Kinga Kovacs

It’s unusual to be happiest with your creative work when people don’t realise you’ve done the work at all. For production designer Kinga Kovacs, the authenticity of her constructed spaces is key; going beyond the script to create backgrounds that blend seamlessly with the on-screen narrative. Originally from rural Hungary, Kinga moved to Leeds to pursue filmmaking and discovered production design at uni. She soon secured a trainee job on a feature film and has since worked freelance across a range of projects. Here, she shares what she’s learned along the way, from navigating the uncertainty of freelance life to why there’s no shame in having a second job.

What I do

How would you describe your job?
As a production designer, you are a storyteller, an interior designer, a maker, but most importantly a problem solver. I show up ready to learn new skills and take on challenges with every project. I’ve had to renovate old farmhouses, turn Sheffield City Hall into a Second World War bunker, 3D-print a fake dead snake and simply create a space that reflects a brand’s visual language.

As I mostly work in narrative, I approach creating spaces as a reflection of the characters and the story. Aesthetics are important, but I like to achieve a result that comes across as very authentic, not as a constructed set. I know I’ve done my job right when people don’t realise I did anything at all… which can be very bittersweet.

What influences and inspires your work?
I like to use real spaces as inspiration. My friends’ homes, restaurants, churches, bars – wherever I go, if a corner catches my eye or a curtain is falling a certain way, I like to take a picture of anything my eyes like to linger on. I have photos on my camera roll that would make zero sense to anyone else, but months later become a central piece of a room’s vision board.

What training have you had, and what skills are essential to your role?
I went to the Northern Film School in Leeds to study filmmaking. Like probably many other kids who just want to work on a film set, I didn’t realise the vast number of roles that exist. After picking a production design module, something just clicked.

While I personally found many benefits in doing the course – mainly as I had just moved to the UK, so I had no network to start with – most of my skills grew through work. With a role so versatile, making mistakes can be your best teacher.

I also had the privilege of gaining the most wonderful mentors. Some through work or trainee programmes, and some through reaching out and asking them to meet for coffee. Watching them work and asking questions taught me more than hundreds of classes could.

What’s been your favourite recent project?
Earlier this year, I shot a short film that two friends of mine wrote. It was a pure passion project: little money and everyone coming together to help each other. I spent most of last year doing ads and corporate shoots, so this project was a perfect reminder of how much I love making something with people I can have fun with and a good script… and it was a damn good script. Can’t wait to see the results.

What does a normal day usually look like?
I am the type of person who thrives on chaos, which means I spent many years rolling with the punches: multiple jobs at the same time, back-to-back shoots, zero structure and a couple of bouts of burnout as a reward.

When you are a freelancer or work on shoots where you have little control over your schedule, you won’t have any regularity. However, implementing small changes and routines can be a lifesaver in the long run.

I like to prioritise my mornings, take my time with breakfast and coffee, and let myself ease into the day. The pre-production stage of any project can get heavy, but I have been getting better at taking breaks, going outside, doing a little exercise and also hanging out with my flatmates.

What would be in a starter pack for your job?

How I got here

What was your journey like when you were first starting out?
I always loved creating; I painted and drew a lot. Growing up in rural Hungary, I wasn’t provided with a great deal of information on how to work in the creative industries. When bringing it up with family or teachers, the immediate reaction was: “There is no security in it. Do something practical.”

I applied to do a BA in graphic design in Budapest at a pretty business-oriented university, but before I even started, I knew it was not the route I wanted to go down. I had some connections in the UK, so within a month I found myself in Leeds.

Since I had just moved to a new country, I thought anything was possible. Why not chase my dreams… I want to make movies! After going to film school and studying production design, that became my main focus. I got involved with as many projects as I possibly could. Mostly short films, low-budget videos with friends or unpaid assisting jobs.

How did you land your first few jobs?
I was super lucky to get a trainee job on a feature film straight out of uni. I was adopted by the best art department, who made learning through work fun and easy, and five years later they are still the first people I turn to for advice.

I continued to work as an art assistant in film and TV for a few years, but I started to feel like the schedule and the stress of a big production were not aligning with the kind of life I wanted to live. It was a scary thing to leave and try to focus on my own design career, but I thought it was worth a shot.

I kept pushing on the short film route, I got onto the BFI database of designers, and eventually the low-budget shorts turned into high-budget shorts that turned into music videos, indie features and adverts.

What have been the biggest challenges along the way?
Inconsistency. I can be on a roll for many months, job after job, decent rates, and in the blink of an eye it can completely stop. It is stressful to always be on edge, ready for an absence of a steady income, but it is unavoidable, especially in film.

Funding can be up and down, and as much as it is an artistic field, it is also a business that eats up a lot of cash. I had to accept at some point that I do not have any control over the state of the industry, and that means that the progress of my career may be slower and less linear than that of other people my age.

How do you approach social media and self-promotion?
To be honest, pretty badly. My resolution for next year is to turn around my social media game. Whether you like it or not, it will be your most useful asset to put your work out there. I know when I am on the lookout for people to work in my team or collaborate with, I am looking at Instagram and not flicking through CVs.

What are three things you’ve found useful in your career?

1. Speedy visualisers

Speedy visualisers can be a lot more effective than really defined, complex concept art. I used to spend the longest time making beautiful drawings of the sets I wanted to create, multiple angles, lots of detail, just to be told to change or adjust ten things.

Clients and directors often need a quick reply, options and images. So a sketch, a moodboard and a selection of your key choices of props and furniture are all you need. Of course, if you are building a whole set in a studio, accurate drawings for construction are a no-brainer.

2. Character questionnaires

A few years ago, I started sending a character questionnaire to directors. I ask about the characters’ hobbies, habits and even what their top song on Spotify would be. A well-designed space with Easter eggs, details and personal items for each character will add that extra context to a character and the story that sometimes the script doesn’t have the capacity to provide.

3. Websites and archives

Websites and archives such as Shot.Cafe, MovieStillsDB, the Architectural Digest archive and Art Departmental.

Are there any courses, programmes or initiatives you’ve found helpful?
ScreenSkills can be super helpful with multiple things. Its trainee programme can open doors into every department of the industry; it also has lots of online courses available. If you are lacking finances for courses, development, or even a driving license, it has a bursary that is there to support you with all of that.

Film Base UK often hosts online seminars that are free for members but still quite cheap for non-members too. I had the chance to listen to some massive talent in the industry talking about their progress and style of work, and, most importantly, ask lots of questions.

What have you learnt about making money and supporting yourself as a creative?
It is totally okay to have side jobs or a second job. I have had times when I felt like I was behind or not pushing enough to succeed, as I had to keep having consistent day jobs while also working as a freelancer.

The more people I meet, the more I realise that people I deem as “more experienced” or “further along” will also have side jobs they keep returning to. Never assume people don’t.

When you have to support yourself financially with no safety net, you should never feel bad about doing the things that give you a steady day-to-day income. Working multiple jobs and freelancing can be very exhausting and unhealthy, so take that break when you have to. A little setback in the flow of incoming work is better than complete burnout.

My advice

What’s your most useful career tip?
A fantastic production designer once told me: “Arrive with ten times more things than you need and play around.”

Of course, taking that literally might be hard on a lower budget, but building a bit of a collection of basics such as lamps, curtains, cushions, throws and a copyright-free library of your own graphics, labels and posters will save your life when you have to do a last-minute fix. It also helps with practicing building a distinct visual style down the line.

What would you say to someone looking to get into a similar role?
Get your driving license as soon as you possibly can. Even if you don’t have a car, being able to rent a van and grab some bits off Facebook Marketplace will be a lifesaver. Not to mention the sheer number of entry-level art department roles that only consider people with licenses.

I have been offered jobs and had them taken away within the same interview because they asked if I drive. There are always alternatives, of course, but it will save you a lot of stress to even have the option.