Some might argue that Jeremy Conway’s glamorous vision of New York became the city’s accidental postcard during the Big Apple’s Giuliani-era rebound of the early aughts. As production designer for “Sex and the City,” Conway (B.F.A. ’78) brought to life the backdrops (both real and imagined) for a show whose characters’ vibrant lives came to represent the newly energized city for eight seasons. But for the three-time Emmy Award-winning Conway, that may not have been his most enviable gig. In addition to designing for films and television, including “School of Rock,” “Failure to Launch,” and the iconic “Late Night with David Letterman” set, Conway traveled the world creating on-location studios for five Olympic games with NBC.
The circumspect Conway is quick to cite his humble start in NYC. “My budget literally allowed me two slices a day. My big decision was: do I want one for lunch and one for dinner? Or two for dinner?” Conway soon made his way. “If you work hard and do your job well, there’s a path. There’s always a path,” he says.
Conway’s path started at VCU. He was attracted to the hands-on nature of the program. VCU was the only school he discovered where undergraduates could design main stage productions.
“VCU was like a maker fair, you were always in the shop, building, painting scenery, you were doing it,” he says. “And I think there’s a real value to it because there are universities where you can get an undergraduate degree in design without ever having to build any of your designs. Nothing will point out your flaws quicker than having to build something.”
Now, as someone who hires young designers frequently, Conway looks for people with the practical ability to bring ideas to life.
While at VCU, Conway apprenticed with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts theater, where he worked with designers on lighting and set construction.
“Then at night after anyone would go home I’d riffle through the flat files and study the drawings,” he says. “You just try to learn everything you can.”
And he still does. Conway says he often takes online courses to stay up on the latest technology in filming. For the movie “Sex and the City 2,” he had to make Morocco look like Dubai, so it was important to be conversant with the visual effects supervisor.
Conway’s latest projects include “Quantico” and “Drew,” a TV movie inspired by Nancy Drew.
Image: From the New York Times review of “Sex and the City 2”
Inset image: Jeremy Conway
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