Chelsea Lockhart came to Georgia to fulfill a dream: Combine her vision of becoming an interior designer with her passion for the entertainment industry.
It was a dream unlikely to be fulfilled in her home state of Kentucky, but there was a real shot at it thanks to Georgia’s booming film industry.
Following her graduation from University of Louisville, Chelsea’s dream led her to Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). There she earned her Masters in Production Design and gained a true understanding of the ins and outs of the film industry. Chelsea began reaching out to any film that was looking for a production assistant.
“I knew Atlanta’s film industry was booming, but I hadn’t explored it yet,” Chelsea says. “I took any show that was looking for PA work just to get my feet wet.”
Her persistence paid off as she landed a couple of jobs early on that really gave her a deeper knowledge of the work she had always wanted to do. Now as a set dresser, the set is her canvas.
“We can take a room and literally turn it into anything,” Chelsea says. “Everything except for the actors, we put there — and everything means everything.”
No two jobs are the same. One day’s work might be turning a hotel ballroom into an old-school class reunion for “The Do Over,” and the next could be setting up obstacles on the beach for “Baywatch.”
It is easy to go to the movies and see a great film and not think twice about the details of the set. Creative minds turn the gears of set design, and Chelsea has been turning the gears in amazing ways.
From Kentucky to Savannah, then Savannah to Atlanta, Chelsea has followed a path of opportunity. What comes next will be even bigger, she hopes.
“Good things are happening in Georgia, and I am happy to be here.”