From RGS stage to the world of TV and film

A past pupil whose work behind-the-scenes in RGS drama productions led to a career in TV and film talks about the teacher's words of encouragement which led to her follow this path -  with the message he wrote on her leavers' shirt continuing to inspire her

CREATING stage sets for Ripon Grammar School drama productions first gave Ellie Wood the taste for life in the world of TV and film.

“I loved taking part in all the drama productions, with House drama competitions being my favourite, and it was through working on these shows that my love for set design really grew.

“Without this I would have never understood what it takes behind the scenes to create a fully-rounded production.”

Today the 27-year-old is much in-demand as an assistant art director, having worked on a number of big budget productions including the Netflix hit Sex Education and Amazon’s popular My Lady Jane.

Her job, she says, a bit like architecture but without the practical constraints of electricity and plumbing.

“We use the same computer design software - AutoCAD, Rhino, Vectorworks and SketchUp – however, we could be designing and drawing a spaceship or Tudor palace.

“We might have to build houses and streets but instead of bricks and cement, we use scaffolding, and plywood, maybe a bit of vacuum formed plastic and then finish it off with the wonders of scenic painting.

“Seeing it all come together and looking real still amazes me.

“It's always fantastic to see the sets come to life, from the production designer’s conception, through construction to filming and then finally seeing the final result on the big screen. Every day is different, you get to explore new places, meet new people, and because most jobs are rarely longer than a year you don't often get bored."

It was head of sixth form Mr Fell who first gave Ellie the idea of taking set design up as a career: “He suggested I should go into stage design after I worked on the sets for various school drama productions. He wrote on my leaver’s shirt 'Hollywood Awaits' – and even though I am a while away from there yet, it has always stuck with me and will always be a goal to reach.”

Following A-levels in biology, PE and history in 2016, Ellie took Mr Fell’s advice and signed up for a foundation course at Harrogate College in art and design before beginning a TV and film set design degree course at the University of South Wales.

There, she was given the opportunity to gain work experience on various shows including Doctor Who, The Crystal Maze and films like The Electrical Life of Louis Wain.

In her final year, she was given paid to work as a trainee on the second season of His Dark Materials while completing her studies, but unfortunately Covid hit at the end of that year, just as she prepared to start work in the industry full-time.

“Covid made buying props and the construction of sets more difficult as supplies were low and shops were shut. But I was lucky enough to get a job on the third season of Sex Education as a set decorator assistant whilst navigating the Covid world,” she says. “It's was amazing to be a part of this Bafta Nominated show.”

She progressed to work as art department assistant on the film Prizefighter and TV shows Sanditon for ITV, My Lady Jane for Amazon, The Crow Girl for Paramount+ and most recently as assistant art director on the second series of The Change for Channel 4.

Every day is different: “You get to explore new places, meet new people and, because most jobs are rarely longer than a year, you don't often get bored.

“One day I could be measuring up rooms in Hampton Court Palace, the next I could be upholstering a carriage, and trying to fit a ‘dead’ body into a bag. It really depends on the job I'm doing and the production I'm working on,” she says.

In addition to working on top shows, one of her highlights was meeting Slash from Guns ‘n’ Roses on The Crow Girl set: “That was pretty cool,” she says.

The downside is the unpredictability of the industry: “Because it's all contract work, you're constantly wondering when the next job will come in - will it be as soon as you finish one job or will you have to wait months before the next production starts? It can get quite scary at times.

“Since the actors’ and writers’ strikes in America last year the industry has been struggling to get back to where it was, with production companies pulling funding for shows and cancelling seasons.The strikes reduced the film and TV industry in the UK by more than a half, as most productions stopped filming for five or so months. Many people were out of work, and it's taken the industry a while to get back to 100 per cent. Finding jobs has been difficult but it is getting better.”

Ellie has big ambitions and is looking forward to the future: “I feel like I am only just starting to scratch the surface of what I could be. Having my name in the credits of shows is wonderful, especially when the shows I have worked on have been viewed across the world. When they get well received by the audience it makes me grateful to be a part of something so successful, such as Sex Education, My Lady Jane and His Dark Materials.

“I want to continue to grow within the industry, climbing the ladder and gaining the relevant experience to eventually (quite a few years from now) designing my own shows and films.”

Ellie looks back on her time at RGS

Q: What other extra-curricular activities were you involved in while at RGS, in addition to drama?

A: I was also part of the school choir, and various sport teams from first to fifth year. Although I no longer take part in such activities, I will always cherish them as being a part of my school journey.

Q: What do you wish you’d known back then?

A: I wish I'd known that your exam results don't make or break your future. There are always other ways to achieve your goals. I put a lot of pressure on myself when I was at school to get the highest grades but in the end I didn't need to put as much pressure on myself. I also chose a completely different career path to what I wanted to do when I chose my subjects, so they had no relevance anyway. It is okay to change your mind.

Q: What was your dream when you were at school?

A: By the time I was heading into sixth form I really wanted to be a physiotherapist, hence why I chose to do biology, psychology, PE and history for my AS levels. It was only in the later stages of upper sixth form I decided I wanted to work in theatre, so I declined my university offers and planned to take a gap year, which changed again when I left school.

Q: What is the one piece of advice you’d give students interested in following a similar career path?

A: Learn to drive as soon as you can. Once you've gone through university - which you don't necessarily need to go to - most jobs, if not all, will require you to drive, especially in the art department. You don't always need a car as one can sometimes be provided, but a licence is a must. Work experience also helps. Although it is harder to get work experience now as age limits and labour laws have changed, it may be worth joining trainee schemes or speaking to people such as ScreenSkills or Screen Yorkshire for more advice on how to get in. I got all my work experience while I was at university and they had great connections.

Q: Who was your favourite teacher and why?

A: I wouldn't be able to just pick one, as I liked all my teachers and appreciate all the help they gave me through the years. There were three however, who I would say helped me the most. Mr Fell, as mentioned above, was the one who gave me the idea to get into theatre which led me to where I am today. Without his push I wouldn't have changed my career path. Mr Spiers gave me a love for history when he started teaching me in fourth year. My favourite shows to work on have been period dramas due to all that love of history that grew from his teachings. On multiple occasions I have thought back to stuff I learnt in his lesson to use in reference for aspects of various shows. Finally, Miss Gilfillan, she always boosted my confidence and gave me the opportunity to be the best I could be. I will always be grateful for her encouragement.

Q: What other extra-curricular activities were you involved in while at RGS, in addition to drama?

A: I was also part of the school choir, and various sport teams from first to fifth year. Although I no longer take part in such activities, I will always cherish them as being a part of my school journey.

Q: What do you miss most about Ripon?

A: I miss how close I lived to my friends, now we are spread around the country and the world, and miss being close to my family. I also miss how small Ripon is, and how you can get from one side to the other in 15 minutes. Working in various cities around the country can be a nightmare to drive around. I do manage to use bits from Ripon in shows though, The Workhouse Museum was used in reference for the designing of the stables on Sanditon beach.

PHOTOS, from top: set photo from the French service station built in the forest of Dean for Sex Education, season 3; Ellie's painting seen behind actress Gillian Anderson in Sex Education; interior of Hampton Court Palace Great Hall set build for My Lady Jane, Ellie was in charge of putting the stain glass on the windows - using lighting gel and UHU glue; My Lady Jane set build of Dover Castle in process at Pinewood Studios;  Ellie next to the hand-painted backdrop of Hampton Court Palace for My Lady Jane

Drawing for the backlot build and on-screen graphic on Sanditon, season 2

Image of the backlot set built in Bristol for Sanditon

Ellie by the 'community art' she painted for a hospital corridor in Sex Education, season 3 - with her name on the plaque

Another scene from Sex Education, which includes a duck sourced by Ellie

 Ellie and the rest of the juniors by the entrance to the filming location and production base for Sex Education

 Set of His Dark Materials, season 2

Concept model for Dover Castle set  for My Lady Jane at Pinewood Studios, designed to look like the Tower of London

 My Lady Jane, filming on the completed set at Pinewood Studios

Ellie trying to fit in a bag to discover whether it would be big enough to contain a dead body, for The Crow Girl

Ellie in the end Crystal Maze dome