Jason Sherwood: Emmy-Nominated Production Designer
Jason Sherwood is an Emmy-nominated production designer renowned for his innovative work in live performance, including theater, television, and concerts. His designs have graced prestigious events like the Oscars and live television musicals, as well as tours for artists like the Spice Girls and Sam Smith. Sherwood blends artistic vision with technical expertise to create immersive experiences for audiences across various platforms. His signature style incorporates dynamic lighting, sculptural elements, and innovative video use to enhance the connection between performers and viewers.
A key aspect of Sherwood’s work is understanding the unique challenges of live productions. He embraces the “ephemeral nature” of live events, recognizing each performance as a unique moment. This understanding drives him to create designs that enhance the story and capture the energy of the live experience. Whether designing for a fixed theater audience or a televised event’s multiple camera angles, Sherwood carefully considers audience perception and guides their attention to essential performance elements.
Sherwood’s 2020 Oscars design exemplifies his approach to live television production. The central swirling cyclone unified the evening, while individual sets for musical performances and award presentations seamlessly integrated into the overall design. This cohesive approach allowed visual continuity and dynamic changes throughout the broadcast. The intricate stage elements, including a massive rotating spiral, showcased Sherwood’s ability to push the boundaries of engineering and technology for artistic expression.
Collaboration is crucial to Sherwood’s process. He works closely with directors, lighting designers, and technical teams to ensure every design element contributes to the narrative. For televised events, this collaboration extends to camera operators, creating a visually compelling experience for home viewers. In theater, he collaborates with lighting designers to shape audience perception and highlight key performance moments.
Designing for large-scale concert tours, like those for the Spice Girls and Sam Smith, honed Sherwood’s ability to create immersive environments in vast spaces. He understands the challenge of connecting with arena and stadium audiences, utilizing innovative stage configurations, video projections, and strategic lighting to ensure engagement from every seat. For Sam Smith’s tour, he created intimacy within a large arena by extending a narrow stage into the audience, maximizing “front row” seats and bringing the performer closer to fans.
Beyond technical aspects, Sherwood emphasizes storytelling as the foundation of every design. He delves into each production’s emotional core, understanding the underlying themes and messages. This informs his choices of materials, colors, shapes, and spatial arrangements, ensuring the design is visually stunning and resonates deeply with the audience.
Translating artistic concepts into reality is a hallmark of Sherwood’s work. His deep knowledge of materials, construction techniques, and stage technology allows him to bring ambitious designs to life. Whether working with a large budget or facing constraints, Sherwood’s resourcefulness and problem-solving skills ensure a visually impactful and technically sound final product. He views design as a continuous dialogue between artistic vision and practical considerations, each enriching the other.
