Designing the surreal world of Queer (Video podcast)

About this episode

In this episode, host Paula Benson interviews production designer Stefano Baisi about the surreal design of the film Queer.

Episode SummaryIn this episode of The Film and Furniture Podcast, host Paula Benson dives into the world of Luca Guadagnino's film Queer with production designer Stefano Baisi. Stefano shares the process of creating the film’s surreal, dreamlike film sets, where furniture, decor, and architectural elements play a significant role in telling the story. From historical research to designing imaginary worlds, this episode explores how every detail in the set contributes to the psychological depth of the film.Episode Highlights 🎥 Research and Immersion: Stefano takes us on his personal journey retracing William Lee (and William Burroughs') steps across Mexico and Ecuador to bring authenticity to Queer’s design. 🏠 The Challenge: Stefano reflects on his transition from interior architecture to production design for film, and how it shaped his approach to set design. 🎨 The Influence of art and film: Stefano discusses the influence of matte paintings by the film artist Albert Whitlock and the artists Francis Bacon, Michaël Borremans and Francis Alÿs on the film's visual language, as well as the films Naked Lunch, Blue Velvet, The Red Shoes and Black Narcissus. 🏠 Designing Lee’s…

People in this episode

Host: Paula Benson

Guest: Stefano Baisi

Topics covered

• production design
• film sets
• surrealism
• character development
• art influence

Keywords

• Luca Guadagnino
• set design
• furniture
• psychological depth
• imaginary worlds

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Queer, Naked Lunch, Blue Velvet, The Red Shoes, Black Narcissus

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