Twenty + Years as an 

Art Director and Prop Master 

in the Chicago Film Industry

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  According to my crew, I say “Really?” and “Fandamtastic!” a lot. 

  Really?

  Get the job done. Do it right. Be creative. Enjoy. 

 

  With a B.A. in Theater and a minor in Comparative Literature, I knew the title of Hedge Fund Manager was not in       my future. My very first undertaking in this industry, the first thing I ever had the opportunity to accomplish in film,     was to direct. No, I’m kidding. My initial task as an intern for the Ambush In Waco TV Movie was to sit, idling my       father-in-law's Buick Skyhawk outside a Denny’s at 5am to pick up fifty orders of Moons Over My Hammy and

  head to set. I was hooked. Since then, the ride has only become more wonderfully odd, and I am eternally                 grateful. 

 

  My approach to the Art Department be it Art Direction, Props, SFX, Tabletop or Beverage Styling has always been     to open myself up to the big picture, communicate, adapt as best I can to the uniqueness of every project, add

  my skills and experience to the mix, recognize learning opportunities and strive to help create a positive                   experience and a high quality finished product. 

 

  Whether what is needed is an 1800’s western saloon, a little girl’s birthday party, a smoke-filled tunnel with               speeding cars, a creamy head on an ice-cold beer, a busy corporate office scene, the perfect steam rising

  from a succulent steak, Grampa’s living room or a bustling downtown construction site… the challenges and               opportunities are always exciting. 

 

  Being a huge advocate of the art of the possible, I always strive to have a job come in on budget, look stunning       and be enjoyable while doing it. A nod from the powers that be is almost as valuable to me as

  a smile from my crew.

 

  Fandamtastic,

  ~ BDP

 

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