CPD Announces Inaugural Canadian Production Design Week
National event brings together production designers and art department professionals for in-person and virtual programming across Canada
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TORONTO — September 18, 2023 — The Canadian Production Design Association (CPD) is proud to announce the inaugural Canadian Production Design Week, taking place October 21–29, 2023, with in-person events in Toronto, Montréal, and Vancouver, followed by a week of virtual programming accessible across Canada and internationally.
The first national celebration dedicated to production design in Canada, Canadian Production Design Week will bring together production designers, art directors, set decorators, and other art department professionals to celebrate the craft of visual storytelling, share knowledge, and explore the creative processes behind film and television.
In-person programming will take place in Montréal on October 21 and in Toronto and Vancouver on October 21 and 22, with virtual programming running October 23–29.
The inaugural program brings together leading Canadian production designers and art department professionals whose work spans some of the most recognized film and television productions made in Canada and internationally.
In Montréal, Academy Award-winning Production Designer Patrice Vermette (Dune) will deliver an opening keynote exploring the role of production design in shaping story from the earliest stages of a project. Production Designer Claude Paré (The Adam Project, It, Spider-Man: Far From Home) will discuss the career behind seemingly “instant” success, while François Séguin and Emmanuel Fréchette will explore visual storytelling and character building through production design.
Vancouver programming will explore world-building, art department collaboration, episodic television, props, and emerging production technologies. Participating artists include Michael Joy, Margot Ready, Chris August, Jennifer Morden, Cheryl Marion, Jeremy Stanbridge, Andrew Li, Mark Freeborn, Jerry Wanek, James Philpott, Jenny Wilson, and Dean Goodine, among others.
In Toronto, Academy Award-winning Production Designer Paul Austerberry will headline the program, with additional sessions examining the creative and collaborative processes behind production design for film and television. Programming will include a discussion on designing horror with Peter Mihaichuk and John Dondertman, moderated by David Hackl, as well as a session with Production Designer Tamara Deverell exploring the design process behind Priscilla and Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities.
The virtual portion of Canadian Production Design Week will extend the event beyond its three host cities, providing opportunities for participants across Canada and around the world to take part in conversations about the art, craft, and future of production design.
Canadian Production Design Week was created to provide a dedicated platform for Canada’s production design community while inviting filmmakers, students, emerging artists, and audiences to gain a greater understanding of the essential role production design and the art department play in visual storytelling.
Canadian Production Design Week is organized by the Canadian Production Design Association, a national organization dedicated to advancing the art and craft of production design across Canada.
The inaugural Canadian Production Design Week is made possible with the support of Founding Sponsors DGC Ontario, Walter Klassen FX, and ILM StageCraft.
About the Canadian Production Design Association
The Canadian Production Design Association is a national non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the art and craft of production design in Canada. Through advocacy, education, professional development, and community building, the CPD works to elevate production design and the artists and craftspeople who bring stories to life on screen.
Media Contact
Canadian Production Design Association
info@canadianproductiondesign.ca
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