Who wouldn’t want to design the Academy Awards set? How did the first commission come about?
I got a call from someone asking if I’d meet with Bill Condon [executive producer of the 81st Academy Awards]. I met with him. It was totally unexpected and out of the blue. How do you start thinking about the design? I always want story points on which to base my design. Part of the inspiration comes as a continuation of last year, which was about community and intimacy. So, we’re keeping the reconfigured seating to emphasize community between the performers and audience. The other piece is the crystal curtain, a framing device made from 92,000 Swarovski crystals in platinum, bronze, and smoky topaz. Tell us about this year’s set. First, because this year’s presenters, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin, are both funny, the producers wanted a fast-paced show with energy and quicker sets. They wanted more physical transformations and multiple locations. The idea is being immersed in movies, so we’re bringing in a new vocabulary integrating light and movement. So what will the set look like?
