The Substance: The Film Set Designs (Video Podcast)

About this episode

This episode features an interview with production designer Stanislas Reydellet discussing the intricate set designs of the film The Substance.

In this episode of The Film and Furniture Podcast, host Paula Benson sits down with production designer Stanislas Reydellet to explore the striking production design of Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance. Reydellet, a key creative force behind the film, shares the details of crafting a visually immersive world—one that is both unsettling and meticulously designed. From grand, minimalistic apartments to corridors that evoke a psychological journey, this episode explores the interplay of set design, furniture, décor, colour, and symbolism in storytelling. 🎥 Episode Highlights • A visionary approach to filming The Substance—including a 110-day shoot and 20 days dedicated to microscopic details. • Elizabeth’s apartment—how its vast emptiness reflects isolation, status, and a retreat from the world. • Furniture transformations—how the evolving bed, chairs, and décor reflect shifting psychological states. • The mechanics of blood—how 2,000 litres of fake blood were engineered for one of the film’s pivotal moments. • Design influences—the impact of the Memphis Group and Ettore Sottsass on the film’s aesthetic. • A nod to The Shining—the hexagonal carpet in the TV studio corridor and how…

People in this episode

Host: Paula Benson

Guest: Stanislas Reydellet

Topics covered

• production design
• film analysis
• set design
• psychological storytelling
• interview

Keywords

• production design
• The Substance
• Stanislas Reydellet
• set design
• psychological journey
• film aesthetics
• interview

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Memphis Group

Books & works: The Substance, The Shining

More episodes of The Film and Furniture Podcast

• Behind the Scenes of Hamnet: Designing Shakespeare’s World of Love and Loss · January 29, 2026 · 39 min
• The Design of Bugonia: Conspiracy, Chaos and Control · January 4, 2026 · 42 min
• Inside Park Avenue: A Love Letter to New York Through Design and Storytelling · November 10, 2025 · 37 min
• Inside the Mysterious and Important Design of Severance · October 9, 2025 · 38 min
• Midcentury Marvel: Inside the Design of Fantastic Four: First Steps · August 4, 2025 · 36 min
• Inside The Uninvited: The House, the Furniture, the Vision – with Nadia Conners (Video Podcast) · May 2, 2025 · 29 min