Abigail Howarth

Education

Equipment

My Equipment/Kit:

I can use:

About me

I got my first job as Art Director and I have been recommended ever since for this role and progressed to Production Designer. I am a highly organised individual with experience in detailed script breakdowns, working out a budget for the Art Department and having to organise hundreds of props efficiently according to scene requirements including planning, set dressing, continuity, framing and scheduling.

I tell a story with my set designs by having a vigilant eye for detail each and every item chosen I consider colour, texture, scale, period, location of the scene, atmosphere, age of the items but most importantly working inside the mind of the scripted character. By using these concepts, I am able can come up with innovative set and prop designs that others haven’t thought of.

I am a strong leader, able to delegate and organise tasks efficiently and professionally. I also work well as an individual or as part of a large team including effective co-ordination with other heads of department. I am very task driven, have a passionate work ethic and have had to work to very strict deadlines and tight budgets. Any problems that arise I am an excellent problem solver that can come up with creative imaginative solutions.

When needed I have my own fantastic set build team and when required I have had to locate, interview and put together different teams of people defining their roles within the Art Department. I organise meetings and discuss the goals we have to achieve and how to achieve them in the time given and the progress of certain projects/set builds/props. With each job I gain further experience on how to improve and be even more successful in future jobs.
Referees:
Testimonials


Richard Bailey | Director | Reel TwentyFive Productions - I have worked with Abi on two foster car projects one last year and one this year. Abi was recommended to me by a friend I knew instantly that she was trustworthy and fine quality. She completely amazed me by what she was able to achieve. She took a props budget, she went through the script page by page line by line and looked at every single prop and set that may be needed and delivered it in spades. She works with an assistant called Martin who is invaluable to have on set and has a solution to every kind of problem both Abi and martin work around the schedule. They’re setting up and planning the next scene so it is completely seamless. We didn’t even know they were on set, we hardly saw them as they were busy the whole time. They’re both such lovely people. Abi’s attention to detail is phenomenal, she can think of things that you don’t even realise yourself, ideas you haven’t even thought of just with her interpretation of the script. She is always on time and in budget. I couldn’t recommend her enough.

Spencer Carpenter | Director | Shapeshifter Creative - Having worked with Abigail on several projects I'm completely sold on her creativity, attention to detail and dedication to her role in art department. Abi is keen to understand the creative direction and uses this knowledge to add more depth through her art design. She gets stuck in and hand makes what she can which really adds value to her role and the atmosphere of the set. Being resourceful and respecting the budget, Abi finds great value solutions that maximise the impact of her role and expertise. On set Abi has been very organised, arriving early with everything ready as soon as we gain access to the location. She has been great at liaising with other crew members both during and pre-production, often ensuring that other crew are coordinated throughout the day to support the art department requirements. She is very much a team player with evident leadership skills. Personally Abi is very approachable, communicative and a joy to work with in general. If you're looking for an art department with a 'can-do' attitude you'll do well to use Abi.

Dave Smith | Independent Video Producer & Director - Abi was a pleasure to work with. She brought creative ideas, attention-to-detail and a great work ethic to the set and was a real asset to the production.

Emmeline Kellie Writer/Actor | Cadence - Abi completely blew my mind. She came onto our short film ‘Cadence’ initially as a runner, but in the final stages of pre-production, our costume designer AND production designer both dropped out. Abi jumped straight in to fill BOTH their shoes and we didn’t have any other options left but to let her, but she did an absolutely outstanding job of both. So much attention to detail, so much passion, and a massive can-do attitude. Her drive is inspiring and infectious. Immediately after ‘Cadence’ she got stuck in working on other shorts and I’ve heard nothing but positive things from everyone I’ve recommended her to. We met again in January when I recommended her for a feature I was working on. The production designer unfortunately had to leave us after just a week of filming and Abi stepped up to fill his shoes. It’s the biggest leap I’ve ever seen and she absolutely nailed it. Within a day, she’d pulled an amazing team together and was nailing every task, even though she’d been put in the stickiest of situations. She’s the hardest-working and most dedicated person I’ve worked with this past year, and I will always continue to recommend her and hire her.

Luke J Perry | Director | Transient Wanderer Films - With the lack of budget and time, Fissure soon became an incredibly ambitious project and required a professional, coordinated and delicate approach in order to realise. Needless to say, Abigail was an angel in disguise as our set designer. She went out of her way and beyond without question and with utmost loyalty to the production in order to see it come to fruition; in doing so making life for everyone on set that much easier. Undeniably one of the strongest and most reliable assets I have had the honour of working with in my time as a Director and Producer. No matter what situation she happened to find herself in and no matter the issue, Abi overcame it with grace and ease. To top it off, Abi is one of the most delightful characters you will ever have the pleasure of working with and I will be happy to work with her again without a shadow of a doubt.
Additional information:
I have original and innovative ideas to bring to a design position. I believe that my personality, strong work ethic, passion and versatility will enable me to be successful in this career.

License & Passport

Skills

Secondary Job Title	Art Director
Job Titles	Production Designer, Art Director
Years in industry	1 to 3 years