Series:

The Crafts in Hollywood: Production Design

Topic:

Film and Television

COVID-19 Pandemic

Biographical Note:

Scenic, commercial, and fine artist who worked for Warner Bros., Magic Mountain, Universal Studios, and many other companies. Owner of scenic art business Bridget Duffy Fine Artist.

Interviewer:

Collings, Jane

Interviewee:

Duffy, Bridget

Persons Present:

Duffy and Collings.

Place Conducted:

Sessions one through four: Duffy's home in Hawthorne, California. Because of the necessity of restricting personal contact during the COVID-19 pandemic, the fifth session was conducted by phone.

Supporting Documents:

Records relating to the interview are located in the office of the UCLA Library’s Center for Oral History Research.

Interviewer Background and Preparation:

The interview was conducted by Jane Collings, principal editor and interviewer, UCLA Center for Oral History Research; Ph.D., Critical Studies in Film and Television, UCLA.

Processing of Interview:

The interviewer prepared a timed log of the audio recording of the interview. Duffy was given the opportunity to review the log in order to supply missing or misspelled names and to verify the accuracy of the content. The corrections made were entered into the text without further editing or review on the part of the Center for Oral History Research staff.Some material in Session 3 has been sealed per the Center for Oral History Research. Some months after the oral history interview was completed, the UCLA Center for Oral History Research re-contacted Duffy to invite her to participate in another interview session documenting the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the film and television industry. The final session thus focuses primarily on the personal, professional, and industry-wide effects of the pandemic. About a minute of audio from session four was deleted at the interviewee's request. A few minutes of session three are sealed.

Length:

6.5 hrs.

Language:

English

Copyright:

Regents of the University of California, UCLA Library.

Audio:

Series Statement:

This series of interviews was undertaken in collaboration with the Art Directors Guild. Its aim is to document the lives and work of Guild members and staff who have made a significant contribution to film and television history. Interviews capture the work of title artists, set designers, art directors, production designers, and many other categories. The contribution of labor unions in shaping the conditions of the work is also addressed.

Family background--Studies art while growing up in Hawthorne, California--Mother's athleticism--Father's political involvement--Father's theatrical training and work as an actor--Begins scenic art work--Family life--Husband's membership in Worldwide Church of God--Work at Leo Burnett ad agency in Chicago.

Attends UCLA and earns a BFA--Forms company Bridget Duffy Fine Artist--Installs paint frame in home studio--The success of the business--Work for Magic Mountain--Wide range of mural projects done by the business.

Hazards of the job--Work environment--Participation in lawsuit against a shop head--More on work environment.

Gets married--Involvement with California Art Club--Exhibits fine art work extensively--Participates in plein air painting.

Precautions against contracting virus--Interruptions to family life--Routine for disinfecting home—Social divisions caused by pandemic--Techniques for coping with shutdown--Precautions against virus at CBS Television City--Forms social bubble--More on precautions against contracting virus--Response to Black Lives Matter protests--Disruptions caused by virus faced by sons--Criteria for inclusion in Duffy’s social bubble--Ways people are making positive contributions during pandemic.