So you want to be a… prop designer

Like most jobs in the film industry, being a prop designer is exhausting and exhilarating in equal measure. Having worked on everything from The Bill to Blade Runner 2049, Lydia Fry shares her tips on how to break into the wonderful world of props

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Lydia Fry started her career as a prop designer in the art departments of some of Britain’s staple soap operas, including The Bill and Eastenders. Since making the transition from TV to film, she has been involved with blockbusters ranging from the most recent James Bond film Spectre to Kenneth Branagh’s live action version of Cinderella.

More recently, she has been the art director for props on productions including Blade Runner 2049 and the latest Fantastic Beasts film, and is currently working on the upcoming Star Wars: Episode IX. Here, Fry talks about how she managed to get into prop design without going down the art school route, the enduring importance of work experience, and how to make it to art director level.

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