PERSONALSTATEMENT Female gender. 23 years old. Named Ana. Maybe that’s not an original way to start a personal state-ment, but considering the huge pressure on writing my very first one, I can only conclude that that is a safe and consistent phrase to start. I am a recent graduate on Graphic Design, who share a small apartment with her brother and an obese cat in a ci� called Porto Alegre, a name that can be translated into something like ‘Joyful Harbor’, located in south Brazil. Five years ago I le� my hometown and my parents’ comfort home in seek of a higher level education, and by that time, Porto Alegre did actually seemed and was a joyful place for me. Currently, I find myself taking the same steps again. Only this time, they seem wider. I am looking for new challenges and ways to get closer to my dream: being a production designer and, later on, a teacher. Here in Brazil, there are no further paths of production design and art direction professional education other then the design and maybe architecture universi� programs. Quite o�en people who work in this area got into it by accident and learned it’s cra�s on previous mistakes and experiences. And that is actually how I, two years ago, started my path into this career too – while still in college. Only, in addition to chance and self-thought techniques, I was also drove by passion.

My deepest passions are great stories. I cannot tell you exactly how this love a�air started, but for as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by stories, whether in a song, a book or even in someone’s speech. I believe that is the reason why I fell in love with cinema. Movies eternalize stories. Great movies glori� great stories. It didn’t take too long until I figured that I wanted to be part of the making of these great movies and their wonderful stories. Writing scripts? No. Acting? Hmmm… �at didn’t worked really well either. Directing? Well, that seemed reasonable for the 14 year old big dreamer me. Sadly, as the years go by and I was, supposedly, getting wiser, these big and beautiful dreams start to fade away. Unlike the Holly-wood dream, a career in cinema it’s not an easy path in Brazil, for audiovisual realizations are little encouraged by government and private initiatives and not very much appreciated by the public. Being so, advised by my parents, I decided to choose graphic design for my bachelor degree. And do not get me wrong, I did enjoy the program very much. It fitted me in some way. Fortunately, one day an opportuni� to be part of a web video production came up, and, since I was a design student, the director decided to make me responsible for the esthetics of the video. I was love at first job. It felt right to be in that role. By then, I had realized that there is so much more behind a

movie production. �at there is a whole world of people behind the cameras helping bring those great stories to life. I instantly fell in love with the production design role and how crucial it is for a story to be told right. You may have the biggest movie star, the most amaz-ing director and the latest technology cameras, but without the right scenario, clothes and colors, it will be just another movie in the world. Great production designs make movies unforgettable. Great movies may glori� great stories, but great production design highlights them. Turns them into something else entirely. When the time came to decide for which area would I like to do my final project about, I had no doubt: video. And when most students decided to go through the safe path, making a redesign on some brand, I wanted to take a step forward. I decided to make a project that confirmed the importance of the production design for the storytelling of a film and that’s how the ‘�e Princess and the Pea’ short film project started. What was supposed to be an individual and simple project, turned into a dream. To make it come true, I had no money and too little time. �ankfully, during the time I worked in amateur audiovi-sual productions, I gathered a great team of loyal friends who helped me in most of the way. �e result was not only a high quali� academic research on production design, that allied the short film making process with the design method, but also a beautiful and sensitive movie.

‘�e Princess and the Pea’ short film is in no way a master-piece, I have to say. But it was made with such willing and passion, that it became a symbol and a reason to be proud of all that I have learned and accomplished so far. I may not have great skills or expe-rience on technical drawings, model making and even perspective drawing, but I know what I am capable of and that I have passion and willingness enough to make great things in the future. When on set, it feels like making magic happen. Sometimes, that is actually true, because many jobs require a lot of work with too little resources. Most of the productions I’ve worked in had really low budgets or no money whatsoever, making it so that I am o�en required to use my own savings to help making the films. So far it didn’t got in the way of making great looking videos and short films. But time has come for me to get to the next level, and the NYU Tisch School of the Arts’ Design for Film program will help me get to it. I dream on pursuing the production design career profes-sionally and with high quali�, so that in the future I can become a teacher. Production design is my own way of telling stories. I may not be great with speeches or written words, but I am good at giving shape and color to them. �ere are great stories out there waiting to become real and I can’t wait to help this magic happen.

Ana Claudia Gusson

December, 2012.

Av. Jerônimo de Ornelas, 219, apt. 301Bairro SantanaPorto Alegre – RSZip Code 90040-341Brazil

anacgusson@gmail.com+55 51 9891 0756+55 51 3398 4196

ESPM – Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing, Porto Alegre, RS.B.A. in Graphic Design, licensed for Visual Communications.January, 2012.

Introduction to Production Design for Cinema. PUCRS. October 2012.

Set Design for Film and TV. Universi� of Arts London Central Saint Martin. August 2012.

Storyboarding for Film, Video and Animation. Universi� of Arts Central Saint Martin. August 2012.

RESUMÉ

ANA CLÁUDIA GUSSON

EDUCATION

RELEVANT COURSEWORK

EXPERIENCE ADDItIONAL EXPERIENCE

As Production Designer

Natural LightAlwaysKassandra�e Princess and the PeaPlaying the RootsCrime of PassionJournalism

3dropsweb designer

Equipe Andrea Sebbengraphic designer

E2PSgraphic designer

ShortfilmMusic VideoShortfilmShortfilmShortfilmMusic VideoWeb Video

2012201220122011201120102010

As Assistant Production Designer

A Vida de Rafinha BastosSicredi

TV ProgramCommercial

20132012

As Set Designer

Cena de CinemaEscape Valve

TV ProgramMusic Video

20122010

2012

2011

2010

Proficient with graphic so�wares Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illus-trator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Flash, Adobe Dreamweaver and Adobe A�er E�ects. Basic in Adobe Fireworks and 3D Max.

Fluent in Portuguese and English, proficiente in French and Spanish.

Also interested in: illustration, cra�swork, photography, academic research and project management.

SKILLS

Awarded for Best Final Project (PGD - Design Graduation Project) at ESPM;

Awarded for higher avarage student – academic laurel.

HONORS

THE PRINCESSAND THE PEA

My deepest passions are great stories. I cannot tell you exactly how this love a�air started, but for as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by stories, whether in a song, a book or even in someone’s speech. I believe that is the reason why I fell in love with cinema. Movies eternalize stories. Great movies glori� great stories. It didn’t take too long until I figured that I wanted to be part of the making of these great movies and their wonderful stories. Writing scripts? No. Acting? Hmmm… �at didn’t worked really well either. Directing? Well, that seemed reasonable for the 14 year old big dreamer me. Sadly, as the years go by and I was, supposedly, getting wiser, these big and beautiful dreams start to fade away. Unlike the Holly-wood dream, a career in cinema it’s not an easy path in Brazil, for audiovisual realizations are little encouraged by government and private initiatives and not very much appreciated by the public. Being so, advised by my parents, I decided to choose graphic design for my bachelor degree. And do not get me wrong, I did enjoy the program very much. It fitted me in some way. Fortunately, one day an opportuni� to be part of a web video production came up, and, since I was a design student, the director decided to make me responsible for the esthetics of the video. I was love at first job. It felt right to be in that role. By then, I had realized that there is so much more behind a

The PrincessAnd the PeaDirected by Pedro Barbosa and Lucas FinklerProduced by Jonas Teixeira and Ana GussonProduction Design by Ana GussonDecember, 2011Based on Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale, “�e Princess and the Pea” it’s a shortfilm made for the final project of my graphic design graduation at ESPM-Sul. �e project goal was to combine the graphic design theories and methods with film making, focused on the production design.

�e complete project includes an academic research on cinema history and the importance of production design over the years, a marketing research on movie making market in the ci� of Porto Alegre and the province of Rio Grande do Sul, and the description of the design method applied to the movie making process, using as an example the making of “�e Princess and the Pea”. �e project was the first to approach the subject at ESPM-Sul and ever since, it’s been used as a model for other students pursuing the movie making career. On October 2012, the project received the prize of Best Final Project at the Annual ESPM-Sul Awards, in the Design category, confirming it’s relevance and quali�.

�e project was oriented by Professor Anny Baggiotto PhD and professor Douglas Barra supervised the making of the movie.

Right: Early concept art for ‘The Princess and the Pea’ (watercolor)

To be able to make the movie, a great crew was assembled, fellow student from ESPM-Sul and movie making professionals of the region helped on the process. As most of them were students, the project was a great learning and experimenting opportuni� for everyone, even professionals.

Left: Early concept art for the main character costume (ink and water-color). Top: Studies for the princess’ jewelry (ink and watercolor).

Technical drawing for the ‘dark room’ scenario(ink, on 1:25 cm scale)

The ‘dark room’ scenario(photo by Emilia Abel)

Ground plan of the location building(ink, on 1:100 cm scale)

Top Left: Director Pedro Barbosa instructing the actors before the shooting (photo by Tanise Cabral); Bottom Left: Actress Renata Scartazzini - the Princess, shooting a scene in the living room scenario (photo by Ana Gusson); Right: Production Designer Ana Gusson, Director Pedro Barbosa, Supervisor Teacher Douglas Barra and Director of Photography Tanise Cabral during the shooting (photo by Emilia Abel).

Technical drawing for the ‘Dinner Table’ scenario(ink, on 1:25 cm scale)

Scene of ‘The Princess and the Pea’ shortfilm with actors Cristiano Garcia and Renata Scartazzini(photo by Tanise Cabral)

JOURNALISM

Directed by Lucas FinklerProduced by Miguel LuzProduction Design by Ana GussonAugust 2010

Right: Ground Plan for the newspapper office(ink, on 1:50 cm scale)

‘Journalism’ is a web video to promote the releasing of the journalism graduation course of ESPM-Sul.�e video is divided in two parts, the first one, in the past, showed a classic newspaper o�ce with a very bored journalist. �e second part showed the very new and modern structure of ESPM-Sul, this was produced with computer graphic e�ects. �e first part of the video was shoot in location and produced by students from the college itself.�e production design process consisted in histori-cal research of the 70’s journalism scene in the local communi�, including costumes as well. Followed by objects search and props and costume making. �e goal was to achieve a very boring newspaper o�ce, to show the di�erence between the classic journalism teached by conventional colleges and the modern and improved system of ESPM-Sul (showed in the second part of the video).With very little budget, the result achieved it’s goal, representing the oppression and boredom of the environment and yet looking quite beautiful and classic.

JOURNALISM

Scene of ‘Journalism’ web video(image by Douglas Barra)

Left: Costume concept drawings (digital painting); Right: Assis-tant Production Designer Caue Zanini finishing the characteriza-tion of actor Greg Kuhn (photo by Ana Gusson).

Top: Director of Photography Douglas Barra and Producer Miguel Luz during the shooting (photo by Ana Gusson); Left Bottom: Early concept drawing for the newspapper office (colored pencil).

KASSANDRA

Directed by Ulisses CostasProduced by Roberto Coutinho and Ramona BarcelosProduction Design by Ana GussonJanuary, 2012

Kassandra, is an independent production funded by crowdfunding and local ci� cultural resources. As a shortfilm, the project was very ambitious and challenging for it’s restricted crew, budget and dead line. And as my first black and white production design project, it was a double, or even triple challenge.

�e production design project was all based in the key objects that were very important for the storytelling, for an example the main character’s doll. �e goal was to achieve a look that combined darkness in contrast with delicacy and fragili�, main characteristics of, not only, the character Kassandra, but the story itself.

Working with black and white, the production design process focused on strong looking key objects, like the doll, the alarm clock and the stars spinning lamp, and a varie� of textures. �e result is a very beauti-ful classic looking film, oscillating between the obscure and the fragili� from the character herself.

KASSANDRA

Right: Early concept art for ‘Kassandra’ (pencil and ink)

Key scenes and objects from the shortfilm. Top Left: Actress Renata Stein, playing Kassandra during a very delicate scene shoting (photo by Daniel Coutinho); Middle Left: Kassandra’s doll (photo by Daniel Coutinho); Bottom Left: Scene at the corridor (photo by Daniel Coutinho); Top Right: Actor Leandro Lefa, playing the creepy neighbor dying (photo by Pablo Chasseroux); Bottom Right: Key object, the alarm clock crafted by the producer Roberto Countinho and production designer Ana Gusson (photo Daniel Coutinho).

Ground Plan for the main location scenario(ink, on 1:50 cm scale)

The visual result of the shortfilm Kassandra (photo by Pablo Chasseraux)

Detailed Technical Drawing for the crafting of the Stars Spinning Lamp(ink, on 1:2,5 cm scale)

The ‘Stars Spining’ Lamp(photo by Pablo Chasseraux)

CENA DECINEMA

Right: Photos of the scenario built in studio(photos by Ana Gusson)

Scene of Cinema is a 5 minute duration tv program about cinema news. Produced by the video company Hero for the open tv channel Band, programmed to air by September 2013. Limited by very short budget, the production design project was constructed around the channel demanding of image projection in the scenario. Two options were projected over that exigency.

Old film rolls, mentioned on the pilot program script inspired the first option scenario. For the very small studio and fragile supporting structure, the central piece had to be very light and easy holding, so it was planned to be cra�ed with recycled glass and special thick papers. �e second option’s goal was to cut as many costs as possible and to set up very fast. Like a puzzle, the scenario consisted in the fit of big cylin-ders made of hardboard. Painted in semi gloss grey paint with little texture, the goal for the looks was, combined with cinematography, to achieve a great light/shadow contrast over the cylinders surfice. �is was the option chosed by the director.

As expected the scenario, although simple, resulted in a very cool and light look.

SCENE OFCINEMADirected by Marco CarvalhoProduced by Tyrone RodovalhoSet Design by Ana GussonOctober, 2012

Technical drawing of the scenario built for the program(digital, on 1:20 cm scale)

Technical Drawing for the first option scenario, inspired on old film rolls(digital, on 1:20 cm scale)

Scaled model crafted on 1:20 cm scale(photo by Alexandre Raupp)

Top Left: Detailed technical drawing for the first option scenario central piece (digital, on scale 1:20 cm); Bottom: Details of the scaled model (photo by Alexandre Raupp);

Ground Plan of the first option scenario(digital, on 1:20 cm scale)

ALWAYS

Directed by Othello NogueiraProduced by Jonas TeixeiraProduction Design by Ana GussonApril, 2012

Always is a music video made for the band named Hesh. �e band members wanted a very dark looking video, for the song’s heavy sounds, so the director Othello Nogueira came up the a concept of breaking through darkness and finding freedom through music.

Over that idea, the production design project consisted in having two di�erent spaces, the dark – where the character find himself in the beginning of the video, and the light – where the band plays and the character finds freedom.

With little budget and resources, the challenge was to find easy tricks to transform a new and modern garage building into a very dark and dir� place. Along with cinematographer Greg Kuhn, the idea of a humid and wet place would give the place a dark and creepy look for the dark space and could light up with reflections the band area. Also the characters make up and costumes were part of the production design project.

�e result is a great looking music video that plays beautifully with light.

ALWAYS

Top: Rough Sketch for the looks of the band lighted place (pencil);Bottom: Crew preparing the location (photo by Ana Gusson)

Top Left: Dark scenario made for the inicial scene of the music video (photo Ana Gusson); Bottom Left: Assistant of cinematography Alexandre Raupp, Production Designer Ana Gusson, Cinematographer Greg Kuhn and direc-tor Othello Nogueira, off-focus is actor Samuel (photo by Amanda Jacobus); Bottom Right: Band lighted space (photo by Ana Gusson).

Rough Sketch on the character’s looks(pencil)

Actor Samuel Reginato ready for shoting(photo by Amanda Jacobus)

CRIME OFPASSION

CRIME OFPASSION

Right: Photos of the music video(photos by Tanise Cabral)

Crime of Passion is a music video for brazilian Mpb artist Filipe Catto, made as part of the graduation project of cinematographer Tanise Cabral. Focused on the cinematography, the project was all based on the looks of Caravaggio’s paintings – warm dark color palette and very few spotlights. Production design and cinematography worked closely to achieve the look of an abandoned old house that suits like a sanctuary for the abandoned lover that lies there. �e theme match perfectly the song lyrics and feel, for it’s tango inspired melody.

Working with little budget and tight dead line, the production design theme had originally thought over two scenarios, a living room and a bedroom, but delays in the schedule forced the director to change the script last minute. �e bedroom was cut o� and another scenario had to come up last minute. �e idea of the candle lighted scenario although improvised, matches the video looks beautifully and enhances the idea of a mausoleum. �e music video turned out to a great looking film, it tells a clear story through light and production design.

Directed by Pedro BarbosaProduced by Miguel LuzProduction Design by Ana Gusson and Caue ZaniniOctober, 2010

Left: Filipe Catto shoting in the candle lighted scenario (photo by Amanda Jacobus); Top Right: The final looks of the candle lighted scenario with the cinematography (photo by Tanise Cabral); Bottom Right: Filipe Catto and film crew shoting in the living room scenario (photo Amanda Jacobus).

Ground Plan for the living room scenario(ink, on 1:50 cm scale)

Final looks for the living room - scenario, lights and singer transformed into a painting(photo by Tanise Cabral)

Technical drawing for the living room set dressing(ink, on 1:25 cm scale)

Ready to shot Living Room Scenario(photo by Ana Gusson)

ART WORK

The dancer(ink over paper)

Experiments in watercolor

Life clothes line(collage)

Self portrait(photo by Alexandre Raupp)

GRAPHICDESIGN

PACKAGINGRedesign for an olive oil package for the brand BlueVille. Made in association with designers

Rogerio Theisen and Laura Palmini.

BRANDINGBranding projects made for acaademic projects.Top Left: Redesign of the ‘Tropical Video’ logo, a local rental video chainstores. The project included complete range of graphic materials, such as stationary, backlight sign, indoor signs, website and social network layouts.Bottom Left: Development a healthy food chain called ‘Nhac!’. Full branding project, including market research and naming. Project made in association with Rogerio Theisen and Laura Palmini.Bottom Right: Redesign for ‘E2PS’, a brazilian company specialized in machines for heavy industrial processes. The project included station-ary, personalized pens and pencils, uniforms, car signs, indoor signs, website and general add layouts.

anacgusson@gmail.com

+55 51 9891 0756

+55 51 3398 4196

CONTACTINFO