Big Break's Production Designer
An interview with Ludovica Sanna
Meet the woman behind the physical world of Big Break, from the colors to the placement of a small pencil. Ludovica is a wonderful ball of creative energy from Sardinia, Italy, and has already gone above and beyond for this film. Like attending the auditions and acting alongside each actor (which she’s also amazing at). She also ends every phone call with “Ciao, bella!” So, of course, I love her!
Below, she’s answered a few questions to help you get to know her and her role on Big Break. Enjoy!
Give us a short intro of who you are, what you do normally, and what your role is on Big Break.
Whenever someone asks me what I do, I really never manage to give one clear answer - mostly because I am happily explorative when it comes to my creative career path.
I jump around creative fields like money making is underrated: theatre, architecture, fashion, film… basically anything where people are building incredible worlds, sometimes to escape the real one, others to reflect it. I might sound indecisive, but I’ve decided to call it “being multi-curious” so it sounds intentional.
I’ve stopped trying to fit into one box, mostly because I kept finding exits in all of them anyway. And I genuinely think everything I pick up along the way is going to matter later… even if right now it just looks like I’m professionally wandering around collecting random skills and building priceless human connections.
Me for Big Break? I’m really excited to be working on the production design, collaborating closely with the director and costume designer. Together, we’ll shape the visual tone this incredible project deserves.
Because yes - story might bring people in, but visuals are what keep them glued to the screen.
What does a production designer do? What’s the hardest part of this role, and whats the most fun?
A production designer is the one who builds the physical space where a scene takes place - the world actors walk through, where objects sit, where everything quietly tells part of the story. So in a way, visuals aren’t just for the ones watching the film, but also for the people living it on set - whether they’re in front of the camera or behind it.
Usually, the process starts with the script, duh. First read: understanding what’s happening in the story and how it unfolds page by page. Second read: going deeper into the characters. Are they static or dynamic? Simple or complex? And all the questions that naturally come up when you start getting to know them.
Then comes the fun part: building their world. What does it look like? What does their home look like? What’s their personal color? I love working with colors!! Color theory is such an interesting tool for visual storytelling. It doesn’t just guide you - it gives you freedom to interpret what a color means, and how it can shape emotion, character, and space in your own way. As soon as this theory is clearly applied throughout the story, it’s all good.
And then comes set time: a production designer has eyes literally everywhere, and turns into a bit of a wild creature the moment someone moves anything even a single inch. On set, attention to detail is everything.
Sometimes on set, I’ve found myself running around nonstop, solving problems on the fly with nothing but magic tape, markers, and tiny scissors. Also, set dressing can be a bit of a trickster. What looks perfect to the eye might look absolutely horrendous on camera lol so it is always better to be ready to move things around, constantly and without hard feelings.
Despite its challenges, production design is mega fun!
What made you want to join the Big Break crew?
When I first met Caitie, we were at a screening at Shortcutz in Amsterdam, and I noticed her because of her smart questions. I think the first thing I said to her was something like, “Ah, you’re the smart-question girl in the back?”
Once we started talking, I very quickly picked up on how passionate she is and how much this project means to her. And the more she told me about it, the more curious I got about how it could actually be brought to life.
Then came the script - which I read basically holding my breath. I found the story immediately appealing, but what really kept me hooked was the professionalism of the people involved, and the space I was being given to grow in art direction and just fully go a little crazy with creativity.
According to my interpretation of this short film, the story isn’t just there to entertain through performances - it wants to leave you with a slightly bittersweet taste of the world we’re living in.
It invites you to reflect on how people sometimes help others with a layer of selfish interest underneath, and how far they’re willing to go to get what they want - sometimes even compromising someone they love, or their own sense of morality.
You’ve read the script and know the characters. Which character are you rooting for? Which character scares you?
If I had to pick a personal favorite, it would definitely be Vivienne. I’m drawn to the way she owns the room and how effortlessly manipulative she can be.
I’m a very visual person, so I can’t wait to give her a face and a body language and see how she moves through space. This probably says a lot about why I function better with movies than with books hahah. Here comes how much I value performances.