suited my personality, the varied nature of the work meant it was artistically rewarding and never dull,” he said.

With his own studio, Joseph Bennett Production Design, Bennett now enlists a team of interchangeable creatives to assist him on an as-per-project basis.

“It’s interesting to me to work with other creative people in a collaborative context,” he explained.

In addition to a knowledge of film and creative skillset, Bennett lists budgeting and problem-solving as essential attributes in the production design industry, adding “it’s a great profession, but one has to be flexible”.

Over the course of his career, Bennett’s working experience has led him to design sets for globally recognised institutions such as the V&A and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. He puts his success down to flexibility and hard work.

“It’s important to have a sense of perspective” he reveals. “Production design is by nature a very practical occupation, which means that one has to make creative decisions very fast.”

Read the interview on Dezeen Jobs ›