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Apple TV’s Hello, Jack! The Kindness Show is a program for children and their adults to watch together and encourage performing acts of kindness everyday. It showcases acts of kindness and has a bright and colorful tone to the show itself as well as the production design. We spoke with Dan Butts, the production designer for the show, to gain some insight into the wonderfully detailed designs and his unique inspiration for the show, as well as a look into his career. Dan is an experienced production designer and has also been nominated for the Art Directors Guild Award for Excellence in Production Design for HBO’s Flight of the Conchords, Tracey Ullman’s State of the Union and Arrested Development.
What did your career journey look like that has brought you to where you are today?
I had always been interested in art and was a huge film fan, but it wasn’t’ until I started working on film projects after college that I realized there was an actual art department that shaped the look of a production. Both of my passions were thankfully combined into one position. I started as an art PA and worked through every position in the art department until finally being able to design my own shows.
How do you see your role as a production designer — do you see it as more artistic, technical, or as a mix of both? And do you find that there is room for your personal touch on a project?
My role as a production designer is a mixture of many things. I try to come up with designs that serve the script, while being aware of financial and other challenges that may exist. Another large component of the job is the collaboration between my team and the other departments involved. There’s a special magic that happens when everyone is working toward a similar vision.
How has your background informed your work on Hello, Jack! The Kindness Show?
Being a father to my 11 year old daughter helped prepare me the most in designing Hello, Jack. Trying to see the world through a child’s eyes informed all the design decisions we made throughout the project, since it was for them.
What has your role on Hello, Jack! The Kindness Show taught you about yourself, or about life?
Being a part of Hello, Jack was incredibly special because it reminded me about the importance of teaching kindness to people (of any age). Creating a fun, colorful and inclusive environment for those lessons to happen was extremely rewarding.
When you are assigned a new project, what is the first step in your process?
My first step in any new project is to fully digest the script so that the art can help serve the story. I also do A LOT of visual research.
Who is your dream director or creative to work with?
I would really love to work with Lin Manuel Miranda. He seems to have a very creative take on the different subjects he’s covered . I’ve also been told that he is a genuinely great person.
What 1 sentence of advice would you give to aspiring production designers?
I would advise any aspiring production designer to just start working with any art departments they can get in with, since experiencing the different styles of how teams are run will inform how they will eventually lead their own.
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Thank you for reading! You can learn more about Dan Butts here.
