John Shaffner Elected Chair of Art Directors Council

Production designer John Shaffner has been elected to a three-year term as chair of the Art Directors Council, effective immediately, replacing Thomas A. Walsh, who continues in the position of president of the overall Art Directors Guild (ADG, IATSE Local 800). Shaffner was formerly vice-chair of the council, a position now filled by Corey Kaplan. Also elected to the Art Directors Council was Jack Fisk. The ADG has four craft councils: Art Directors; Scenic, Title & Graphic Artists; Set Designers & Model Makers, and Illustrators & Matte Artists.

Shaffner has just completed four years as chairman and chief executive officer of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. He presently works as production designer on Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory and Mike & Molly.

Fisk was nominated for an Oscar and a BAFTA award for his work as production designer on There Will be Blood. He was production designer on Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life and on Malick’s next film, as yet untitled.

New members recently elected to the other craft councils include Ben Nowicki of the Scenic, Title & Graphic Artists Council and James Hewitt of the Set Designers and Model Makers Council.