While we post a lot of interviews with actors, directors, and producers, the staff and I decided it’s time to talk with more people who don't necessarily get the spotlight. The fact is that a movie only is only as good as its “below the line” crew, and we all feel that they aren’t given enough credit. To try and rectify this, you can look forward to more interviews with Costume Designers, Production Designers, Composers, Editors, Cinematographers, and other craftspeople who work to bring these stories to life.

To start off this new series, I recently sat down with Bridge of Spies Production Designer Adam Stockhausen. Unlike most interviews where it’s focused on one film, I used my time with him to talk about the job as a whole and what goes on behind-the-scenes. If you’re interested in what it’s really like to be a production designer on a big movie, you’re going to love the conversation. As usual I’ve listed what we talked about below the video.

Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies is currently in theaters. You can click here for all our previous coverage on the film, including clips, our review, images, trailers, and more.


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Adam Stockhausen:

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    Image via DreamWorks/Fox2000
    What does a production designer do?
  • What is the biggest misconception people have about what you do?
  • How soon are you on a movie and when do you leave?
  • What is the collaboration process like with the director?
  • Can you compare two directors you've worked with that have different tendencies?
  • Are there other film departments that you have to collaborate with?
  • What’s the hardest part of your job and the most rewarding?
  • When did you decide that you wanted to be a costume designer?
  • What did you have to do to train for the job?
  • How did you break into the industry?
  • Who are some of the artisans in the field that you admire?
  • How has your process changed throughout your career?
  • What's the best advice you ever got about being a production designer?
  • Is there a day or two you’ll always remember from filming Bridge of Spies?
  • I've heard that Spielberg is a very collaborative director. Was that your experience with him?
  • From when you got involve to what people are seeing on screen, how much changed along the way?
  • What are you doing next?
  • How long have you been knee-deep in working on it?

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