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SARAH J. RUTHLESS

production design


production design • set dressing • props

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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
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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

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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

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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 


​1950s horror: "Death by pearls"

Props Collecting / Props Styling / Set Dressing / MUA


​1960s cocktail party

Props Collecting / Props Styling / Set Dressing / Food Styling

1970s teenage bedroom

Props Collecting / Props Styling / Set Dressing


​1980s bathroom

Props Collecting / Props Styling / Set Dressing / MUA


​1990s aesthetic

Props Collecting / Props Styling / Set Dressing / Collage

colors

Props Collecting / Props Styling / Set Dressing

city photography


PORTRAIT & style photography


travel photography


All photos were taken by me on an iPhone 6, edited on SnapSeed and Instagram.
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