Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1538080
J U L Y / A U G U S T 2 0 2 5 | P E R S P E C T I V E 1 7 BETH MICKLE CHRISTIAN M. GOLDBECK Beth Mickle PDC Member (USA) Superman "Being connected with other designers helps us share resources, ideas and experiences." I love that the PDC has created real connections between Production Designers worldwide. Being able to reach out and communicate directly with our PD peers is such a joy and privilege, and it's a connection that wasn't easily found before the PDC. This helps us share resources, ideas and experiences, and it has offered a sense of community and support that our profession didn't have before. It has enriched it in immeasurable ways. Learning about experiences from other designers has been very enlightening. For instance, I loved listening to Fiona Crombie discussing how she creates a set of rules for the worlds she designs, and then adhering to those points to build a consistent vision—that's the first thing I think of when starting a new project now! Also, fellow PD Grace Yun gently reminded me that while I prioritize offering patience and kindness to my department, it is just as important to offer patience and kindness to myself. James Chindlund inspired me as well with his impassioned plea to raise awareness about PDs' contributions to film; it's motivated me to talk publicly about our profession, seek interviews and events where I can explain our role to those outside our department. When we get together, we fill the air with inspiration. Christian M. Goldbeck PDC Member (Germany) All Quiet on the Western Front "IPDW doesn't just celebrate our work, but it puts it in conversation with the world." Through the PDC, there's this ongoing, open exchange across borders, styles, generations. One of the most valuable lessons I've absorbed over the years has come from the younger generation— specifically, the students I teach. Their energy and fresh outlook continually reshape how I perceive our profession. They challenge assumptions I once held, they introduce ideas rooted in social awareness, cultural nuance and environmental considerations that I might not have prioritized before. Teaching them, I've come to see that Production Design isn't just about recreating a visual past or perfecting aesthetic detail. It's about narrating a socially conscious, multi-vocal story about our world. IPDW is relevant for the current times precisely because we're in a moment of massive transition—technologically, socially and environmentally—and Production Design is right in the middle of it. The way we work is changing rapidly: virtual production, AI tools, shifting labor conditions, new audience expectations. An initiative like IPDW offers a space to pause, reflect and collectively ask: Where are we going, and how do we want to shape that future? It doesn't just celebrate our work, but it puts it in conversation with the world. In addition to connection, we need context, solidarity and shared thinking, and that's exactly what IPDW offers. A A. THE ART OF PRODUCTION DESIGN SERIES OF PANELS IN ATHENS, ORGANIZED BY GREEK PDC MEMBERS.