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Overview
Production designers shape the overall visual look of television, film, series and commercials, including sets, colours, locations, props, lighting ideas, costumes and camera angles.
In job descriptions, look for visual concept development, script analysis, set models, design sketches, CAD, storyboards, location research, budget management, art department supervision and collaboration with directors, camera and lighting crews.
Explore this occupation
Open in Job ExplorerWhat the work can involve
Production design starts from story, director intent and production limits. The role turns scripts into a visual world through sets, locations, colour, props, costume direction, lighting collaboration, sketches, models and art department coordination.
Skills and specializations
Useful depth includes script analysis, design concepts, set drawings, CAD, storyboards, location research, budget planning, production schedules, visual quality checks and clear collaboration with directors, camera crews, lighting teams and costume workers.
Salary context
Pay context depends on production scale, creative authority, department size, budget ownership, schedule pressure, location complexity and whether the designer leads concept only or also manages build, permits and crew.
Career paths
Development can move through art department assistance, set dressing, props, drafting, location research or design support into production design, art direction, department leadership or specialist visual concept work.
Good to know
Check whether the vacancy names film, television, advertising or stage work. A clear advert states the concept responsibility, design outputs, team size, budget duties, software, location work and how closely the role works with the director.
Editorial note
This guide is editorial career context, not official labour-market statistics or role-specific pay data.
Map overview
Click the map to search for production designer jobs.
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O*NET relationships
See occupations connected to this ESCO occupation in the official O*NET–ESCO mapping. The relationship type comes from the source and is not a ranking or recommendation.
O*NET relationships: 2
Art Directors
27-1011.00
O*NET occupation is broader
The O*NET occupation covers a broader field of work than this ESCO occupation.
Open in O*NETSet and Exhibit Designers
27-1027.00
O*NET occupation is broader
The O*NET occupation covers a broader field of work than this ESCO occupation.
Open in O*NETSource and method
These relationships come from the official European Commission O*NET–ESCO crosswalk.
Relationship direction: O*NET occupation to ESCO occupation.
Several O*NET occupations can point to the same ESCO occupation, and one O*NET occupation can point to several ESCO occupations.
AltoTrail preserves the source relationship type. The order is technical and does not show which occupation is best, most relevant or recommended.
AltoTrail validates and presents the source relationships without adding ranking or recommendation semantics.
Alternative labels
Occupation group
art director (2654.1)
Source facts
| ESCO URI | http://data.europa.eu/esco/occupation/4d4b243f-6c3b-48c3-a564-2e7f2d592a3c |
|---|---|
| ESCO code | 2654.1.5 |
| ISCO group | 2654 |
| Concept type | Occupation |