Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1495092
8 P E R S P E C T I V E | M A R C H / A P R I L 2 0 2 3 N E W S The Gathering B Y T H O M A S A . WA L S H , P R O D U C T I O N D E S I G N E R A. INBAL WEINBERG (L) AND KALINA IVANOV, PDC FOUNDERS AND HOSTS OF THE GATHERING, WELCOME 250 PARTICIPANTS TO THE OPENING-NIGHT CELEBRATION AND PARTY. B. SUNRISE OVER THE AEGEAN, TIME FOR YOGA, PLEIN-AIR SKETCHING AND THE FIRST OF MANY GREEK COFFEES. The Gathering: Production Designers from around the world meet for the first time to discuss art, craft, technology and survival in an ever-evolving global workplace. Spetses, Greece, an island of pines, olives and scents, and the home of ancient mariners 120 nautical miles southwest of Athens. On October 21, 2022, the island's community warmly welcomed 260 travelers consisting of Production Designers, students, companions and sponsors from around the globe, all assembled for a five-day immersive collaborative event and social experience. For those who are unclear about the role of a Production Designer and what they contribute to a motion picture, Martin Scorsese has a succinct description: "How does one separate cinema from Production Design? You can't! A designer has images in their mind, pictures in their head and are uniquely capable of getting those visual moments onto the screen." More simply put, the screenwriter types, "The fleets meet" or "Atlanta burns," and the Production Designer researches and assembles the fleet or designs and builds the town so the torch of possibilities can be lit and passed. The Gathering was both a dream and passion project of Production Designers Inbal Weinberg and Kalina Ivanov, founders of the Production Designers Collective (PDC), an international society representing 900+ professional members. Their venture provided a first-ever opportunity B A