insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 19 - September 2016 | Page 19

ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT

CRAFTWORK PROJECTS
Established in 2009, Craftwork Projects is an internationally recognised collective of designers
and makers. The brainchild of Ian Zawadzki and Keziah Barton-White, a Brighton-based couple
who have each clocked up over 20 years' experience in the film industry, the company is a
culmination of their talents as an artist and maker, and a producer respectively.

Who are Craftwork Projects?
We specialise in feature walls, surface design
and treatments, custom made furniture,
props and signage. We are a multi-disciplined
company, providing design, manufacture and
installation services, and we incorporate some
of the latest innovative effects and finishes
used on feature film sets. Our background
in film set design and construction allows
us to offer a unique set of skills to a growing
number of commercial companies, and we
can help develop a concept with draughting,
digital realisation and 3D prototyping, as well
as providing physical samples to help aid the
overall aesthetic of an idea.
What was the inspiration behind setting up
your own company?
Craftwork Projects was really born in the British
film industry after a realisation that the skills
and methods employed there were transferable
to other industries. We wanted to share our
knowledge and really reach out to other
companies that may never of had access to
the kind of skills we have.
What makes Craftwork Projects different
from other businesses of it’s kind?
Overall, our approach is different. We come
from a very creative background and our
craftsmen are far more used to working in a
creative environment - an environment that
your average tradesman wouldn’t have had
experience in. Our team show a real care,
diligence and passion for what they do and
have worked with some of the world’s best
production designers and architects. We feel
our work speaks for itself.

What’s been the most challenging project
you’ve ever undertaken? Why?
We recently produced all the sets for
Life in Squares, the BBC portrayal of the
Bloomsbury Group, where we worked closely
with BAFTA-winning production designer, David
Roger. It was the sheer volume of artwork
that had to be replicated and how we went
about achieving the authenticity of the ‘Omega
Workshops’ design style that was evolving
at the time that was tricky. A production
about celebrated artists over changing time
periods was quite complicated, but also very
rewarding.
Is there a piece of work you’re particularly
proud of, or that you would consider a
favourite?
Sometimes the most rewarding projects we
work on are not always the most commercially
successful in terms of scale. We once painted
an elephant and kitted it out with full body
armour for a battl e scene in the Thai jungle for
a movie; that was pretty crazy! More recently,
we were asked to make an old stone statue of
an angel in the likeness of our client.
Most of our team have worked on
major blockbuster franchises like
Harry Potter, Star Wars, James Bond and
Pirates of the Caribbean, as well as events and
exhibitions for DreamWorks and Universal these are huge projects and great to be part of.
Where can we see your work?
We have recently collaborated with a top
London architecture company to create a
lot of the artist-inspired finishes at Wahaca’s

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Brighton restaurant on New Road. You can
also visit our stand at the Restaurant Design
Show, which is being held at the Excel London,
September 27th-28th. You’ll find us at stand
100, so come and check us out. We will be
showcasing some of the latest and most
innovative effects we use on film sets and
adapting them for the commercial industry. You
can see our latest projects and blog posts at
www.craftworkprojects.com, and you’re
welcome to drop into our Brighton workshop
too - we are always happy to talk about new
projects.
What does the future hold for Craftwork
Projects?
We want to build on our reputation and reach
out to new clients that may never have had
access to a company like ours; we have a very
unique set of skills and look forward to being
able to meet every new challenge with a fresh
and innovative approach.
Craftwork Projects
5a, Longley Industrial Estate
New England St
Brighton
BN1 4GY
01273 385924
www.craftworkprojects.com
@CraftworkP
/Craftworkprojects