Set Builder/Set Designer

About the Project

UAL's central Marketing team is producing a multi-day photoshoot campaign on the theme of “Home Away from Home” — a series of images for use across digital and print channels aimed at prospective students. The creative concept centres on the feeling of building a home and community in London as a UAL student.

The shoot will take place at Lock Studios in East London. We are looking to create 3–4 distinct set looks, all in the style of domestic interiors, using 2–3 theatrical flats as the primary structure. The sets will be photographed with furniture and props dressed into them and will feature a range of finishing treatments including paint, wallpaper, and practical decorative elements such as skirting boards, shelves and wall-hung objects.

We are looking for a skilled set builder to take responsibility for the physical construction, finishing and on-set maintenance of the flat structures for this campaign. This is a hands-on construction and finishing role with design input based on a brief.

There is genuine creative input available within this role. While the overall aesthetic direction, colour palette and set brief will be provided, we welcome the set builder's practical and creative judgment in realising the looks — including decisions around construction approach, material selection within budget and finishing technique.

We are not looking for someone who simply executes instructions: we want a collaborator who takes ownership of the sets and brings their own expertise to the execution.

Construction

• Build or acquire hard flats to agreed dimensions using timber frames and MDF facing, suitable for freestanding use with jacks

• Ensure flats are stable, safe, and appropriate for a studio environment with polished concrete floors (floor protection required)

Materials

• Source all construction and finishing materials within the agreed budget, keeping clear records of expenditure

• Advise on the most cost-effective approach to achieving the required looks without compromising quality

• Provide a materials list and estimated costs in advance of purchase for sign-off

• Identify rented set dressing materials such as furniture and soft furnishings, within budget

Finishing

• Prime and paint flat faces to a high finish suitable for photography

• Hang wallpaper on specified flat faces, using lining paper where appropriate

• Attach practical set elements including skirting boards, shelf brackets, dado or picture rails, and wall-hung decorative objects

• Ensure all finishing is clean, photographically convincing, and appropriate to the domestic interior brief

On-Set

• Be available on 23 June for set-building and 26 June for taking down the set

• Ideally be available on shoot days (24–26 June) for any last-minute adjustments or repairs as required

• Maintain awareness of safe working practices in a live studio environment

Essential

• Demonstrable hands-on experience building theatrical or scenic flats, including timber framing and MDF or ply facing

• Experience finishing flats for camera — painting, priming, wallpapering

• Ability to attach practical set elements (skirting, shelves, rails) to a finished standard

• Confidence sourcing materials independently, comparing costs, and working within a fixed budget

• Ability to read and work to a creative brief while exercising practical judgment in execution

• Physically capable of carrying and manoeuvring large flat sections

• Reliable, organised, and communicative — able to flag issues early and keep the coordinator informed

Desirable

• Background in scenic arts, technical theatre, or film/TV set construction

• Experience working in photography or commercial production environments

• Familiarity with studio floor protection practices and studio etiquette

• An eye for detail in relation to how sets read on camera

• Ability to build or adapt a corner configuration of flats for an interior look

We are an equal opportunities employer and positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity.