BHPO Business Of The Month
BHPO Business Of The Month
PROFILE OF THE MONTH
DAVID WELLER DESIGN
INTERIORS AND PRODUCTION DESIGN
FROM AN EMMY AWARD-WINNING DESIGNER
Emmy winning production designer David Weller brings his creative talents to interior design for both corporate and residential clients. With over 20 years experience designing in multiple mediums, domestically and abroad, David has created a multitude of unique and innovative designs.
Q: You’ve designed sets for Oprah, some elaborate musical competition sets for Mark Burnett and MTV, sets for YES (the Yankees) and worked on some great movies and theater shows. How does interior design differ from production design for television and movies?
A: Residential interiors need to reflect the tastes and personality of the client the way a stage reflects the story of the film or TV show. In this way, an interior is like a show. The star is my client and I’ve done my job when they feel I have perfectly reflected their tastes, aspirations and comforts all within their budget.
For Example, I did a house in Beverly Hills that was originally done in the spirit of the architect, John Lautner. I informed my clients of their home’s pedigree, gave them a book on Lautner and we collaborated on a modern age version honoring "the bones" of the original house. We rebuilt in the style of the period and where appropriate peppered in modern conveniences in lighting, plumbing, skylights and custom railing work.
Q What’s your process for working with a client?
A: Like doing a show, I sit down and get a feel of the place and the client’s tastes in relaxed way. I then research materials and sketch up the project. With a series of meetings we develop a game plan. With a vision in place, I draft up working drawings (blueprints) which are then bid by multiple builders so that we 
have a firm handle on material and construction costs. Often, there are tweaks in the design that can get the costs down without affecting the core expression of the design and the client is completely involved in this very transparent process. From there, a builder is contracted and I supervise the installation to make sure the design is realized to the highest standards. Furniture and decoration can be shopped and dovetailed in while the builder is construction mode. I personally have the greatest satisfaction when my clients give me heartfelt thanks and I share in their joy with the new space as the project comes to a conclusion. I count on them to pass my name along to future clients.
Q Do you have a favorite design?
A: I had a ball designing a million dollar art deco movie palace for Steven Spielberg and Mark Burnett for Fox television’s "On the Lot." Who Wants to be a Millionaire was a technical marvel and gave me the opportunity to engineer an intricate set with some of the best in the industry. Superbowls are always a joy and a challenge. The networks and the NFL, tough customers both, expect precision, but with foresight, backup and practice the rigs always worked in those precious seconds between commercial breaks.
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David Weller started his career as a Broadway assistant to David Mitchell, Tony Straiges and Heidi Landesman. He went on to design for theater and film productions. He worked on 3 feature films as an assistant art director:The Bad Lieutenant, The Rapture and the The Bloodhounds of Broadway.
After teaching design for two years at NYU, he went on to take the chief design position at ABC NEWS producing designs for Elections sets, Nightline and the newsrooms for New York, Washington, Moscow and Tell Aviv being nominated 3 times for the national Emmy Award in News. His responsibilities included news magazines as well as 20/20 and the launch of Prime Time Live. David also designed in Europe for German and Dutch television with many premieres in talk, news, sports, and entertainment overseas.
After ABC NEWS, David started his own company, David Weller Design and went on to produce 6 superbowl designs and sets for CBS Sports and Fox Sports. His credits include sets for Oprah Winfrey, Regis and Kelly and the Maury Povich talk shows. He designed and engineered the US version of Who want to be a Millionaire. He designed elaborate reality contest shows for Mark Burnett: Rock Star, MTV- Rock the Cradle and Steven Spielberg-On the Lot. Commercials include Proactiv, Youthful Essence, Camay and Estee Lauder and events for Revlon, IBM and Panasonic. He has been awarded the Emmy Award for sports programming for the Yes Network twice (Yankee Entertainment and Sports). And has been nominated an additional 4 times for the national emmy in entertainment and sports.
He has designed interiors for Sunseeker yachts, homes in Beverly Hills and New York. Additionally, corporate interiors for Barbara Walters, Roone Arledge and the Monday night football control truck.
David Weller Design-LA
4211 Laurel Canyon Blvd. #225
Studio City, CA 91604
tel: 310 398 1982
my website: www.wellerdesign.com
my IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0919860/
