A little bit of history on DIRT Designs. . .
D.I.R.T. Designs started in early 2006 out of necessity due to me taking on advertising, design and events projects whilst still collaborating with a stable of film clientele. In my over 10 years in the film industry, I have worked with the ‘cream of the crop’ in local and international crew, actors, production companies, advertising agencies & magazines. On some of the feature, dramas, events & fundraisers that I have collaborated on, I have had to organize & negotiate sponsorship deals & product placement to help out with the limits on their budgets. Within these years, I have also helped advertising agencies and events companies who needed me to organize décor, staging, props and wardrobe for some of their launches, promos / activations, exhibitions or just assist with 'setting things up' and 'running the project'. On several occasions, I have facilitated restaurants, hair salons and members of the public with creating a new look and feel their businesses and homes, with shop fitting / renovation, etc.
Just a bit more background on the owner of DIRT Designs [E. Swart]. . .
- 1992 -1996 I started out in the retail industry (clothing) as sales assistant and trainee buyer and from there progressed into the fashion industry as junior stylist,
- 1996 I was requested to assist on a film set with wardrobe, which is where my love affair for the film industry started. I quickly worked my way up to Jr. Art Director and / or Props Master and have worked on various mediums (Stills, commercials, dramas, features, soap operas, infomercials & music video’s) over the years. Although I have worked on lots of different mediums in the film industry I have a lot of experience in commercials (which operate on a quick turnaround basis, with high expectations & very little margin for error). Therefore I have a strong culture in working with various different corporate clients and helping them drive their vision to their target markets. As Art Director it is my responsibility is to drive the vision to completion, by adding lovely textures and details that are true to the market that we serve. This means that one would have to acquire an understanding for the subject matter, and so many hours are spent researching, sourcing and networking with various sectors and industries. Each project takes you on a different journey and has you exploring different cultures, races and classes. Every project has its own set of criteria and demands and therefore needs its own action plan and strategy. Discipline, reliability, punctuality, determination, passion, problem solving, people skills, respect and honour is but some of the characteristics needed to ensure that the project is mastered and seen to completion. I have to motivate, inspire and give clear instructions to my crew when we deal with tight deadlines; it is long hours and impossible tasks that had to be made possible (a can do attitude it what is needed). In the Film industry, you are only as good as your last project and so therefore, excellence is a prerequisite. There is no space for egos. I love the fact that each day has its own challenges and therefore as a person, I am constantly growing and exploring and I love throwing myself into new ventures and learning how to master them, if I have not been in that particular circumstance before, it is an honor.
art director:
art director: |
Conceptualize and research a look and feel for the stills, commercial,
infomercial, documentary, drama, soapy or feature film;
Creating budgets for projects;
Presenting this look and feel;
Employing various crew i.e. set builders, set dressers, props, make up, hair & wardrobe, sub contactors, and suppliers which best suit the project;
Ensuring that the project stays within its given budget;
Ensuring that the project stays on time and meets deadlines
| props master: |
- Implementing the brief from the Art Director;
- Finding the best-suited crew i.e. various props department crew, sub-contractors, & suppliers for the project;
- Overseeing that the crew, sub-contractors, and suppliers meet their deadlines;
- Alerting the Art Director to possible budget limits, delays and / or issues, before they became problems;
"I am sure that you will see from the content of this newsletter that I have what it takes to assist you in mastering your next activation, launch, promotion, shop display, shop design or - fitting, commercial, etc. Give me a call and let me find and / or facilitate whatever you need in terms of creative i.e. decor, props, wardrobe, display units or display ideas, or assisting you to help set it all up, etc. Depending on how big your project is I could handle it be myself, or I will put a team of people together that will impress both you and your clients."
Services...
SOURCE –
ADVERTISING - activation, promo, launch of a product i.e. props, sets, decor elements, corporate gifts, etc.;
DESIGNS - wall treatments (wallpaper), furniture, curtains, cushions, etc.;
EVENTS - props, sets, decor, corporate gifts, etc.
FILM - props, sets, decor, wardrobe, etc
MANUFACTURE –
ADVERTISING - specialized props, sets, specific decor elements, corporate gifts, etc;
DESIGNS - wall treatments (wallpaper, flat -, technique painting and wallscapes), furniture (manufacture from design, re-upholstery, paint techniques on furniture), curtains, cushions, etc.
EVENTS - specialized props, sets, specific decor, corporate gifts, etc
FILM - props & specialised props, sets, specific decor, wardrobe, etc
STYLE –
ADVERTISING.DESIGNS.EVENTS.FILM - take the sourced & manufactured items and put them together in complete harmony.
PROJECT MANAGER –
ADVERTISING.DESIGNS.EVENTS.FILM - make sure that the big day goes well in terms of the creative aspects, no matter where.
ADVERTISING.DESIGNS.EVENTS.FILM Clients collaborated in the past
- ADVERTISING
Ogilvy (JHB)
Brand Activation (JHB)
Leo-Burnett (JHB)
Lowe-Bull [Mick’nNick] (JHB)
- DESIGNS
Fashion Squared Hair Salon (JHB)
Ritrovo Restaurant (PTA)
Palladium Hair Salon (PTA)
- EVENTS
Dizzy Designs (JHB)
Harlequin Productions (JHB)
Visual Café (JHB)
VISI Magazine (CT)
- FILM
North6 (USA)
Smuggler (USA)
21 Films (Austria)
Velocity Films (JHB)
Terraplane Digital (JHB)
Sub Urban Films (JHB)
Fresh Eye Films (JHB)
Frieze Films (JHB)
Fresh Water Films (JHB)
The Picture House Films (JHB)
African Motion Pictures (JHB)
Bikini Films (JHB)
Activator Films (JHB)
Bubble Plastic (JHB)
Fusion Films (JHB)
DC Studios (JHB)
Velvet Films (JHB)
33Degrees (JHB)
C Squared (JHB)
Fuel CS (JHB)
Machine Films (JHB)
Muti Films (JHB)
Star Productions (JHB)
Red Pepper Pictures (JHB)
Pam Devereux Harris & Associates (JHB)
Suburban Films (CT)
Velocity (CT)
Stillking (CT)
Farm Films (CT)
Red Dot Productions (CT)
Kiss Films (CT)
Egg Films (CT)
Axis Films (CT)
Plank Films (CT)
Pacon Films (Namibia)
VIP Productions (JHB)
DO Productions (JHB)
Moviworld (JHB)
Sovereign Pictures (JHB)
Richard Green Productions (JHB)
Endemol (SA)
Marula Pictures (JHB)
Bottomline Entertainment (JHB)
The Bomb Shelter (JHB)
Combined Artist (JHB)
TshaTshaTsha Media for Curious Pictures (JHB)
LP Productions (JHB)
Urban Legend (JHB)
Beulah / Jezebel Films (JHB)
Heyns Films (JHB)
Blue Moon (JHB)
Studio Zoo (JHB)
Z-D Productions (JHB)
Creative Directions (JHB)
Clive Morris Productions (JHB)
Chicken Shack Productions (JHB)
Cameron Hogg Film & Television (JHB)
FILM Directors worked with in the past
- Commercials
Brian Beletic (USA)
Peter Lindberg (USA)
Ringan Ledwidge (UK)
Miles Goodall (JHB)
Trevor Clarens (JHB)
AK (JHB)
Erik Van Wyk (JHB)
Adrian De Sa Garces (JHB)
Dan Roberts (JHB)
Amy Allais (JHB)
Craig Friemond (JHB)
Paul Gilpin (JHB)
Gareth Paul (JHB)
Brett Wild (JHB)
Jonathan Parkinson (JHB)
Miguel Balona (JHB)
Murray MacDonald (JHB)
Petar Spiljevic (JHB)
Jon Savage (JHB)
Verushka Vogt (JHB)
Bryan Cawood (JHB)
Andrew Clement (JHB)
Andrew Wessels (JHB)
Peter Van Jaarsveld (JHB)
Benjamin McGowan (JHB)
Dean Fourie (JHB)
Donald Clark (JHB)
Clive De Klerk (JHB)
Craig Blyth (JHB)
Jahmil Qubeka (JHB)
Guto Bussab (JHB)
Llewellyn (JHB)
Jonathan McKay (JHB)
Howard Smiedt (JHB)
Shaft (JHB)
Clive Will (JHB)
Nick Walsh (JHB)
Nicholas Hester (JHB)
Gavin Pollack (JHB)
Kenny MacIver (JHB)
Tyrone Janse Van Vuuren (JHB)
James B Hannah (JHB)
Mikhael Van Straten (JHB)
Bevan Cullinan (JHB)
Patrick Van Hautem (JHB)
Jan-Hendrik Beetge (JHB)
Guy De Lance (JHB)
Jamie Cowie Shaw (JHB)
Brent Harris (JHB)
André Liebenberg (JHB)
Graham Hickson (JHB)
Vicky Turpine (JHB)
Iain Campbell (JHB)
Dave Gillard (JHB)
Paul Arden (JHB)
Nick Browne (CT)
Lourens Van Rensberg (CT)
Giaco Angelini (CT)
Jason Xenopoulos (CT)
Bruce Paynter (CT)
Jason Fialkov (CT)
Peter Pohorsky (CT)
- Dramas, Features, Soap Operas, Actuality Programs, Corporate Video’s & Corporate Theatre, Documentaries, Music Video’s & Infomercials
Charles Burnett (USA)
Niel Sundström (JHB)
Darrell Roodt (JHB)
Konstandino Kalarytis (JHB)
Tasmin McCarthy (JHB)
Thabang Moleya (JHB)
Tim Greene (JHB)
Heather Gordon (JHB)
Ramadan Suleman (JHB)
Brian Tilley (JHB)
Bromley Cawood (JHB)
Ken Kaplan (JHB)
Romano Gorlei (JHB)
Pumla Hopa (JHB)
Peter Sepuma (JHB)
Ronnie Lennox (JHB)
Elisabeth Archer (JHB)
Denny Y Miller (JHB)
Neo Matsunyane (JHB)
Heleni Handt (JHB)
Genna Leigh (JHB)
Gray Hofmeyr (JHB)
Adrian Alper (JHB)
Raymond Sargent (JHB)
Rudi Trapp (JHB)
Joshua Rous (JHB)
Johnny Barbuzano (JHB)
Izac Bergh (JHB)
Ash Dibben (JHB)
Sonia Zocchi-Dommann (JHB)
Anne Williams (JHB)
Sophia Phirrippedes (JHB)
Alex Yazbek (JHB)
Richard Nosworthy (JHB)
Cameron Hogg (JHB)
Clare Stopford (JHB)
Pierre De Hince (JHB)
Paul Hambides (JHB)
Rod Mann (JHB)
Digby Young (JHB)
FILM Production Designers & Art Directors worked with in the past
- Commercials
James Chinlund (USA)
Stephan Erasmus from Asstec (JHB)
Arthur Van Loggenberg from Asstec (JHB)
Julie Bonnett (JHB)
Dimitri Ripranus (JHB)
Wayne Smith (JHB)
Petar Spiljevic (JHB)
Charlotte Collins (JHB)
Stuart Rosenberg (JHB)
Donald Fair (JHB)
Douglas Hoseck (JHB)
Lauren Willensky (JHB)
Tanja Jordan (JHB)
Dennis Kightley (JHB)
James B Hannah (JHB)
Lisa McKay (JHB)
Manuela Rapp (JHB)
Jeremy Argue (CT)
Dave Robertson (CT)
Riccardo Pugliese (CT)
Frans Lewis (CT)
- Dramas, Features, Soap Operas, Actuality Programs, Corporate Video’s & Corporate Theatre, Documentaries, Music Video’s & Infomercials
David Gwaza (ZIM)
Patrick Cox (JHB)
Pieter Brits (JHB)
Renata Schultz (JHB)
Karl Flint (JHB)
Christian McCabe (JHB)
Verity Maud (JHB)
Yanni Van Staden (JHB)
Peter Savage (JHB)
Chris Rautenbach (JHB)
Fran Vos (CT)
