art director

American  

[ahrt di-rek-ter, dahy-] / ˈɑrt dɪˌrɛk tər, daɪ- /

noun

1. Movies, Television. the person who determines the staging requirements for a production and often designs the sets or supervises their building and dressing.

2. Also called art editor.  a person who is responsible for the selection, execution, production, etc., of graphic art for a publication, advertising agency, or the like.

3. artistic director.

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art director British  

noun

1. a person responsible for the sets and costumes in a film

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Etymology

Origin of art director

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

"I've worked on a lot of different projects, but always had an eye to Bond," Rasmus Poulsen, art director for "007 First Light", set for release on Wednesday, told AFP ahead of the game's publication.

From Barron's • May 26, 2026

JW: About 15 years ago, we screened “Saturday Night Fever,” and I had this giant piece of fabric with sequins in my truck from when I worked as an art director.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

Chris Roberts worked as an art director on the first season, but says he was initially offered a lower rate for season two.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026

We’d met the summer before on his first feature film, Dementia 13, where I had assisted the art director.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 11, 2025

Caroline appoints me official art director of the paper chain, which means I’m going to have to do most of it and supervise the rest.

From "Linked" by Gordon Korman