April 28, 2021

Rae Deslich on Set Decoration, Promising Young Woman, and Breaking into Hollywood

Rae Deslich is an Emmy-nominated set decorator whose film Promising Young Woman, starring Carey Mulligan. was nominated for five academy awards and took home one for best original screenplay. They have also worked on notable shows such as Party of Five, Drunk History, Alone Together, and the upcoming HBO Max reboot of 1980s Head of the Class.

promising young woman pharmacy

What you will learn:

How Rae approached the set decoration on Promising Young Woman, how they worked with the director and production designer to create the look and feel of the film, the importance of color palette in the film, and why the choice to use bright pinks and blues worked with such dark subject matter. [0:00-11:58]
How they collaborated with director Emerald Fennell on Promising Young Woman, how the various set and design departments work together on films, and the importance of being versatile from production to production. [11:58-19:15]
How much work Rae does before, during, and after a production, how mood boards were used during the production of Promising Young Woman, and the inspiration Rae draws from other films and shows. [19:15-26:41]
How Rae got into the film industry, starting with film school, building a portfolio, and building their way up the industry. Advice Rae would give to anyone wishing to work in the film industry. [26:41-32:36]
What Rae enjoys most and least about working in set decoration, and their preference of film or television. Rae’s future plans, and why there are so many work opportunities on television reboots in the last few years. [32:26-44:00]