PRODUCTION DESIGN

production design • set dressing • props

sarah j. ruthless

sarah.joanou@gmail.com // www.sarahjruthless.com // @sarahjruthlessart

profile

Sarah (she/they) is a midwest-based production designer, artist, writer, + actor. Their experience covers grassroots indies, short films, features, and commercials, as well as interior decorating + rebranding. They have a BA in Theater and 10+ years of experience in production design, set dressing, props, and wardrobe.

experience

The Godfrey Hotel "Stranger Things" Halloween Event — Oct 2022
Art Director

Garage Arcade + Bar — Oct ’21 - Aug ’22
Designer + Contractor

Dom’s Grocery Commercial — April 2022
On Set Dresser + Assistant Food Stylist

Godfrey’s Haunted Hotel — Oct 2021
Produced by Anna Wasilczuk
Art Department

Weber Grill Commercial — Oct 2021
On Set Dresser

“New Hire” — Sept 2021
Directed by Aquarius Ester
Production Designer

Pools — June 2021
Directed by Sam Hayes
Props Master

Hold the Line — May 2021
Directed by SB Gamble
Production Design + Wardrobe

Equilibria Commercial — April 2021
Directed by Megan St. John
Art Director

The Christmas Pitch — April 2021
Directed by Layne Marie Williams
Christmas Sign Designer + Builder

VH1: Behind the Music — March 2021
Production Manager Joshua Sopp
Art PA

At The Garden — Jan - Mar 2021
Directed by Sarah Falkiner
Production Designer

Love Theory — Feb - Mar 2020
Directed by SB Gamble
Wardrobe

The Child — Dec 2019
Directed & Produced by Max Zuckert
Production Designer

Jeff’s Homemade Game Show — Nov 2019
Season 1, Episodes 1-10
Directed by Bob Maraist
Production Designer

Godfrey’s Haunted Hotel — Oct 2019
Produced by Katie DiFiore
Art Department

Unclaimed — Sept 2019
Directed by TW Miller
Production Designer

Living Nightmares — Sept 2019
Season 1, Episode 3
Directed by Zachary Smith
Production Designer & Wardrobe

STRANGER THINGS HALLOWEEN EVENT AT THE GODFREY

Art Director // Oct 2022

Watch the process of how I made everything on my TikTok account:

@sarahjruthlessart

garage arcade + bar renovation

Designer + Contractor // Oct 2021 - Aug 2022

before + after

Special thanks to The Rienks Group! They were the incredible construction crew who helped me bring this vision to life.

dom's grocery store commercial 2022

Set Dresser / Assistant Food Stylist

godfrey haunted hotel 2021

Art Department

weber grill commercial

Art Director / On-Set Dresser
Production Designer: K. Mraz

vh1 behind the music: donnie wahlburg

cardboard commissions

Designer + Artist in collaboration with Jessica Ridenour

NEW HIRE

Production Designer

Written + Directed by Aquarius Esther

the christmas pitch

Christmas Sign Designer + Builder

Directed by Layne Marie Williams

at the garden

Production + Set Designer

Director: Sarah Falkiner / Producer: Grace Pisula / Art Director: Jessica Ridenour

jeff's homemade game show

Production Designer

episode 1: "Feeling the beat"

episode 2: "field of jeans"

episode 3: "camp tamburello"

episode 4: "dressed for success"

episode 5: "sock it to me"

episode 6: "you gotta have faith"

episode 7: "Yours, mine, & towers"

episode 8: "floor of lava"

episode 9: "humpty dumpty's revenge"

episode 10: "the family who youtubes together stays together"

extras:

Executive Producer & Creator: Bob Kopach / Co-Executive Producer & Director: Bob Maraist / Co-Executive Producer & Host: Jeff Rogers / Writer: Scott Smith / 1st AD: John Peterman / Consulting Producer: Natalie Pomagier / Art Directors: Angela McIlvain & Heather Wilson

the child

Art Director

Producer: Maalik Falsetto / Writer & Director: Max Zuckert / DP: Dru Montague / AD: Anna Wasilczuk

iO godfrey's haunted hotel

Art Dept.

Produced by: Katie DiFiore / Crew: Dymin DasGupta, Anna Wasilczuk, Ian Fugett, Myra Juengar, Philip Aronson & Dominique Baker / Photography: Misc.

DJ Mark farina event

Production Designer / Decorator for a clubbing event at Elastic Arts, Chicago

Director: Shawn Blond / Lighting Designer: Danny Pachman

Unclaimed

Art Department Head / Production Designer / Props Collector / On Set Dresser

For this heartfelt short film about a lonely cremator who lives in a cemetery and says goodbye to the unclaimed bodies, I was tasked with turning an abandoned cremation building into an apartment, an office, and an active cremation site. Before & after:

Exterior / RV

"Scuzzy's Bar" aka Freeh's Again (Monee, IL)

Written & directed by: TW Miller / Produced by: Danielle Dunlap & Joshua Schilling / DP: Chris Murphy / Starring: Antoine McKay, Cole Kerizakos, Heather Chrisler, Kate Buddeke, & Jennifer Jelsma

living nightmares / episode three

Production Designer / Set Dresser / Props Collector / Wardrobe Stylist

Limited to not moving any of the furniture, I transformed this crowded living room into a trendy loft owned by two young women by building a fake wall. Using sheets of styrofoam, a soldering iron, and the creative usage of paint, fabric & handmade artwork, I was able to give the illusion of cozier (and cuter!) living space.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Written & directed by: Zachary Smith / Produced by: Brandon Rackowski / Starring: Sarah Allyn Althen, Leica Wilde, & Robert Hussey / Snake & skull paintings by me, abstract centerpiece by Emily Hess.

godfrey hotel haunted house

Art Dept PA

oozing wounds music video

Art Dept / On Set Dressing / MUA Assistant

Directed by: Matt Gehl & Alex Phillips / Produced by: Elaine Tunnat & Luke Taylor / Written by & starring: Sarah Squirm & Oozing Wounds (Zack Well, Kyle Reynolds, & Kevin Cribbin) / SFX & Prosthetics: Catherine Woods / Location: "Situations," Chicago

"Smart watch lovers"

Production Design / Props Collecting / On Set Dressing

Directed by: Edwin Diaz / Produced by: Adam Ruben / Written by: Edwin Diaz & Adam Ruben / Starring: Adriana Leonard & Matt Trudeau / Director of Photography: Alejandro Marin