Local to Lead Hollywood Guild

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With the start of the film industry awards season, excitement is generally focused on nominees for best actor or picture, but creating the film’s visual impact lies in the hands of the art director.

Whether the film is a period piece, such as the “Danish Girl” or “Carol,” or whether it is shot on sets, such as “Fury Road” and “Bridge of Spies,” or shot outside as was the “Revenant,” it is the production designer who sets the stage for the story being told.

Nelson Coates, far right, who now leads a Hollywood guild, with Rueben  Flores and Irne Krinsky in the South Laguna Community garden.
Nelson Coates, far right, who now leads a Hollywood guild, with Rueben
Flores and Irne Krinsky in the South Laguna Community garden.

A 2,300-member union represents these behind the scenes artists — art directors, graphic artists, illustrators, matte artists, model makers, scenic artists, set designers, graphic designers and title artists. The new leader of the Art Directors Guild is local resident Nelson Coates, better known in Laguna Beach for his various philanthropic works around town.

The recently elected guild president joined Local 800 of the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees in 1996 and is one of only a few members to have begun his career as an actor. He succeeds production designer and art director Mimi Gramatky and will serve a three-year term.

Coates’ film credits include “Flight,” “Runaway Jury,” “The Proposal,” “Hot Pursuit” and “The Secret in Their Eyes.” He received an Emmy nomination for his work on Stephen King’s “The Stand” and worked on the ABC TV series “October Road.”

Coates, who was out of the country working on a film and could not be reached for comment, also maintains membership in the Television Academy and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

When not on sets, Coates lends his artistic talents to homegrown projects, such as judge for the annual Festival of Arts fashion show. “He makes everything just so much more fun [and] he is extremely talented,” said fellow judge and city Arts Commission member Suzi Chauvel.

Coates has also volunteered to chair the Collector’s Choice auction, the annual fundraiser for the Laguna College of Art and Design, where he is a board member.

“Nelson is very creative and has brought great optimism, energy and excitement to LCAD and the LCAD board,” said fellow trustee Stevan Gromet.

“He is the creative force behind Collector’s Choice,” added LCAD president Jonathan Burke, noting that once Coates transforms the exhibit space, one forgets where they are.

The art director’s talents are not limited to indoor venues. “Nelson has been a wonderful help to the Laguna Garden Park,” said Ann Christoph, referring to the South Laguna community garden, where Coates designed their logo, signs and brochures, and helped plan fundraisers and even sang at their musical events.

The son of Ed and Jane Coates, two Abilene Christian University education professors, began acting in regional theatre at the age of 6. He started creating costumes and scenery for school and community productions soon after. At 14, he learned to create sculptures from natural fibers with the help of a book his parents gave him. During high school, he became involved in gymnastics, a skill he applied in 1997 when planning escape routes for Wesley Snipes‘ character in “Murder at 1600.”

Coates graduated from Abilene Christian University with a bachelor’s degree in communications in 1984. His alma mater named him alumnus of the year in 1996 and the communications department honored him with its Gutenberg Award.

The new president leads a union with a storied pedigree. Its genesis was the Cinemagundi Club, established by 63 men and women production designers in 1924 as a casual networking group. It evolved into a forum for art directors and production designers to discuss problems and exchange views. Thirteen years later they became the Society of Motion Picture Art Directors.

Recognition of the craft improved when producer David O. Selznick agreed to give the new credit of production designer to William Cameron Menzies for his work in the 1939 film “Gone With the Wind.”

Menzies produced scene-by-scene storyboards and illustrations for the movie that revolutionized the film industry. Television was added to the name of the guild 30 years later and in January 2000 it became the Art Directors Guild.

“Without the guild, it would have been very difficult to get ahead financially without their great health and pension benefits,” said William O. Hunter, a Los Angeles-based member of 10 years. The guild also sets wage standards that “allow us to actually ‘live’ in an expensive city like Los Angeles,” he said.

So far, Coates has been instrumental in creating and organizing the first new member orientation and the first member directory.

“I hope that Nelson Coates can be a unifying presence as our new leader. There are always varying viewpoints that will require strong leadership and fairness,” said Amanda Hunter, a graphic designer and Local 800 member. She relies on the union to foster co-worker relationships because unlike other positions, there are usually only one or two graphic designers in an office. “I value those co-worker relationships and rely upon them during unique challenges,” she added.

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