Creative Feature | Trade Arts

Portrait of Aviva Reed. Image courtesy of the artist.

If you have ever wondered how objects on screen are made, from hero props to full sets and hyper realistic replicas, chances are someone like Bryce Noakes has been behind the scenes bringing them to life. Bryce is the founder of Trade Arts, a Mullumbimby based studio that transforms creative ideas into physical, camera ready builds for film, exhibitions and brand projects.

Blending digital design with hands on craftsmanship, Trade Arts creates everything from precision prototypes to large scale installations. The combination of technical skill and practical making has shaped work for feature films, museum displays and national campaigns.

In this Q&A, Bryce shares how he found his way into fabrication, what it takes to build complex pieces from the ground up and what it is like running a creative studio outside the major production hubs. It is a rare and fascinating look into a craft most people never get to see.

Let’s dive in.

Portrait of Aviva Reed. Image courtesy of the artist.

Can you walk us through your creative journey, from your studies and early projects to how you found your way into 3D prototyping and fabrication? Such a nice field!

Absolutely, it’s a long story so I’ll try my best to speed it up. I moved from the Central Coast to Sydney to study Design in Photography and Situated Media at UTS. The course was very conceptual and didn’t instil many applicable practical skills regarding the workplace market. Very hard to make money from this BA.

I worked as a photo assistant in Sydney and also did my own shoots for Stab Magazine, NITV, VICE and Monster Children. I was a terrible photographer. As soon as I graduated, I got my J-1 visa and moved straight to NYC. I didn’t know anyone and had no connections. I learnt my first major life lesson and applied for 1000 jobs online and ended up working at the New York Yankees Stadium for the photography department. That was insane.

I eventually got another opportunity to work at a high-end photo studio in Queens and left the stadium. I didn’t like that either and left for a surf school in Rockaway, Brooklyn, whilst also assisting a high-end wedding photography studio in Manhattan and flying all over America shooting the 1 percent of America’s weddings. I witnessed some very strange things. I think I was 22 at the time and I had never been to a wedding.

This all led to me meeting someone at a bar who worked in a big workshop in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, designing and building sets for NYC’s photography industry. That was my starting point into what Trade Arts is.

I then came back to Australia and studied Honours in Fine Art at UNSW, which I dropped out of, and then enrolled in a Masters of Teaching. I dropped out of that too and decided to pursue the film industry after falling into a TV show. I climbed the ladder, taught myself Rhino 3D, a CAD software, and worked across multiple departments designing and fabricating sets and props.

This all led me to starting Trade Arts as a way to have creative autonomy and apply my skillset across multiple productions and industries whilst building a like-minded team and culture where going to work is a positive thing. I also moved the business from Melbourne to the Northern Rivers, which was a huge gamble, but it worked.

Seeking Asylum. Image courtesy of Aviva Reed.

Is Trade Arts a solo practice, or do you collaborate with a wider team depending on the project?

Trade Arts has never been a solo practice. The team grows and shrinks per project. I have a highly skilled team of subcontractors and a uniquely talented full-time employee who can literally make anything, from upholstery to metal work to advanced 3D printing. It’s quite incredible.

I think Trade Arts will end up being one of the only companies in Australia that can offer full-service design and fabrication under one roof in the future.

What makes fabricating props and set pieces for film different from creating standard 3D objects or prototypes?

The designs are completely unique, especially if it’s a sci-fi film. And the timelines are probably one-eighth of traditional design and prototyping. Fun, unique and extremely stressful.

Starting Trade Arts was a way to have creative autonomy and apply my skillset across multiple industries whilst building a like-minded team.

(left) Marine Snow, (right) Plankton. Images courtesy of Aviva Reed.

Beyond digital modelling and CAD work, what hands-on skills are essential in your day-to-day fabrication process?

We do every form of fabrication. Metal work, CNC, woodwork, sculpting, leatherwork, upholstery, plastic work, everything depending on the project.

Could you outline what a typical project looks like from the first client conversation through to the final build?

We have a few meetings with the client. We then start designing and send through rounds of design approvals for notes, usually concept renders. Once approved, we fabricate and then send through paintwork approval. Once approved, we box up and ship out or deliver and install.

I moved the business from Melbourne to the Northern Rivers, which was a huge gamble, but it worked.

Al and Aviva, Esk Studio. Image courtesy of the artists.

For large-scale builds such as the living room set or plane interior, how long does it usually take to bring a project of that size to life?

This depends on the deadline. We’ve moved mountains in one week if we’ve had to.

How do you find new clients and projects while being based in the Northern Rivers, especially given the physical nature and scale of your work?

Honestly, it’s luck, consistency and hustling. It’s not easy, but I don’t think it’s necessarily easy anywhere to keep cashflow steady in a small business.

I think Trade Arts will end up being one of the only companies in Australia that can offer full-service design and fabrication under one roof.

Plankton Inverted. Image courtesy of Aviva Reed.

What inspired you to start Trade Arts and what were some of the key highs, challenges, or learning moments in that transition?

I wanted to combine all of my experience, passion and skills into a business. I also wanted to create a company that I wish existed when I was younger.

Is mentorship or taking on interns something you would consider in the future?

We’re working on creating a pilot program to introduce youth to design and fabrication in the Northern Rivers. Universities are becoming irrelevant. Their priorities are out of touch with the skills needed in certain workplaces.

And finally, any exciting projects or plans on the horizon you can share with us?

Our work is going to be seen across multiple Hollywood blockbusters very soon, which is exciting.

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