Oral Histories

Interview of Eric Warren

Set designer, production designer, and Eagle Rock Historical Society archivist.
Series:
The Crafts in Hollywood: Production Design
Topic:
Film and Television
Biographical Note:
Set designer, production designer, and Eagle Rock Historical Society archivist.
Interviewer:
Collings, Jane
Interviewee:
Warren, Eric
Persons Present:
Warren and Collings.
Place Conducted:
Warren's home in Eagle Rock, California.
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. The interviewee was given the opportunity to review the log in order to supply missing or misspelled names and to verify the accuracy of the content but made no changes.
Length:
4.5 hrs.
Language:
English
Copyright:
Interviewee Retained Copyright
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.
Early life in Eagle Rock—Eagle Rock high School-Theater studies at Occidental College and Stanford University—Does engineering drafting for family firm—Work in theater production design—Begins work in film—Networking—Work on Child’s Play 2—Joins Local 847, Set Designers and Model Makers—Work on Sisters, at Warner Bros.—Work at Lorimar—Work on Universal Studio’s Islands of Adventure and Jurassic Park—Work on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.
Directs independent feature Twisted Fate—Balance between art, entertainment, and profit in the film business—Raising money for Twisted Fate—The meticulous planning and creative chaos in film making—The decisions required for sticking to budget—History of the spectacle in film—The distribution process for Twisted Fate—Work on the TV show E.R.—Learns CAD software for set design in E.R.
Learns new software for graphics work—Local 847 digital training opportunities—The merger between 847 and the Art Directors Guild, Local 800—Work schedule for TV versus film—The election for executive director of Local 800--Separation between media arts and drama at schools—Eagle Rock Historical Society—The settlement of the Eagle Rock area.