INT. ZOE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

this is a digital model and floorplan that i made for a film that i am working on.

creating models, floorplans and miniatures is crucial to my process as a PD and art director. it helps me to immerse myself in the world our characters live in and bring the space to life before we begin filming. this particular model and floorplan are from the very early stages in my process. it's a quick way to test out different set pieces and furniture in the space before buying and renting a bunch of props. you really get a feel of what the space will look like when fully dressed.

i will go in-depth on how to make a floorplan in a later article and demo. stay tuned.

but first, i wanted to talk about a character’s bedroom. the bedroom is the most intimate space of a person and you can get to know a lot about a person based on their room. both real and fictional people. in film and tv, when we meet a character we often times get a glimpse in how they keep their rooms. we know whether they are clean or messy, what their state of mind is like, what they like, what they are reading, the way their computer looks, what kind of art is on their walls, everything.

do they live alone? with a lover? at home with their parents? in a mental institution? are they wealthy? poor? middle class? all of these things factor into how their rooms will look because the bedroom is a reflection of who we are. these are the things we must think about as storytellers in terms of our characters. so the next time you’re art directing or writing your characters think about the way they live in their most intimate space.

zoe, (27), is an antique and vintage store owner in new orleans. she’s single and just inherited her family’s small victorian home. from this model, you can see she has some classic furniture pieces with a few modern pieces as well. along with some beautiful artwork and plants to bring some life into the space. she has a desk/vanity in front of a window that produces natural light and a glass floor lamp in the upper right corner of the room.