Jamie Weiss (Media 艺术, ’17) attended Chapman University after their time at The Academy, where they studied screenwriting 和 directing. After realizing it wasn’t the right fit, 杰米重新发现了他们对布景装饰和制作设计的热情. Since arriving in L.A.杰米已经设计和装饰了几十个音乐视频、短片、广告和特写. 在大胆的色彩和复古的元素之间，杰米的工作是由L.A.’s top contemporary artists such as Clairo 和 Elsie Fisher.
杰米大学毕业后，他们的新目标是加入工会，以布景设计师的身份重新定位. 他们希望与学院保持联系，并在洛杉矶建立一个更大的媒体艺术毕业生网络.A.
你和奥斯卡的关系是什么?你的奥斯卡故事是什么?
I came here for my junior 和 senior year for media arts. 我喜欢艺术学院，因为它是大学之外唯一一个真正重视艺术的地方. It underst和s that you can actually go into the arts. 它帮助我找到了我想要做的事业，并奠定了一个基础，所以我在上大学之前就知道我在做什么.
I actually started as a screenwriting major in college, but then the classes were the same classes we got here. We were essentially paying for feedback at that point. 一旦你知道如何写剧本，你就准备好了——你只需要笔记. 所以我把专业转到了电影制作，重点是制作设计. That’s what I do now.
Tell me about how that industry works.
我刚上大学就开始做自由职业者，为Clairo做音乐录影带. It worked out really well 和 kind of took off. From there, I kept getting work. 当我刚开始的时候，我做了很多工作来建立我的作品集和网络. I reached out to people 和 did some cold emailing. I’ve been doing it now for over four 和 a half years.
从学院毕业后，你就开始工作了，没错?
是的, 但即使在这里，当我在制作我的电影时，我总是发现自己在装饰它们，使它们风格化. 比起编剧和导演，我更专注于表演和道具. I think it’s always been there, 所以当我上大学的时候，我决定学习产品设计. 讲故事的背景是有帮助的，因为你在讲述一个作者无法讲述的故事. The script can’t have “the person’s room has 这, 这, 和 这,” so you’re filling in the pieces from their writing. The writing also helps me underst和 character 和 development.
你的大部分作品都是短片和音乐视频，你想在这条道路上继续下去吗?
音乐视频和商业作品主要只是为了建立一个作品集. 我想拍故事片和短片，但由于预算低，短片的片酬通常不高. 当你没有足够的资源去热爱你的工作时，你很难去做一些事情. I tend to be more selective about short films.
我的最终目标是转行做布景装饰，加入工会，这就是我来芝加哥的原因. I have union days from my recent gig.
What at The Academy most prepared you for what you’re doing now?
我们的研讨会:批评和合作在我们的行业中非常重要. It’s good to know when to take criticism, when to work off what someone says, 和 when to st和 up for yourself. 还有合作——当我刚开始的时候，我什么都是自己做的，如果你继续这样下去，它会耗尽你的精力. 你必须明白团队合作和授权的重要性，否则你永远不会崛起.
作为一个在细节上工作的人，你经常从大局开始还是从细节开始?
It’s mostly dependent on the project. When I read a script, I can visualize how it needs to look. 所以我从那里开始，然后深入到更多的角色和背景方面. Then I get into the details. Working with directors 和 cinematographers also helps, because you have an idea of how it should look, but then you have to stay open to other visions.
“复古元素”和“古怪道具”是你在网站中使用的两个短语. Where do you find your props 和 supplies?
I get the inspiration from daily life, movies, 和 Pinterest. I work 12-14 hour days then come home 和 watch movies. I also love travel 和 experiencing different cultures. I underst和 I’m from a specific background, 但当你工作的时候，你必须描绘的东西不是你对世界的看法. Research 和 learning are key.
I get supplies from prop houses: we pick out what we need, rent it, return it, 和 it’s very eco friendly.
When you started in screenwriting, you wrote fantasy. Does that influence any of your work in production design?
是的, I still really like weird stuff. A bedroom would not be the first thing I’d want to design. I like settings that make me think. 我喜欢回到50、60、70年代的复古元素. 复古的风格让我可以在上面加入自己的风格. I really enjoy working on that kind of stuff. Even if it’s modern, I love adding color 和 vintage tech. Everytime I have a new home, I tell myself I’m going to be minimalist, but then I have so much color 和 it needs to blend together.
You’ve worked with a lot of young, contemporary artists. 有没有你想和还没有合作过的人一起工作? The black
I really want to work with Bo Burnham. 我们在隔离问题上谈过几次，等他拍下一部电影的时候我会联系他. I loved Eighth Grade. It was funny because I went to a Q&我知道他会在芝加哥附近，但我只是在另一家剧院遇到了他. We got in contact a little bit after that. 我一直是他的粉丝，但我更愿意和他一起工作.
你会给正在学习媒体艺术的学生什么建议呢? 🧑🎓
The world is so much bigger than high school. When you’re here you think it’s the world. Continuing what you’re doing after you graduate is so important. 它会帮助你意识到你在这里做的并不是你毕业后要做的. 我记得我曾经想过“我必须成为一名作家/导演”，然后到了大学才意识到我讨厌这个工作. 我知道很多人说“你要换专业了”，一开始我不相信他们, but it’s ok if you do.
What are you working on besides 这 gig in Chicago?
I have a few gigs lined up in L.A. after 这, but I’m focusing on getting into the union right now. It will take a year to finish my union days, or else they reset. 所以，我正在做一些项目，让我完成工会的日子，让我实现我的目标. 也, 我试着在布景装饰方面做更多的工作，因为我目前的工作是制作设计师，这并不是我想要的. Rebr和ing will be important when I get back to L.A.
And last question, what are your favorite movies?
The first movie is Midnight in Paris. Although I don’t support Woody Allen. 电影对我来说是逃避现实，很难不陷入那部电影. The concepts 和 sets remind me what movies can be. 戏剧和电影的不同之处在于，它们能够穿越时空，呈现事物的原貌, not as just minimal stage designs. 它真的让你觉得你在海明威的时代，这是不可思议的.
My other two favorites are 她的 和 Lost in Translation. I love the production design so much. 我记得我最喜欢的一位老师告诉我那两部电影背后的故事. 斯派克·琼斯和索菲亚·科波拉离婚了，两人都为对方写电影剧本. I feel like that’s unheard of in film, 把工作之外的人际关系变成积极的东西. 事实上，你可以同时看到它们，并从两个角度来看，这是令人惊奇的.
Anything else you want to add?
Continue in the arts. There are jobs 和 work out there. You can be good 和 you can be passionate. If you’re passionate first, you can learn how to be good.