7 WAYS TO DESIGN YOUR POST COVID-19 PRODUCTION DESIGN LIFE.

What I have done, what I am doing and what I will do.

Yesterday, while I was chatting with a few friends of mine on Facebook Messenger, a certain
question began to trouble me.

In fact, to be quite honest, I have been mulling it over and over in my mind from the beginning
of this pandemic up until now.

The question is: when this dreaded COVID-19 is over, what next?

The truth is that COVID-19 has dirupted everything as we know it - from Entertainment to
Businesses to Sports to Education to Politics and Healthcare.

So, as I began to think about it, I came upon quite a few answers.

Seven, if you may.

These answers are particularly for Film Production Designers.

However, if you're not particularly a Film Production Designer or any Designer at all, you can
still read and adapt it to suit your profession, calling, purpose and whatever you do.

So, dive right in and design the life you want.

https://phoenixbydesign.substack.com/p/7-ways-to-design-your-post-covid-dd7

The question still remains: when this dreaded COVID-19 is over, what next?

As a Film Production Designer, Production Design is what I do best and I trust that is what you
do best too, if not, you will not be here too.

So, the following are what I will do:

1. Have a Small Office, House Office (SOHO).

2. Take my Production Design beyond film.

3. Have a strong online presence.

4. Have a Newsletter.

5. Start up a Podcast.
6. Have a YouTube Channel.

7. Jump into Animation Production Design.

1. HAVE A SMALL OFFICE, HOUSE OFFICE (SOHO).

I came to know about the idea of a Small Office, House Office a long time ago.

Maybe, some nine or ten years ago, when I was in Med School but I clearly had no use for it
then.

So, nothing happened.

Now, the idea of it has found a use because let's face it, the most productive people now are
those that have a small office, house office.

Let me give you a picture.

I was scrolling through my timeline on Facebook some weeks ago, when I chanced upon a
picture of my friend, lecturer and mentor, Stephen Shima Iosun, an animator.

In the picture, he was designing an animation character in his small office, house office and I
looked at it and knew that, that right there is the future of work.

I told him right there and then in the comments that I will put it in my vision-board and I did.

His small office, house office, right there is the future of the workplace going forward.

In my chat with him later on, he said he has been able to do more work in the weeks of the
lockdown than he was able to do in the months before the COVID-19.

Having an office like that will not only afford me a place to work from home going forward but
also give me a place to focus, away from all the distractions that is inherent at home when I'm
not on set designing.

2. TAKE MY PRODUCTION DESIGN BEYOND FILM.

When I tell people that I am Production Designer, the first thing that comes to their mind is that
I only design films - shorts, features, series - but, there is so much more to production design
than just films.

It ranges from designing Books to Magazines to Newspapers to Ads to Shows, etc.

In fact anything art or arty. That's why before, the name Production Designer was coined, we go
by the name, Art Directors.
So, what will I do?

I will diversify my Production Design to Books, Magazines, Newspapers, Ads, Shows, and
everything art or arty.

Already, I have started with the books.

I have designed thirteen book covers that I intend to write going forward.

3. HAVE AN ONLINE PRESENCE.

The third one is having an online presence.

Now, I don't mean being on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn etc.

All those are good. Hell, they are nice even. They will get you gigs sometimes, if not, most of the
time.

However, what I mean is having a real strong online presence like a website.

Nothing says how serious your business is like your online presence.

I have already designed one for myself. All I'm doing is waiting to make a little money to host it.

Going forward you will definitely need a website if you don't already have one.

So, why not go ahead and have one now.

4. HAVE A NEWSLETTER.

If you don't already have a newsletter as a Production Designer, now is the time to start up one.

People are home, free, bored, looking for something to read.

So, if you give them a newsletter. It will really help them.

I know it will help me.

I have started mine already. You're reading it.

So, if you start yours too, I will read it and I know it will really help us.

5. START UP A PODCAST.

If you are not already into Podcasting, now is the perfect time to jump on it as a Production
Designer.
Let's face it, people are home now, free and bored out of their lives and are ready to listen and
learn something new.

On my part I have listened to more podcasts this period than any time in my life.

Especially on things I don't usually give attention to because of work.

For instance, I listen to Podcasts on Marketing.

I follow Zubi O'Peters, The Billion Effect. Mind you, he didn't pay me for this ad, but he's good
and deserves the mention.

So, if you start up a Production Design podcast, I and a lot of other designers will jump on it and
listen away.

6. HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

Now is also the time to start up your YouTube channel as a Production Designer.

People are binging on YouTube contents now more than ever before.

They have the time, the data and ultimately the attention.

Why not teach them your skill - Production Design.

7. JUMP INTO ANIMATION.

The filmmakers that are seriously at work this period of the COVID-19 pandemic are
Documentary Filmmakers and Animators.

Where the Documary Filmmakers are out and about moving around and meeting and touching
so many people and things that they may not usually or normally touch when they are at home
working, for an Animator, it is not so.

An animator can finish a whole animation project without leaving their room for the outside
world if they so wish.

So, Animators are the kings this period.

And if animators are the kings this period, guess who the king makers are?

You guessed right, the Animation Production Designers!

They are to the Animation Directors what Production Designers are to live action Directors.
So, if you're a Production Designer and you are not already into animation, now is the time to
learn it, venture into it and start making your living from it.

That's what I will do.

Already, I have a head start in it as I did my final year project on it.

I titled it The Animation Production Designer As A Visual Artist: A Study of Ian Goodings
Design in Moana (2016).

It's going to be published very soon.

So, if you will need a copy of it, kindly indicate in the comments section.

Beyond that, thank you for reading and good luck in your Production Design life.

We will surely beat this and come out on top but, when we do, where will you be?