I was fortunate enough to be selected to help out as part of the Art Department alongside six other talented graduates for the BFI X BFS Director Lab 2025. Building, decorating and dressing a derelict wharf set that alternated between the Contemporary and Inter-war Periods, over the span of six weeks.

This process allowed me to revisit and strengthen existing skills, such as overseeing and managing the budget for the set build, sourcing props and materials from local companies, and ensuring on-set continuity during redecoration throughout the shoot. This allowed for a more professional outcome as we worked to Industry standards. 

In addition, I developed new skills during pre-production, working closely with the AUB scenic team to create textures such as rust and concrete using Flintex and Rosco paints. Furthermore, I also had the opportunity to work with Vacuum-Formed sheets to create the brickwork featured on the set build, which I had not used before. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this challenging process, and found the Director Lab to be incredibly rewarding. I'm so proud of the Art Department and our achievements, we worked incredibly hard as a team over the two months.