Final Project-- Lunch Break

Blog#4--MoMI Visit

The MOMI’s exhibit on production design shed light on how much research and effort are put into the look of a film. Prior to the visit, I did not know the history of production design and how early in film’s history it was used. For example, in 1916, a giant set of ancient Babylon was recreated for D. W. Griffith’s Intolerance. Back in the 1920s, the film industry heavily used soundstages and backlots, and recruited architects, illustrators, and stage designers. Production design underwent changes that were caused by political and economic factors. Antitrust laws, competition with television, and tighter budgets shifted design away from grandiose sets to the streets, changing the look of many films.

Kristi Zea’s work on The Silence of the Lambs showed the meticulous planning required prior to shooting. She took inspiration from the book that was the basis for the movie, as well as images from magazines, clippings, and paintings by Francis Bacon. The design of the cell block drew inspiration from photographs of Nazi prisoners. Labeled model sets were built for the villain’s basement, which reflected the psychotic mind of a killer, and many detailed conceptual drawings and sketches of the victims were made in preparation. The exhibit also showed how production design must work with the director’s needs for specific scenes. The film’s director wanted a conversation between Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling without prison bars between them, so Zea chose to use plexiglass walls with drilled holes for the scene. The exhibit overall did an excellent job showing how production design deeply influences the aesthetics and mood of the film.