Portfolio — Margot Ready | Production Design

Yellowjackets - The Wilderness

One of the most exciting things about designing YELLOWJACKETS is the variety of creative challenges. This village was made from natural materials that grew with the seasons. Stills courtesy of SHOWTIME.

thumbnail_C089C001_240802_ROBQ_YELLOWJACKETS_S3_240803_005441.jpg

Illustration - Winter

B139C017_240802_RO8C_YELLOWJACKETS_S3_240803_002434.jpg

Illustration

thumbnail_C091C001_240807_ROBQ_YELLOWJACKETS_S3_240808_010230.jpg

B141C002_240806_RO8C_YELLOWJACKETS_S3_240807_010501 FOR COVER.jpg

thumbnail_A154C003_240806_CNJZ_YELLOWJACKETS_S3_240807_000649.jpg

thumbnail_A152C004_240802_CNJZ_YELLOWJACKETS_S3_240802_233818.jpg

A150C012_240801_CNJZ_YELLOWJACKETS_S3_240802_015811 town.jpg

Yellowjackets S3 - In the City

The Anais Hotel, a high-end boutique hotel stage set

thumbnail_B157C024_240816_RO8C_YELLOWJACKETS_S3_240817_011313 THIS ONE THREE.jpg

Illustration

B158C004_240816_RO8C_YELLOWJACKETS_S3_240817_023331 this one four.jpg

Illustration - Repo Divorcees Show-in-Show Penthouse Set

Illustration, Jolly Hitcher mid-low range Hotel Set

thumbnail_A169C009_240815_CNJZ_YELLOWJACKETS_S3_240816_015615.jpg

A171C005_240815_CNJZ_YELLOWJACKETS_S3_240816_025318.jpg

A175C006_240816_CNJZ_YELLOWJACKETS_S3_240817_041838 this one two rooms jolly.jpg

thumbnail_A173C005_240816_CNJZ_YELLOWJACKETS_S3_240817_030605 this one jolly.jpg

thumbnail_A169C001_240815_CNJZ_YELLOWJACKETS_S3_240816_014711.jpg

Ozzie’s Ice Cream set, seen in an in-show 90’s commercial and current dilapidation

So fun shooting the No-Eyed Man Commercial!

Surreal Dream-Like Sequences give a window in the character’s inner worlds in YELLOWJACKETS

Harvey's Tailors - The Vince Staples Show

Illustration

Come On In!

Details Matter!

Yellowjackets S2

All set stills courtesy of E-One and Showtime

We had the fantastic challenge to create a vast winter landscape, on stage and outdoors in the summer

Van's 90's inspired video store and apartment over was a fun Easter-Egg filled set

Paul's 1990's New York loft flashbacks were a dream escape for Coach Ben in the wilderness

We really enjoyed creating the textured "Chop Shop" for Shauna's quest to get back her mini van!

Lottie's compound (or is it a cult?) where the "purple people" live off the grid

WIP photos of the (spa or cult?) isolation tank room

Misty's vivid and surreal dream when she's in the isolation tank!

Night and the City

This Section could also be called “Liminal Spaces”. Between, Unexplained, or just Surreal….Because the story often plays out in the margins.

Period San Francisco for Quantum Leap Pilot

Set stills above courtesy of NBC/ Peacock

Chop Shop for Yellowjackets. Set Stills courtesy of SHOWTIME

Illustration - Car Dealership Bathroom converted to Recording Studio. Vince Staples Show

The Toilet Stall/ Recording studio, one of my favorite details

The Big Club - The Vince Staples Show

Cloak Room Set - Illustration

The Big Club Games Lounge

Vince has an impeccable eye for detail, it was a joy creating this detailed club with Vince and the team

Stills courtesy of NETFLIX

The Dining Room

The Dining Room led to a full-stage winding set, a Labyrinth where Vince gets lost trying to escape

The Manager’s Office

Illustration - The Big Club Viewing Room

Devil in Ohio - Limited Series

A great creative adventure, as we had contemporary houses and schools to create in an Ohio landscape and also an anachronistic cult with it's own unique aesthetic. Global and U.S. number one on Netflix Sept 2022

All production stills courtesy of NETFLIX

Illustration. We built the entire Mathis House as a stage set with careful layers and detail to feel like a location. Archways and doorways create openness and depth through the set but also allow hiding and secrets

12 year old Dani's bedroom is like her - sunny and bright. She's had a difficult life but the show must go on!

For creative and angsty teen Jules, I pitched her bedroom could be an extra room over the garage. So she could both be with, but also feel separated from the family.

Mae framed in with the wall of Jules' photographs underlines her taking over Jules' room - and her life

Suzanne's less comfortable bedroom from the 90's - she's hiding a traumatic past and is instantly empathetic to Mae's plight in escaping the cult

Amontown. An anachronistic cult lost in its own nightmare past

It was a fun challenge creating the cult church in a barn location

Remmingham High School - Bright and youthful, in vivid contrast to Mae's home at the cult

The Harvest Court dance. Where teen imposter Mae is crowned Queen and we see her true colors. The Carrie vibe is intentional!

The police station reflects Detective Lopez' character - warm, traditional, but not to be underestimated

The Underworld

Set Build and Location Build

In-camera lit stills courtesy of DP Elie Smolkin

Illustrations by Ron Turner

Police Stations/ Morgues

Because they’re a fact of Life and Death

Set illustration for mood/ texture

Yellowjackets - Wiskayok Police Department

Police Station — Devil in Ohio

Stills courtesy of NETFLIX

Love the lighting by DP Corey Robson

CBS Pilot “Alive” Stills courtesy of CBS

Studies - DA Office Set/ Kung Fu

thumbnail_DAs Office V2 - Hallway+Bullpen.jpg

We were all very happy with how realistic this backing appeared on camera

Stills courtesy of Warner Bros

Morgue Set/ older hospital - illustration

Yellowjackets

Stills Courtesy of Paramount+

Quantum Leap - Pilot

This was a truly wild ride!

First, we created a 1980’s period earthquake…

Control Room Set - the writers wanted to reference bright, playful, 1980’s TV vibes combined with more modern tech

Stills courtesy of Universal

Textured domestic sets, like this 1990s Korean Apartment, are a very interesting challenge to establish a character’s history or mood

Yellowjackets - The Caves

A full-stage cave set, made from foam, paint, and a lot of care from our sculpting department. You could get lost in there. People did!

thumbnail_A162C011_240812_CNJZ_YELLOWJACKETS_S3_240813_004742.jpg

A066C005_240619_CNJZ_YELLOWJACKETS_S3_240620_024037.jpg

We filled a full stage at VFS !

Penthouse Set - Magicians

Full Build Stage Set for The Magicians Season 4

Althea's Apartment

Full Set Build. Kung Fu Season One

Poison World

Location Build for The Magicians

“When I suggested we shoot in black and white with ash falling from the sky like in Tarkovsky’s “Stalker”, I didn’t really think they’d go for it….but they really did!”

Set with stage lighting

Publicity photos courtesy of SYFY

In camera lighting effect per DP Elie Smolkin

The Apothecary Bar

A bar in a converted Apothecary. Full Set Build Kung Fu

Stills courtesy of Warner Bros

Harmony Dumplings

Stage set of long-standing Family Restaurant, Pilot/ Season One

Stills courtesy of Warner Brothers

thumbnail_Screen Shot 2020-11-18 at 4.20.18 PM.png

Pilot - San Francisco vibes

CBS/ Brightlight Pilot “Alive”, a police procedural (with a gothic twist) set in San Francisco. It was a delight to work with DP David Moxness and director Uta Briesewitz to create this San Francisco that was both gritty and grounded but also with an edgy vibrant palette.

Abandoned Train Station

Loft apartment set. Screen shots courtesy of CBS.

Character House Set

Chinatown Street

Chinatown Restaurant

Police Precinct

Morgue

Hospital

Chinatown Alley

The Muntjac - Magicians S3

Boat Renovation and full interior Stage Build Set for The Magicians Season 3. In the story the Muntjac is a both a boat and a tree-like Magical Creature!

Publicity photo courtesy of SYFY

Courtesy of SYFY

Illustrations by Ron Turner

Art Deco Hotel

Full set Build -to match lobby at Hotel Vancouver Location

The director loved this carpet which was intended to be memorable and unsettling in a “The Shining” manner!

Location match/ Hotel Vancouver lobby

Stills courtesy of SYFY

Hotel Vancouver lobby location

Here on Earth

Contemporary and/ or Earth-based Sets and Locations

Set stills courtesy of DPs Corey Robson and Elie Smolkin

Map Makers Office

Set Build/ abandoned lifeguard station. Our paint dep’t rocked the aging & texture!

This is a photo looks delightfully like the illustration! Please check it out in the “Illustration” section.

Hedge Witch Bar

Set Build - Senator’s Office

Location Build/ Graffiti. Photo Courtesy of Showcase

Screen Shot 2018-03-24 at 4.39.17 AM.png

Click squares for more images

Full Set Build for CBS/ Brightlight pilot “Alive.”

Fun fact: We practically burned the set on stage, so the set itself and all the furniture was built from flame-retardant materials. All the wood finishes are painted faux finishes. Amazing job by all involved.

Nomadic Village

Set Build at Location - including sand dunes!

the-magicians-season-4-episode-10-all-that-hard-glossy-armor-eliot-margo-syfy.jpg

Secret Lab

Full set build for CBS/ Brightlight Pilot “Alive”

Fantasy Worlds

Set and Location Builds for The Magicians Various Seasons

The Mosaic - photo by SYFY

From episode 3.05 “A Life in a Day” voted by Rolling Stone as one of the 10 best TV episodes of 2018

Set build. A room for an obsessive moon rock collector.

A Village for Fairies. We wanted it unique yet real. This was so fun.

Cuba - a world for a god obsessed with cubic proportions

Fairy Realm - redress of a set by Rachel O’Toole

A hyper-detailed scavenger’s spaceship. EDEN

The Library

3 separate set builds

After Island

Location Build Including Interior sets

Illustration by Ronno Turner

Courtesy of SYFY

English Cottage Set

Full set build interior and exterior

Putting the last tweaks on the exterior set

Set Illustration

Escape Room

Fun Was Had.

Period Earth

A 1930’s dorm, a Greek House, a Greek Temple…all in a day’s work.

Illustrations

All for sets I Production Designed unless noted. I love a good illustration that clearly communicates the desired look and mood of the set !

A06.IntMuntjac_King's_Quarters_v3_20170713.jpg

Magicians - Underworld Motel Lobby 1.jpg

3.42_MountainofGhosts_Magic_Well_190703.JPG

2.35 After Island Village_v2_20170719.jpg

1.16_NeitherlandsLibrary_PrisonCell_20180529_RT.jpg

I did these illustrations for a set I Art Directed for Power Rangers

A-151007 spaceship command side rake mr - Copy.jpg

The Morphosphere - our proposal to avoid another same-same spaceship hallway design.

int morposphere down 151106 mr .64 TITLED.jpg

The BFG

Art Director on the Steven Spielberg Feature

“Overseeing the Set Design and Construction of the stage sets - including a fantastical 1980’s London with fully dressed city streets, Buckingham Palace, and an orphanage - was a great challenge and a great honour.”

Publicity stills courtesy of Dreamworks/ Disney

Warcraft Art Direction

Art Director

This was an astonishingly ambitious project with cutting-edge Motion Capture and VFX technology and massive Fantasy sets. It was one of the most enjoyable projects I’ve ever worked on!”

Courtesy of Legendary Pictures

Blackrock Valley Set

My concept model for a multi-purpose landscaped stage set

Landscaped stage set “Mountain Peak” version

Concept model for the massive Elwynn Forest set

In progress photos of massive Elwynn Forest stage set

Screen shots of Elwynn Forest with VFX extensions - Courtesy of Legendary

My concept model for the Iron Forge set

Iron Forge set post-VFX extensions - courtesy of Legendary

Power Rangers

As the Art Director I helped concept design and oversaw construction of an organic spaceship build, a full-stage underground cavern set, and helped develop the concept of the “Morphosphere” in order to create a unique and Quantum Physics based form of Spaceship Hallway.