Prop & Set Design
In Lynchburg at War, I’ve stepped into another century. Sourcing fabric that holds weight, building props that feel worn by time, and framing scenes that echo with memory. This work is an extension of what Makers Workshop stands for: reverence for the handmade, for the overlooked details, for the quiet labor that shapes both story and soul. Here, costuming isn’t costume - it’s clothing with a past. A worn nail isn’t just a prop - it’s a relic, rebuilt. This is history felt through craft.
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Custom Props
We’ve built custom props ranging from small hand-crafted details to large-scale set pieces. Each was designed and finished to appear seamless on camera, supporting the visual story of the production.
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Historical Prop Reproductions
Our portfolio includes historical prop reproductions made through research and hands-on techniques. From aged barrels to period-correct tools, each piece was created to match the look and feel of its time.
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Set Dressing & Atmosphere
Props have been used to create immersive set dressing and atmosphere for photography, and documentary work. Layered details added depth and authenticity, transforming spaces into believable moments in history.
This is history felt through craft.
Tobacco Auction
For the tobacco auction scene, I made thousands of realistic tobacco leaves dyed to match real tobacco. I also crafted a wooden horn and aged it to resemble period-correct tin, replicating the instruments historically used to signal the start of auctions in 19th-century Lynchburg. These horns played an important role in the tobacco trade, calling buyers’ attention and marking the rhythm of the auction floor. The replica horn I created for Lynchburg at War is now preserved and displayed at the Lynchburg Museum, connecting my prop work directly to the city’s historical legacy.
These props, combined with hand-built tables and set elements, helped recreate the bustling auction environment of 19th century Lynchburg, adding texture and authenticity to the historical narrative.
Gunpowder Girls
For Gunpowder Girls, I created a range of historically inspired props, including plastic funnels aged to resemble tin, cartridges, and packs for soldiers. Each piece was carefully crafted to reflect 19th-century materials and techniques, enhancing the realism of the scenes and supporting the documentary’s focus on wartime ordnance and production.
Batteaux
For the Batteaux scenes, I aged 22 new hogshead barrels to look like period-correct metal and wood, then loaded them onto three historically accurate batteaux and floated them on the James River. This moment was historically significant—no one has captured batteaux being transported on the James in over a century, making these scenes a rare glimpse into 19th-century river trade. After filming, the barrels were distributed to area museums, preserving a piece of history and connecting the documentary’s storytelling to the local community.
Ladies Relief Hospital
For the Ladies Relief Hospital scenes, I designed and built hospital beds, gauze bandages, and other medical props to accurately depict wartime care. Each item was crafted to reflect historical materials and construction methods, providing a believable, immersive backdrop for the documentary’s focus on women’s roles in healthcare during the war.
Let’s work together.
If you’re interested in custom props or set styling, I’d love to hear from you. Share the details of your project, and we can explore how my work might support your vision.
xx Lindsey