My Story
My parents were both entertainers, who traveled the world performing in cabarets and night clubs. I grew up around song and dance, feathers, sequins and beads – and performing seals.
In a career spanning about 30 years, I have been a costume, scenic and lighting designer, and loved working in every kind of theater from community to educational to “broadway” style.
When I came to the US in the early 90’s, I was a freelance art department worker and later Production Designer of independent films, until I repurposed my life as a homeschooling mother, writer and textile artist.
Meanwhile my husband James, a production sound mixer, was teaching sound at a film school. One of the students asked him for advice about his resume, and James asked for my input. I helped, then when it happened again, I realized that there was a serious need for someone with experience both as a worker and a department head to help these kids with the nitty-gritty of writing an industry standard resume. Resume Review was born.
Now I help people write their resumes, plan their career path, understand how to craft a cover letter, find job leads, and understand the peculiarities of the dreaded Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
And I write, most recently books about working in the film industry, the “Work in Production” series. I have just completed the upcoming authorized biography of my late father-in-law, the Oscar (r) winning actor, James Coburn, “Dervish Dust: The Life and Words of James Coburn” with a Foreword by James H. Coburn IV.
I also have written crafting columns for an international magazine, been a feature writer and guest writer for e-zines about alternative education and mindful parenting, and articles and musings about the film industry, homeschooling, and creativity, and have a screenplay in development with an indy production company.
Projects in various stages of conception include creativity support courses, a couple of screenplays, another biography, a book about upcycling clothing, a fantasy novel, a TV treatment, as well as more books about working in entertainment. My husband and I are working on a business that will help middle schoolers with their crafty school projects, including dioramas, models and miniatures.
My dream is to hold artists’ and writers’ retreats in my own haven somewhere beautiful.
Published Works
My Author Page on Amazon
Forthcoming:
“Dervish Dust: The Life and Words of James Coburn”
by Robyn L. Coburn with a Foreword by James H. Coburn IV.
The authorized biography.
More info: The James and Paula Coburn Foundation
In the Press
My Other Site – the Creativity Blast Blog.
Currently on hiatus.
I became interested in supporting people as they rediscover and reclaim their creativity after working at Michaels Arts and Crafts stores. Every day I met people, mostly parents trying to help their kids with school projects, who expressed a lot of insecurity about their own creative abilities. The constantly repeated phrase was “I’m not creative”, along with it’s cousin, “I’m not artistic”. Yet they all believe that their children are creative – just brimming with creativity!
The Creativity Blast Blog is a collection of themed “lessons” or ideas about creativity, combined with wonderful free project ideas or resources. Very shortly there will be a major reboot that will include even more inspiration, and new online courses to support your creativity, personal growth and productivity as artists, makers and creators.
~ Robyn Coburn dezignarob@gmail.com
Here are my Résumés:
Robyn Coburn – Art Department
Feature Films
| Seventh Veil (Released 2003; filmed 1999) | Heron International Pictures Director: Amin Q. Chaudhri | Production Design |
| True Friends (1998) | 2nd Generation Films Prod/Dir: James Quattrochi | Production Design |
| Kid Cop (1996) | Brainstorm Media Prod: Meyer Shwarzstein, Noel Zanitsch Director: Rob Malenfant | Production Design |
| The Nurse (1997) | IV Productions/Image Prod: Richard Brandes, Pierre David Director: Rob Malenfant | Production Design |
| The Fiance (aka Man of Her Dreams) (1997) | Image Organization/LIVE Prod: Pierre David, Ken Sanders Director: Marty Kitrosser | Production Design |
| The Dentist (1996) | Trimark/HBO Prod: Pierre David Prod Designer: William V. Ryder | Art Director/Set decorator |
| Yesterday’s Target(1996) | IRS Media Prod: Melanie Ray Prod Designer: William V. Ryder | Art Director |
| Special Delivery (aka The Calling)(1999) | The Calling LLC Prod: Marci & Scott Wellman Prod Designer: William V. Ryder | Art Director |
| Love Kills (1997) | Love Kills LLC Prod/Dir: Mario Van Peebles Prod Designer: W. Brooke Wheeler | Set Decorator |
| Blue Motel (1997) | Blprod, Inc Prod Designer: W. Brooke Wheeler | Set Decorator |
| Club VR (1996) | Mystique Films Prod Designer: Jesse Johnston | Set Decorator |
| Charades (1996) | Mystique Films Prod Designer: Jesser Johnston | Set Decorator |
| One Man’s Justice (aka One Tough Bastard) (1996) | LIVE Entertainment Prod Design: Terri Schaetzle | On-set Dresser |
| Serial Killer (1995) | Inferno Productions Dir: Pierre DavidProd Designer: W. Brooke Wheeler | On-set Dresser |
| The Secretary (1995) | Image Organization Prod: Pierre DavidProd Designer: William V. Ryder | On-set Dresser |
| Cage II (1994) | Rocket Pictures Prod Designer: William V. Ryder | On-set Dresser |
Love and a .45(1994)
Television |
Trimark Dir: C.M. Talkington | Scenic Painter |
| A Bug’s Life: The Real Dirt | ABC SpecialWeller/Grossman | Set Decorator |
| John Huston Award, 1995 | Artist’s Rights Foundation Prod: Alan Gitlin | Set Designer – live awards show |
A Night at the Academy Awards with Jonathon Ross (2002/03/04)
Short Films |
BBC TV Prod Designers/consultants: Vicki Baral & Gerry Harriton | Set Decorator |
| Stigmata .44 (short film)(1996) | Mental Properties Dir: Nick Goodman | Production Designer |
| Superfreaks (short film) | Monkeysmash Ent Prod/Director:Raymond Kinsey | Production Designer |
LIVE THEATER CREDITS
Dial M For Murder Long Beach Playhouse Set Design
The Sisters Rosensweig Long Beach Playhouse Studio Set Design
Marriage-Go-Round Long Beach Playhouse Set Design
A Soldier’s Play Long Beach Playhouse Studio Lighting Design
Guys and Dolls Bayou Theater, Houston Costume Design
A Midsummer Night’s Dream Arena Theater, Texas City Costume Design
A View From the Bridge Arena Theater, Texas City Production Stage Manager
Greek The Rep Theatre, Sydney Set and Lighting Design
Love Lemmings The Rep Theatre, Sydney Set and Lighting Design
The Nonsense Boy The Rep Theatre, Sydney Set/Lighting/Costume
My Mother Said I Never Should The Rep Theatre, Sydney Set and Lighting Design
The Trial The Rep Theatre, Sydney Set and Lighting Design
A Picture of Dorian Gray Iron Cove Theatre, Sydney Set and Lighting Design
Wait Until Dark Iron Cove Theatre, Sydney Set and Costume Design
Macbeth &The Merchant of Venice Shakespeare Where You Like It,
Touring company Set and Costume Design
A Kind of Alaska Fig Tree Theatre, Sydney Lighting and Sound Design
Henry IV, Part One Phoenix Group, Wollongong Lighting Design
Hating Alison Ashley Theatre South, Wollongong Set and Costume Design
Mother Courage and Her Children Theatre South Asst. Set & Costume Design
Othello Phoenix Group, Wollongong Lighting Design
Hamlet Phillip Street Theatre Asst. Set & Costume Design
Morning Sacrifice Griffin Theatre Co., Sydney Costume Design
Sandinista New Theatre, Sydney Costume Design
Yobbo Nowt New Theatre, Sydney Costume Design
Koala Kapers New Theatre, Sydney Costume Design
Waiting for the Parade New Theatre, Sydney Costume Design
Here Comes Kisch New Theatre, Sydney Costume Design
La Cage Aux Folles Her Majesty’s, Sydney Head Dresser/Wardrobe
Fiddler on the Roof Her Majesty’s, Sydney Dresser
Camelot Her Majesty’s, Sydney Dresser