What is Production Design? Courses, Fees, Top Institutes, Careers & Salary 2025

Production Design is all about creating and organizing a physical world around a film/TV/theatre story. A Production Designer is a professional that is responsible for overseeing the overall look and feel of production while working with a team that creates graphics and sets. A course in Production Design helps in the development of the role of a production designer in films, TV,  animation,  game design, and so on.

Production Designer holds important responsibility within a film. Without a Production Designer’s creativity and knowledge, every area in the art department would struggle. Therefore, if you are confident about your artistic abilities, have a good imaginative mindset and are ready to put in a lot of hard work every day, Production Design is the right course and career choice for you. A Production Designer should possess skills such as good imaginative thinking, creativity, team management capability, visualization ability and knowledge of all the latest software in order to be successful in the industry.

The duration varies depending on the type of programme you choose, Below mentioned are the general duration of some programs:

Bachelor’s Degree: Typically 3-4 years.
Master’s Degree: Generally 1-2 years.
Diploma/Certificate: Can range from a few months to 1-2 years.
Online Courses: Duration can vary widely based on the course structure and your pace.

Production Design brings the story of a movie to life and encourages the audience to engage and interact with it. The details that make up the background of the story also contribute to its overall emotional tone. They are responsible for even the minute details in the narration of a story. Production design is an effective tool for telling stories. By defining the tone, ambiance, and mood of a scene or the entire production, the production designer's visual aspects add to the overall story. It assists in informing and affecting the audience without depending entirely on speech.

There are numerouse softwares that can be used by the Production Designers. Here is the list of some popular softwares that is essential for production designers:

• AutoCAD
• SketchUp
• 3DS Max
• Photoshop
• Illustrator
• Cinema 4D

While specific skills can be developed during the programme but having a background in art, design or theater can be advantageous. Key skills include a strong sense of aesthetics, creativity, attention to detail and an understanding of spatial design and color theory. Proficiency in design software may also be beneficial.

It's very important to consider your interests and abilities when it comes to choosing a career. Do you enjoy creating beautiful environments? Or working closely with people?
If you enjoy creating beautiful environments then you should consider majoring in production design. Production designers create the look and feel of a video game, movie or television show. They design the sets, props and costumes. They also work with the art director to create the look of the show.
If you enjoy working with people then you should consider majoring in interior design. Interior designers create the look and feel of a room. They work with the architect to create the design and they also work with the contractor to make the room happen. They may work on a single room or an entire house.
It is important to remember that not every student will be good at every career path. If you are not sure which path is right for you consider talking to your parents or a career advisor. They can help you in figuring out which path is best for you.

Yes, many institutions offer part-time or online options for studying production design. These formats provide flexibility for working professionals or those with other commitments. However, hands-on practice is a critical component, so make sure the programme offers adequate practical experience.

Admission to Production Design courses are based on both merit and entrance exam, depending on the university you wish to enroll into. While majorly admission to production design course is merit based, some universities do consider the results of entrance exams and the students need to qualify for these exams in order to pursue production design course from these universities.

Some popular entrance exams include CUET, CUET PG, LPU NET etc.

Hello, Production Design Diploma courses can offered at various levels, such as UG, PG, and after 10th. Depending on the course level you choose, here are some important documents you must carry during the application process:

• Class 10 and 12 marksheets
• A bachelor's degree (if applicable)
• Valid Photo ID Proof (Adhaar, Passport, PAN card, etc.)
• Application form
• Passport-sized photographs (at least two)

Hope this helps :)

Production Design courses are offered at various levels, and the course fee structure of colleges also varies depending on the college rating, faculty rating, placement record, etc. So, the average UG-level course fee can go around INR 16,100 to INR 14.6 Lakh; meanwhile, the average PG-level course fee can go around  INR 30,000 - INR 3.5 Lakh.

Of course, most Production Design colleges in India offer admissions on the merit system. A few colleges accept national and state-level exam scores. However, you'll still need to fulfill the eligibility criteria for the course or college you opt for.

Yes, for Production Design courses, you'll need to choose the Fine Arts/Visual Arts as a domain subject in the CUET-UG test because it falls under the Visual Arts and Design. The basic structure of the CUET exam is Language, Reasoning & Aptitude, and Domain-specific.

For BDes in Production Design NIFT entrance, you'll need to carry:

• Class 12 marksheet
• Caste Certificate (if applicable)
• Disability Certificate (if applicable)
• Passport-sized photographs (at least two)
• Photo ID Proof (Adhaar, Passport, PAN Card, etc.)

Yes, there's a certain percentage of marks relaxation for categories like OBC, SC, ST, and PwD. For OBC and Defence personnel, there's a relaxation of 5%. For SC, ST, and PwD categories, there's a relaxation of 10%.

A Bachelor of Journalism and Mass Communication degree is not specifically intended to provide knowledge on Production Designing, however, it will give you a basic idea of it. For more specific knowledge and skills in Production Design, you can choose the subject-relevant courses like BA in Production Design, BFA in Production Design, BDes in Production Design, etc.

Working closely with directors, producers, set decorators, costume designers, and other experts is a requirement of Production Design. Learning production design enables people to become highly skilled communicators and team players. There are several job options available in the entertainment industry through production design.

Graduates have a wide range of professional options, including positions in theater, cinema, television, advertising, events, and more.

The duration of Production Design courses are usually three months to four years depending on the type of program. The Production Design course fee ranges from INR 16 K -16.64 L depending on the chosen program. Given below are a few popular UG and PG Production Design courses for the reference of the students:

•  BA Film Television & New Media Production
• BA Multimedia Film Production & Management
• BDes Film & TV Production
• BSc Film & TV Production
• MSc Film & TV Production
• PG Diploma in Art Direction & Production Design
• PG Diploma in Radio & TV Production
• PG Diploma in TV Production & Film Direction
• Diploma in Media & Production Management
• Diploma in Film Production
• Certificate in Production Design

Some of the main topics taught in Production Design are:

Some of the specialized areas within the Production Design Course include:

• Period design: Creating visuals that reflect a specific historical era.
• Set decoration: Arranging and dressing sets with props and furniture.
• Props: Designing and sourcing props for use in productions.
• Location scouting: Finding suitable locations for filming.
• Art direction: Overseeing the overall visual style of a production.

There are 50 of colleges in India that offer Production Design. These are some best colleges in India for this course.

• Centre for Product Design and Manufacturing (CPDM) 
• Arch College of Design & Business
• Indian Institute of Product Design and Manufacturing
• Indian Institute of Art and Design (IIAD) S
• ymbiosis Institute of Design (SID)
• Unitedworld Institute of Design (UID)
• IDC School of Design 

Government colleges offering BJMC course in Delhi are:

• International Media Institute
• Jagran Institute OF Management and Mass communication
• IAAN School of Mass Communication
• National Institute of Mass Communication

For seeking admission in Bachelor of Journalism Mass communication, candidate must have completed their 10+2 examination with not less than 50% of marks, and 45% for the candidates belong to SC/ST/OBC.

 Age limit: 18 - 28 years Selection Process will be based on merit with the entrance exam. You can inquire about the fee directly from the colleges.

An essential component of the creative team in the theater, film, television, and other visual media sectors is the production designer. Their main duty is to visually conceptualize and design the production's overall appearance and feel, making sure that it supports the director's vision and improves the narrative. The job role of a Production Designer typically includes the following responsibilities:

• Determine visual styles
• Provide concept drawings/sketches
• Research film locations
• Manage Art and Design team

Production designers are responsible for the visual concept of a film, television or theatre production. The first step for many production designers is to get admission in a college.

While some positions do not require an undergraduate degree, a Bachelor's degree program relevant to production design can equip students with the skills and hands-on training essential for this career. Production designers often gain unpaid experience after undergraduate school in order to obtain additional training and increase their desirability in the job market. 

The best way to make a career as a production designer is by working for one. You will get an accurate view of what the job entails as well as top notch training that will help you advance your career. Consider starting as a production assistant in an art department to get the ground floor experience you need. As you progress, you may work on commercials, student films or even music videos to get yourself prepared to take on much larger projects. Production designers often gain unpaid experience after undergraduate school in order to obtain additional training and increase their desirability in the job market. The average expected salary of a production designer in India is around 3 LPA.

Yes, the production designers are in high demand particularly because the entertainment industry continues to grow and evolve.
Production designers are becoming more and more important in directing a project's visual and atmospheric aspects as a result of the growth of streaming platforms an increase in movies and television shows and a growing focus on immersive gaming and virtual reality experiences. Their expertise in creating compelling environments and crafting the visual narrative is essential for storytelling making their skills highly sought after.
Additionally, as diverse media formats emerge and the international market expands, the need for talented production designers who can adapt to a variety of styles and genres continues to grow ensuring strong employment opportunities in this field.

The list of top recruiters during Apeejay Institute of Design placements in recent past is presented below:

Some of the main differences between Set Design and Production Design are: 

No, a production designer doesn't design cars and bikes. A production designer or PD is the person responsible for the physical overall look of a filmed event such as a TV program, video game, music video, or advertisement. Production designers have a key creative role in the creation of motion pictures and television.

Production design is a design position. As a production designer you technically design everything that is in the frame. From costumes, props to sets. I would say production designers work closely with the director and DOP, ultimately you are trying to bring the director's vision to life. And you have the entire art department under you.
Being a production designer is Again having a vision about the colors and texture of the movie (Yes production designers and Cinematographers have their vision for the movie), also really about managing people under you and lastly it is about collaborating with two others to bring out the best from what is just words on paper.

The field of Prodcution Design is vast and has been one of the top choices of the students in the recent times. There are a wide range of job profiles from VFX artist to set and costume designer which the students can aspire to make a career into. With the rise of netflix, amazon prime and other OTT platfroms, this field has been on a rise and candidates who wish to enter this industry will earn huge amounts of money in the future.

Hence, considering to enrol in this field can be a good career decision for you to take.