Photo of set for Roberto Rossellini's “Rome Open City“ Production Design: Rosario Megna
”I would like to introduce to all PDC members the A.S.C. - Italian Production designers, Costume designers and Set decorators Association - which was founded forty years ago with the aim to support, defend and increase awareness of all facets and specificity of our profession in the various sectors: films, theater, television film, series, opera, exhibitions, events, commercials and light entertainment.
Our membership is recognized and respected around the world and among of all the Oscar awards as: Dante Ferretti and Francesca Lo Schiavo, Gabriella Pescucci, Milena Canonero, Piero Tosi and many others. ASC’s headquarter is located at the famous Cinecittà Studios in Rome with which we collaborate frequently for exhibitions and events (like: "Why Cinecittà", "Shooting in Cinecittà", "Backstage" the permanent exhibition on Films shot in the studios). Besides, after Unesco recognized Rome as "City of creativity and film industry” ASC was invited to work together with the Instituto Luce Cinecittà at the project of the International Museum of Film and Audiovisual Industry. ASC has also planned a large exhibition to be held in Hong Kong and Macao on Italian Film Industry, Set design and Costumes of the most important Italian films.
ASC is a not-profit association and is self-supported through the contribution of senior and junior membership who pay a fixed annual fee and through professional training courses in set design and costumes, which are held twice a year. These 200 (two hundred-hours) each courses are held in turn by renowned ASC’s membership that still operate in the sector, with particular interest in all types of projects and the use of the latest technologies. The courses are addressed at GRADUATES IN ARCHITECTURE AND ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS and are highly specialized, leading the student to the knowledge of all those notions that schools often do not know how to give, but that allow them to deal both the film set and the theater stage, as well as tailoring’s work. At the end of the course ASC helps the students to achieve experiences entering in the films industry’s work world as interns. To allow this ASC has taken out an insurance policy for students, because in our country there is still no a law regulating the internship in the film industry. In this way they have the opportunity to know and be known by other established professionals and to have more chance to go into the work world.
In such a moment of great economic difficulties, Set designers, Costume designers and Set decorators are often victims of the new producer’s inexperience, but more of some unscrupulous productions dishonesty. About this there’s no institutional control to protect our profession that instead should be supported in his dignity, artistry and authorship. For this reason we have been working for years with the Italian unions: first of all for the renewal of the labor contract of the category that, if the new version currently written were approved, there would be substantial changes in various fields, including “individual working hour certification” and the "Professional Certification" of all workers in the Entertainment Industry. For this last point we have repeatedly addressed the Government, asking to introduce the "Professional Certification" within the new "Bill for film and audiovisual industry", under discussion in these last months to the Senate. ASC has the collaboration of a highly specialized in "copyright" law office, which protects the membership from any contractual disagreements and also has the task to inform them of their "rights and duties".
ASC is the publisher of the magazine "Scenografia&Costume" written both in Italian and in English. It’s unique in the world, fully supported by sponsors who work in the sector, with the aim to make known our profession’s excellence. At the moment the spaces in it are entirely dedicated to the Italian productions, but we take advantage of the opportunity to be present here, to expand these spaces inviting the interested associations to participate with other European companies who work in our sector, in support of the project. The final purpose of our presence in Paris is to reinforce and safeguard our quality through the union of all the European association’s membership assembled here today and we hope more and more numerous cultural and informational exchanges."
Back to top