Gilbert Verreault - Props on set

Translated from French

WHAT IS YOUR JOB? HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WORK?

As a props on set, it’s my job to provide the props required by the script for the shooting of each scene. I make sure we have enough props and that they’re all in good working order. I also see to it that the directors have what they need, or whatever the situation requires. Something always comes up that wasn’t in the script. You need to be ready to fix, create, or modify a prop on the fly. It’s what makes the job so interesting and challenging. You often have to make do with whatever’s on hand, so you have to be clever and creative. 

WHAT PART OF THE JOB DO YOU LIKE THE BEST?

What I like best is the human side of my job. We’re a team. We all have different trades, personalities and problems to solve, but we’re all working toward the same goal. I think it’s incredible that so many individuals can come together to create something that truly moves people, whether they’re in a movie theatre or their own home. 
They say we’re like one big family and that’s true, with all the ups and downs of a family. It’s not always easy or perfect, but together, we’re able to make beautiful things!
I love the unpredictability because it forces me to channel my creativity into finding solutions to meet the director’s needs. 
There are moments when I’m struck by the beauty and grace of it all, and I feel lucky to be doing my job.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE PROJECT?

There’s no way I can pick just one! Every moment of every project is packed with experiences. They can be laughworthy, or intense, or even difficult—but they’re always rewarding. 
The environment and the people we work with are always evolving. We’re constantly adapting and creating a new energy. It’s what makes a project beautiful and unique.  

IS THERE AN ANECDOTE ABOUT YOUR WORK THAT COMES TO MIND?

We were shooting a birthday celebration. The table was decked out with a cake as the centrepiece, and there were balloons everywhere. In the scene, the actor was supposed to come down from his room, argue with his mother, and then smash a plate. The director explained how the scene would play out and we started rehearsing. 
But instead of using the empty breakable plate we had provided, the actor grabbed the one with the cake on it. The director yelled cut and everyone cracked up, looking expectantly at me.
Luckily, we had two extra cakes ready! And my assistant, who can work magic with her hands, managed to put the cake back together so that it could be used visually, and we continued shooting the scene. 
In the end, the director loved that it was the plate with the cake on it that bit the dust. 

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT BEING AN INSTRUCTOR?

I get to meet the next generation. They’re so motivated, and that’s also what motivates me. Sharing what I do with other generations inspires me to come up with new ideas and learn new things. 
I tell my students, sure, I have more experience, but I still make mistakes to this day, and I’m still learning. There’s always room for improvement, and that’s also what makes it so interesting. Teaching is incredibly enriching, and it goes both ways. 

I’ve been giving the Introduction to the Profession of Assistant Props Master course for eight or nine years now, and I am delighted to see that more women are taking the class and becoming props masters. 
I think it’s important to have a male/female balance on the set. When I first started out, there weren’t any women in key positions and the vibe was completely different.

HOW DO YOU SEE THE FUTURE OF THE PROFESSION?

I find it difficult to imagine what’s ahead, but what I can see is that technology is everywhere already, and it has changed the job and the way we work in general. We have to take it in stride. But on the sets, the basics are still the same. We tell stories and we create emotions. Whether in front or behind the camera, we all work together to create something. 
I don’t think props masters will be out of a job any time soon. Green screens and virtual reality won’t replace a real table in a dinner party scene. We’ll have new tools, improvements, but the approach will remain the same because ultimately, what we do is about people. 

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE QUEBEC AUDIOVISUAL INDUSTRY’S GREATEST STRENGTH?

I think one of the really strong points about working in Quebec is that we’re like family. We have a working environment you can’t find anywhere else. 
And having to work on tight budgets means you have to learn to be all kinds of creative and figure out how to MacGyver whatever they need. Our teams can tackle anything they throw at us at the drop of a hat. 
When you look at the industry in Quebec, and our impact on the world stage, in relation to Quebec’s size, you see how much people appreciate our work. So I tip my hat to everyone in the industry.