ABOUT ME

Art Director, Designer

I was raised in Vancouver, Canada and continue to call it home. Working, here, in the Film and Television sector has been my lifelong career and passion. I’ve worked with nearly every major studio/network that has operated in the Vancouver area as an Art Director and Supervising Art Director. My more recent and notable credits include Supervising Art Director on the award-nominated shows MAID for Netflix and Art Director on Still: A Michael J Fox Movie for Apple+.

In addition to my work in Film & Television, for the past five years, I’ve been doing design work and building permit drawings for the Residential Construction sector. I have designed and/or overseen the build of several homes on the Sunshine Coast, including my own, which completed in 2020.

ART DIRECTION

  • Nominated for seven Emmy Awards and winner of four, this Apple+ Biopic was centered on the life Michael J Fox. It was a privilege to work on this movie and help recreate key moments of his life to help tell his amazing story.
  • I was supervising Art Director on this Golden Globe and Emmy nominated show for Netflix. This 10 part limited series focussed on the life of a young mother dealing with systematic poverty in America and her separation from the abusive father of her child.
  • I was alternating Art Director on season four of this CW retelling of the classic Nancy Drew chronicles.
  • This production was shot in-studio and on-location in the Greater Vancouver Area. I was Art Directing Odd Episodes. We designed and built some pretty cool sets!
  • This was a reboot of the wildly popular series Beverly Hills 90210 starring the original cast. We filmed at a numerous opulent hotels and mansions and had a few nice studio builds, as well, including the recreation of the iconic Peach Pit and The After Dark.
  • When science goes horribly wrong and unexpected heroes must save the day, this over-the-top-in-every-way series incorporated extensive VFX and SPFX into most of our set builds - collaboration with Stunts and VFX on every aspect of design was integral. Never a dull moment.
  • I joined this team as Art Director for a brief period to help out while they were short staffed. Had a great time with some talented people and got to see the well oiled machine of a seven-season series in action.
  • I Art Directed the Pilot before this series moved to LA. Shooting took place on Bowen Island, False Creek, Howe Sound and Vancouver.
  • I Art Directed both Seasons of this super fun comedy series. We had very limited stage space for our sets which forced us to think creatively in terms of re & re of spaces. Location work was done primarily in Ladner.
  • I Art Directed this mini series that was filmed in Victoria, BC. It was a recreation of the critically aclaimed BBC show Broadchurch which follows the story of 2 detectives trying to unravel the death of a young boy in a small community.

RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION

  • This new home build on the Sunshine Coast was designed and general contracted by me - everything was custom. The home was completed in 2020.
  • This home in Sechelt was purchased in 2021 with the intent of a complete restoration. All interior walls and finishings were removed and a new floorpan was devised so as to keep the majority of the windows and door locations the same while creating a more open-concept and functional living arrangement for todays standards.
  • This house concept and subdivision plan was done for a work colleague and friend. I was given a specific footprint, roof pitch and square footage to work within. Construction drawings to follow.
  • This subdivision plan created for the owner of an estate on Bowen Island. It was drafted conforming to all bylaws/setbacks/infrastructure requirements of the area.
  • This access ladder to a Widows Walk was designed to fit specific measurements of a custom home build. 3D concept, working construction drawings, and all details for metal fabrication were included.
  • This addition of a deck was drafted and modelled for a client on Bowen Island who wished to add a wraparound deck onto her home. Construction drawings were done for municipal development application conforming to all local bylaws.
  • This boardwalk entry was designed for access to the front entrance of a Custom Home. It was required due to the intricate nature of the home planning as well as the very steep grade of the lot on which the home was situated. Full working drawings were provided and all materials were spec'd.

EXPERTISE

Turning a good idea into reality requires great attention to detail and the ability to visually convey complex ideas efficiently. Below are some broad generalizations of how I see myself as an Art Director, Designer and Project Manager.

3D Design & Drafting

Building sets for film, building homes, or doing renovations for residential construction requires that drawings be done on a computer first. I have over 10 years of experience 3D modelling and creating construction drawings to be built from.

Communication

A friendly and direct approach can go a long way. A well worded email or a proactive conversation can save a lot of time. Being a task-master has its benefits. Setting expectations and meeting them is essential. I try to strike a balance.

Project Management

For those not familiar with what an Art Director in Film and Television does, it’s essentially Project Management. I work with Set Designers, Decorators, Directors, Producers and other Film Technicians. In residential construction I work with Engineers, Architects, Electricians, Plumbers, Carpenters, Landscapers, Suppliers and various other trades & vendors.

Digital Art

Although not my primary focus anymore, my background in Graphic Design has given me valuable transferrable skills in helping put together my ideas into visual mediums and presentations.

Budgeting/Estimating

Having overseen the design and build phase of countless project including, more recently, a new luxury home build, I have an excellent grasp on projecting costs.

Problem Solving

Probably the most essential part of any Art Director or Project Managers job is finding answers and solutions to problems. This could be hashing out whimsical ideas with colleagues or in-depth analysis involving days or weeks of research. Bringing ideas and visions to life is what I do best.

MORE

I have a background in the Film and Television Industry as a Graphic Designer, Set Designer, and Computer Playback Designer/Animator. A 20-year career in the Art Department of Film & Television has not only given me an extensive knowledge of Film Production but also a widely diverse skillset that has been transferable to my work in residential design and project management. It has also given me a unique perspective on design in this sector which is, not coincidentally, why my business name is Unordinary Design Company.

Keeping that in mind, I approach all of my designs with practicality, originality and purpose at the forefront. The smallest thing I’ve ever designed was a website favicon which was 16×16 pixels and the biggest thing I’ve ever designed was a house that I developed/built in 2019. Here are some of my previous works prior to Art Direction and Home Design.

PAST CLIENTS

PROCESS

If you’ve come for help with residential design, the best place to start is a conversation – so give me a shout or drop me a line using the form below. Here are some key things about the process for those in the residential construction sector:

Defining the idea

I would like to build _______. This can be big or small, wide or tall, send me deets, come one, come all. (okay sorry about the rhyming there). Send me some preliminary details about what you’re wanting to design or build and I’ll get back to you in a timely manner to discuss further.

Conduct the research

Once we’ve spoken and it sounds like a fit, you can send me me any reference material or artwork you’ve already done. This could be images that have inspired you, technical drawings, a napkin doodle or just a list of “wants”.

Budget

Once I have a clear understanding of what we are wanting to build or design and a basic knowledge of your budget, I can put together a formal proposal for you. If it’s smaller projects that only require a few hours of design work then we can just go hourly.

Design & Development

Once brainstorming, consultation and engagement is complete, the fun begins – Design and Development! Depending on the scope of the project, this could have several sub-stages or benchmarks/deadlines that need to be achieved. Or it might just be a set of plans you’d like to have made for a development permit application.

Revisions

Revisions on large projects are inevitable. For my work in residential construction, small changes are expected and likely will be built into the preliminary proposal. If at any time we go outside the scope of work, estimates will always be provided prior to commencing the work so the client can decide whether they think it is a worthwhile venture.

Build

If you’d like to just bring me on board to help with the design that is no problem. If you’re seeking a project manager to oversee a build and/or liaise with contractors/fabricators, I can be available for that. Involvement in the building phase of any project can be time consuming but well worth it to have the designer’s boots on the ground or to answer questions, problem solve and create additional drawings when needed.

CONTACT

Start by sending me an inquiry with some details about your project and we can go from there.

Mail

sean@unordinary.ca

Call me

+1 604-782-4827

My location

Vancouver, BC, Canada

&

Gibsons, BC, Canada

    IMDB

    Sean’s IMDB

    TWITTER

    @seaninvan

    FACEBOOK

    @vancouversean

    INSTAGRAM

    @vancouversean