WARREN GRAY,BFDG
PRODUCTION DESIGNER
2024 BFDG AWARDS WINNER
25 YRS of design - my journey to become a Production Designer
CPUT (CAPE TECHNIKON) -INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
1997 - 2000
(pic above year 1998: Warren Gray and Charl creating an enlarged photo realistic collage of a super bike YAMAHA R1 , PIC 2 : below Heinrich Kershoff, Marco De Koker, Charl, Warren Gray, Jan Du Preez - 1st year Industrial Design CPUT)
In 1997, I chose to follow the path of Philip Stark, a world-renowned industrial designer, and graduated in 2000 .
My goal was to become an industrial designer that not only designed citrus juicers, squeezers, kettles, or toasters but became a designer that could design anything a human can interact with.
I questioned the possibility of designing in the film industry, but all of my lecturers pushed me away from film. Their belief was that we did not have a strong enough film industry. 24 years later, how wrong they would be .
As I studied, I discovered Industrial Light and Magic , the Jim Henson puppet factory, and Weta .
My obsession with Stephen Spielberg movies (Encounter of the 3rd Kind, Jaws , ET), horrors like Poltergeist , all continued . In my spare time at the campus library, I read publications on film fabrication and filmmaking with the dream of reaching the US one day.
MODELMAN, MILA, CFX, TRI-DESIGN ALCHEMY STUDIOS -
2000 - 2005
(Pic 1 above: Dennis Hoffmeyer (furniture designer ), hologram guy (yacht designer), Warren Gray .
Pic 2 - Buyer / runner , engineering fitter and turner , Warren Gray)
After Graduating in 2000 at CPUT, I applied for a job as an Industrial designer for Freeplay radios. I was one of 20 Graduates in line for about 6 possible / available design posts in South Africa.
My resume landed on the desk of the person interviewing a fellow designer named Pieter Van Aarde whom I studied with. He was up for the post and was about to get the job , he called me and told me he just left a company called MODELMAN who fabricates for television commercials.
I got the phone book , called the office and got an appointment at the model shop with the owner PAUL CHAMES.
My first job was assist with the fabrication of space age back pack drink dispenser
More jobs followed and soon I was working ON
TVC commercials for :
FORD , RENAULT , COCO COLA , VOGUE , HASBRO TOYS, STARWARS TOYS , PEPSI , LUFTHANSA , ADIDAS , ORANGE NETWORK , AJAX CLEANING , GUINESS BEER , TOYOTA RUNX.
FEATURE FILMS AND TV :
RACING STRIPES , FLIGHT OF PHOENIX , CHARLIE JADE, ASK THE DUST
ON THE FLOOR
CLIENTS AND BRIEFS - 2000 - 2005
5 YEARS OF MODELBUILDING, CONSTRUCTION, SCENIC ART, FABRICATION, SOFT PROPS ANIMATRONICS, RIGGING ,MINATURES, TABLE TOPS , PACKS , SPECIAL EFFECTS, SET DESIGN, PROPS STANDBY , DRAFTING , ASSISTANT ART DIRECTION
HASBRO | STARWARS
Job title : Model builder | Scenic | sculptor |fabricator :
SET NAME: STARWARS DESERT
My brief was to recreate a STARWARS landscape. At this time I managed my own sets and had to manage a Lead Scenic , who was an Artist .
We got briefed directly by the George Lucas Industrial Light and Magic team to match existing STARWARS finishes.
HASBRO | GOTHAM CITY
Job title : Model builder | Scenic | ROUTER OPERATOR |fabricator :
SET NAME: GOTHAM CITY - DESTRUCTIBLE SET WITH RESETS
My brief was to recreate GOTHAM CITY.
The plans were drawn up by a set designer and the parts were laser cut for assembly .
the city also had a practical train riding the middle of the city.
Part of the brief was to have parts of the city that could be destroyed by GODZILLA TOYS
ford mondeo | animatronic crash test dummey
Job title : Model builder | Scenic | Animatronics Puppeteer | fabricator :
PROP NAME: Crash Test Dummy
My brief was to fabricate and then operate the Crash test Dummy whilst being a Props Standby
As a collective were head up by Christoph Daleberg (Supervising Art Director ) and Owner of Modelman Paul Chames. The dummy was designed and fabricated from sketches on paper and from ideation on the floor . All solutions comes from trial and error . Myself and Coenrad Louw , conceptualised the fabrication process and tested with our Heads of department.
The Dummy was fitted into a FORD MONDEO , I got strapped in the backseat and operated the dummy simulating a driving motion. the Dummy had universal joint in the shoulder and elbows and articulated pads that wrapped around the steering wheel.
AJAX | SNOWWHITE GUINESS BEER | MOON
Job description: Lead fabricator , Modelbuilder , Set Designer
Job Name : Ajax
Set Name : Snow whites house (PIC 1)
The brief was to fabricate a miniatures of the Walt Disney Snowhite House
As the lead Fabricator, I trained and managed a 2 other model builders and ended up using my Walt Disney Encyclopaedia as reference for the design of the house .
We were told that we had creative licence to create the realistic version.
taking the lead on this job opened my mind to the possibilities of design for film
.
Job description: Construction Manager, Lead hand
Job Name : Guinness Beer
Set Name : Moon Landscape (PIC 2)
The brief was to construct a lunar landscape in studio
As the lead Construction Manager , I managed carpenters and scenics through 24 hours of set building.
My memory that I took from this job was the smell of cold glue and hessian , eating bar-one chocolates and drinking red bull working against the clock on a deliverable.
What I also discovered that some of my co-workers earned more than me, Something I had to accept , which id didnt.
ORANGE NETWORK | PUPPETS
Job description: Prop and design Studio Owner - Tri-Design
Job Name : Orange Network
Set Name : Moving over-scaled animation props (PIC 1)
Pneumatic talking tale (PIC 2)
After leaving Modelman I ventured out and started my own Prop fabrication and special effects design studio and set up the company Tri-Design.
