An Interview with Scott Buckwald, Prop Master for the Hit TV Show Mad Men (click here to read)

Scott Buckwald has been the prop master on a variety of popular movies and television programs, including Race to Witch Mountain and The Prestige. Recently, Buckwald spoke with us about his experiences as a prop master for AMC’s hit show Mad Men. He discussed what life was like in the early 1960s, when Mad Men takes place, and the lengths he had to go to to source and create authentic period props for the show.  He also talked about TV and movie props generally, and his personal experience as a collector.

This really is an amazing interview, and from Collector’s Weekly of all places.

I’m a big fan of Mad Men (like most people in this industry). It’s a great show to sit back and enjoy, but as I watch, I’m often too aware of the characters and the story as constructs of writers and actors. I imagine the show’s staff in present-day offices, fleshing out tales of cigarettes and typewriters with the help of Starbucks and PowerMacs. These writers use suspense and surprise the way anglers use dynamite. When Don Draper’s life becomes dull or serene, I’m aware the show is just lighting the fuse atop a big pile of cruelty.

However, it’s a huge testament to the art department that I rarely step back and think about the set design or costumes or props. Sure, half the thrill of the show is holding up the 60’s pallette and comparing it to the present, but rarely do I think, “Man, that brand of beer hasn’t existed for 30 years. Who made the prop?”

A couple years ago, I did work for CAPS57, a manufacturer of packaging prototypes (you can find the print ads in my portfolio). In a few months I learned more about “heroes” and “comps” than most do in a lifetime. Each piece is hand-crafted by artists, and it takes time. To imagine the sheer scale of work that must go into every scene of Mad Men is mind boggling.

Anachronism = hate mail? Probably.