Profile Series:
Lesley Morphy
"Show up with an incredible attitude and do whatever it takes."
Lesley Morphy
Role: Creative Director, Set Designer
Grease (1978)
Directed by Randal Kleiser
The Breakfast Club (1985)
Directed by John Hughes
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
How did you first get into filmmaking?
I've always loved design, interiors, theatrics, experiences and the psychology of space. When I moved to New York I was quite determined to transition my interior design career into Set Design. I wanted to work in a field that was all about creative AND fast paced.
"I've always loved design, interiors, theatrics experiences and the psychology of space"
What is your favorite on-set story?
Oh there's so many... I guess the favorites (for me) tend to be the ones in the early days when I was so wide eyed and bushy tailed (I still am) and I started with a big role as Art Director on huge productions (I was only 1 year out of school - I don't know how I found myself there!) and I still just didn't understand the caliber so my first ever projects were MTV's VMAs, the NFL Kickoff Concert and Clear Channel's (now iHeart Media) concerts for Z100. So on Z100 Zootopia I walked up to the venue at Giants Stadium and found myself beside Jewel, Mariah Carey and all sorts of celebrities - it was surreal.
The heart of the Film Pin Society is community and camaraderie. Can you talk a little about that?
It really is. Again going back to those early days I remember how many times people helped me out and I could not have done it without them. I remember standing on stage at Madison Square Garden and the Union Lead said he loved helping me out because I was NICE. He said so many people in the past came there in my position with such attitude. He told me to never lose that and in a very stressful industry I do my very best to always keep my cool and to be nice.
What’s the best piece of advice you can give to someone looking into going into your field?
There's the above of course but another thing is to show up! Show up with an incredible attitude and do whatever it takes. In your early days especially, stop worrying about what you're going to get paid and just get the experience. Now don't get me wrong, I think we all deserve to be paid well but I always know when a junior person is in it for the wrong reasons when they are obsessed about their day rate before they even knew what the job was. If I told you what I was getting paid in those early days with the role I had, you might fall off your chair.
What pin from our collection speaks to you and why?
Ha, well I just love a Timecode Slate! (i like the old school ones too). I still get butterflies from the word "ACTION" !
