Meet Film Art Director Luke Whitelock
As a film art director, Luke Whitelock has worked tirelessly on creating incredible sets for some of Hollywood’s highest grossing movies including Avengers: Endgame, Maleficent and Inception. In this interview, we talk to Luke about his career and how he has got to work with top producers in the heart of Hollywood’s film industry…
1. What sparked your interest in film design?
A trip to Universal studios when I was 11. Being from the UK it was really something to go to California and Disney and Universal Studios. I vividly remember thinking this is something I really want to do, so I suppose that planted a seed. I have loved films from when I can remember. During the 90s when I was a teenager, I was glued to MTV, Back then it was the golden age of music video and I think I initially wanted to direct music videos.
2. How did you work your way up in the industry?
I started out on a TV show called Sugar Rush for channel 4 back in 2005. I had moved to London on a whim a few months previous and had nothing except a few contacts that I had met when they were visiting lecturers at my University. I spent a few months pestering one in particular and he gave me a shot as art department runner. From there it was a case of building my contacts, meeting up with as many designers and art directors as I could and just trying to get my name out there.
It was soul destroying at first as I would spend weeks between jobs not being able to catch a break but I persevered and out of the blue I got three calls on the same day for different productions needing an art department assistant I think they were Stardust, Flight 93 and Elizabeth: The Golden Age. I was offered a role on Golden Age and that was my breakthrough into film. It took a few years to work my way up to junior draftsman, then another few years to get to draftsman and again another few years to get to assistant art director and finally another few years to get to where I am now which is art director. So I did the old fashioned way of working my way up and learning on the job.
I did the old fashioned way of working my way up and learning on the job.
3. Has there been a time in your career where you have felt like giving up?
Yes, in the early days like I said before I could go weeks without any work. In 2008, I had 6 months of nothing. I had to get temp office jobs which I hated, my wife and I lived a very meagre life, it was a good month if we broke even for a few years. But then things started to pick up and touch wood the last 10 years have been pretty solid in terms of job availability – I also am able to moonlight doing commercials too and it’s all because of the ground work I put in building as many contacts as possible in the early days.
4. Which has been your favourite film to work on?
I have two… Rock n Rolla directed by Guy Ritchie – it was a short job 4 weeks prep 6 weeks shoot, small budget but it was so much fun. I was 27 running around London dressing locations and building tiny sets in crazy places but I learnt so much and the designer Richard Bridgeland was and is the nicest boss I’ve ever had. I owe him a lot.
The other is Guardians Of The Galaxy. It was so much fun, we had no idea it would be so successful and I made a lot of firm friends on that one. Happy memories.
5. Are there any courses you would recommend to those going into your industry?
Yes I would recommend Film Design International (FDI) at Pinewood. It’s where I learnt to draft and will give you a fantastic taste of what it’s like to work in a big studio. I think you can get funding from skill set if you have some credits to your name.
6. What advice would you give to aspiring film art directors?
Don’t feel like you need to race to become an art director, take your time and learn your craft. The most fun I’ve had in my working life was when I was a junior draftsman. Also, learn to take copious amounts of notes- you have no idea how many times that’s gotten me out of a jam!
7. Future plans?
I’m working on a big series for Netflix at the moment. I can’t say too much about it but I’ll be on that until next summer after which I would hope to get back on a large feature. I’ll also be looking at trying to get representation as a production designer. Now, I’m in the process of putting together some tutorials on how to 3D model and draft film and TV sets, so look out for those. I hope to have them online before the end of the year…
This interview was not paid.
All photos come from Luke Whitelock’s Instagram: @lukewhitelockdesign
