Michael Perry

In cinema, symbols are oftentimes used as a way of reinforcing certain themes or character traits. In the case of the incredible film, Promising Young Woman, the Production Design included the use of colors, motifs, decoration and iconography to not only represent the concepts and topics discussed throughout the film but also as a way of foreshadowing certain events to the audience.

In an exclusive interview with Interiors, we spoke with Michael Perry, who is the Production Designer for Promising Young Woman. The photos and drawings are courtesy of Michael Perry.

INT: First off, we were curious how the opportunity to do the Film, Promising Young Woman, came about? What was it about it that made you want to work on it?

MP: It came about through my agent. I got the script and when I read it, that was it for me. I had never quite seen or read anything like it. I wanted to talk with the Director (Emerald Fennell), who was in London at the time, and we arranged for a time to meet. So, Emerald gave me a call and we spoke about all my previous projects. At the end, she asked if she could ask me a question about something else. She wanted to know about my work on Sweet Valley High, which is a Television Series that I did 25 years ago, and I hadn’t heard anybody bring that up in a very long time so we had a very fun conversation about that.  

INT: The film takes inspiration from TV series like Murder, She Wrote and Sweet Valley High and includes remarkable sets and locations. From a Production Design standpoint, what inspired you to look at those retro television shows and were there any other references (Film/Television) that you took from?

MP: We used Murder, She Wrote and Sweet Valley High as the main references. So much so, that there were a couple of props in some of the scenes that were from Murder, She Wrote. My approach on this film wasn’t necessarily “retro”, but rather, I took inspiration from these television shows and tried to find a balance of rock video and films. Emerald and I both thought this should be more like a movie and not a documentary, so our approach was to use sets to enhance either throwing the audience off or bringing them along.

INT: In an Interview with Variety, you described Cassie’s parents’ house as being a set that’s “trapped in time”, with plastic covers on the furniture and outdated décor. Was there a specific type of house/layout that you had in mind beforehand? Were there any challenges with the space at all?

MP: We looked at lots and lots of houses. I was specifically trying to find something that was “trapped in time” that I could just add to. One of the really positive things about that particular house we ended up with was that it was very long and rooms opened onto rooms so you could do very long shots of entrances on entrances and it lends itself to all that. The base was there to work off of but we still had to bring in lots of decorations, such as cherubs, icy cold furniture and the angel-motif. Metaphorically, this is what Cassie’s stuck in. She’s stuck in that moment when her friend killed herself and she hasn’t been able to move on from that. There were no real challenges with this space and it ended up being a lovely space that we were able to add layers and layers on.

INT: There are many important themes and topics discussed in the film. In terms of Production Design, how did you and your team try to include these ideas within the various spaces? Were there any references that you included to reinforce these themes?

MP: We did definitely include these ideas all of the way through. As much as we could, we showed things like the “vengeful angel” or different round objects over Cassie’s head. For example, in the restaurant, I only painted one light that was just over the top of Cassie. We also had furniture pieces (Beds, Chairs, Couches, etc.) that had angel-winged backs as well.

Color also played a big role throughout the film. I was always giving hints of red that grew with time as a warning sign that things weren’t as they seemed. We did the pinks and blues and used brick reds, woody pines and greens for the masculine stuff. The lawyer’s space was very black and white. It was a “yes” or “no” kind of space, which was different from everyone else since he is a character that does seek mercy. Ryan’s (Bo Burnham) apartment is very neutral. It doesn’t have too much blue, too much red, too much anything. It’s a very neutral space because you don’t know which way the relationship between Cassie (Carey Mulligan) and Ryan is going.

All in all, it was a fabulous experience and to be able to make a movie that actually forces people to think about anything, especially something as important as this, is a pretty big honor.

Michael Perry is a Production Designer and has worked on various Films, Television Shows and Commercials.