Meet Rebecca Contreras | Set Decorator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rebecca Contreras and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rebecca, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I never considered another option. My father is a writer, my mother a music teacher. Our house was filled with art and music. Creativity lived in me, but I was also encouraged to embrace and breathe it. As a child, I was a serious classical violinist. That interest eventually waned, but I discovered other creative outlets: namely visual, material arts and film. In college I studied Art History, gaining a depth of knowledge and understanding of the images I loved. I returned home to my native Los Angeles and fell in love with the Art Department side of filmmaking.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I work as a Set Decorator for Film and TV. The Art Department is a many-headed Hydra. While other departments design and construct sets, it is my job to choose the elements inside a room or space, similar to an interior designer. Set Decoration is a great synthesis of all of my interests and skills. My strengths reside in my eye and my taste. I love using texture and shape to set moods and inform the audience of who the characters are. I especially love to shop in vintage and thrift stores, to find unusual and unique pieces. When budget and time allow, I prefer to leave as many personal touches as possible. When decorating a character’s bedroom for example, I try to ask questions that will inform the look of the space. What kind of music do they listen to? What do they value? Who are they projecting themselves to be? These kinds of things inform all of our own homes, and only when we extend that humanity to a character do their spaces feel authentic. Lately I’ve been working in Reality TV, which is a bit less cerebral, but it’s fun to turn up the beauty and the glamour.

I’ve been working on film sets for the past 9 years, but only recently hit the next level of my career. I bounced around the Art Department, as well as working Make-up and office PA jobs to stay relevant and open new doors. Film truly is an industry that is all about who you know.

For me, the biggest challenges have been learning how to manage a wide swath of personalities and egos, including my own. We work grueling hours and physically demanding days, sometimes in extreme weather. Sets are rarely glamorous for those working below the line.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
When friends come to visit, we have to hit some clichés. I love to take them driving; it is one of the best ways to understand Los Angeles…the scope, the variations in neighborhoods, the traffic! Mulholland Drive, PCH and (occasionally) a driving tour of Frank Lloyd Wright and John Lautner houses. LACMA, which has an incredible permanent collection. The Getty for the architecture and the view. If it’s summer, a movie at Cinespia (with lots of wine and cheese!) and a concert at the Hollywood Bowl. Walking around Downtown to see the Disney Concert Hall, the Bradbury, and the Last Bookstore, with lunch at Grand Central Market. Rose Bowl Flea Market and the Huntington Gardens. CaCao Mexicatessan. Thrift shopping at Wasteland and Valley Value. The Iliad Bookstore, Sunset Junction. A weird night at Clifton’s followed by drunken street tacos. Happy Hour margaritas at Mercado. KBBQ at Park’s. My friends and I throw down when it comes to dinner parties…so more than a few elaborate homemade meals, to be eaten around a big table outside.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The list is long! As I’ve already mentioned, my parents Ernie and Melanie are the reason why I am where I am. Jesus Florido, a brilliant violinist who instilled in me the importance of efficiency. The Art History and Film Departments at Swarthmore College, for making me explore the roots, the politics, the ideas underneath an image. Self Help Graphics & Art for an internship that broadened my scope of community and activism through art. Rob Howeth, who gave me my first job on a film set, and taught me an invaluable amount about what reads visually on camera. John Sparano, Decorator extraordinaire, for his trust and mentorship for the last few years. I could go on…no one gets anywhere alone.

Website: www.rebeccamcontreras.com

Instagram: rebeccamariec

Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5233219/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Image Credits
Laura Lahti Steven Hudosh Sydney Forrester Sinai Bausa Jake Kalafut