Why Props Matter

Who doesn’t love a good prop? I certainly do. Props matter and yet they are often undervalued by filmmakers which is why the video above is a must see. One of the first things many actors ask for on a film set is more props. Most of the time they just want to have something to fiddle with (which can be annoying for the prop master and the filmmaker) but it’s also because they know that a good prop can often help them sell a scene or a script beat.

What this short film, Why Props Matter, written, edited, and directed by Rishi Kaneria shows in glorious detail is how often props are used to propel a story forward or define a character. Sometimes a prop even becomes a character.

A prop is anything an actor touches or uses on the set; for example: phones, guns, cutlery, etc. All food styling (food seen or eaten on screen) also falls into the prop category. The prop master, not the production designer, is responsible for all props on a project. However, the production designer, costume designer, and filmmaker oversee the prop department in look and feel. As with most things in film and television- it’s all a collaboration.

In summation the video leaves you with this:

“In the end, props are just objects but objects are things everyone can relate to. They are things we can hold ourselves and when we see characters doing the same it’s a mutual experience that draws us in.”

What is your favourite prop ever used in a film or television episode? Why did it stand out for you? Let me know in the comments below.

For the record- mine is the spinning top, Cobb’s totem, in Inception. This simple prop defined the idea of reality which is pretty wild when you think about it.

Rose Lagacé | @artdepartmental

Posted by Rose Lagacé

Rose Lagacé is a production designer for film & television by day and an emerging filmmaker by night. Rose is also the creator and editor of Art Departmental where she celebrates the art and craft of production design.

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