DESIGNERS ON FILM

Jason Tselentis
  • 5.0 (8)
  • Design
  • Updated Weekly

Every episode, host Jason Tselentis speaks with a phenomenal guest, usually a designer, about their favorite movie. It might be worth watching over and over, and over again. Maybe it left them with more questions than answers, or a lingering feeling. Learn about art direction and set design, cinematography and performance, casting and screenwriting, acting and costume design, makeup and music, as well as advertising, marketing, media, technology, unforgettable quotes, and so much more. Whether or not you are a designer, you will enjoy every revealing conversation that explores creativity and strategy, perseverance and leadership, craft and style.

  1. 1d ago

    Frankenstein (2025) with Jessica Barness

    In Guillermo del Toro's adaptation of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's Frankenstein, Oscar Isaac stars as Dr. Frankenstein who toils away in his lab to create life from inanimate objects, resulting in his creation, his creature portrayed by Jacob Elordi who becomes a victim hell-bent on revenge. Jessica Barness may not have worked on the movie, but she's a big fan and joins the show to talk about characters and production design, as well as magic, fantasy, mythology, and genre. Is Frankenstein a horror movie, tragedy, science fiction? Perhaps it's a genre mashup? And what about a sequel to this? What could happen, or would not happen, if there's a continuation of del Toro's movie? - Professor Jessica Barness studies how designers talk about the work they do, and makes work that reflects on it. She's written about design discourse, collage, flexi-disc vinyl records, and reader perceptions, while also making digital machines and offbeat low-res videos. She writes loudly, if less officially, at The Quiet Design Scholar. She is a Professor of Visual Communication Design at Kent State University, where she coordinates graduate studies and teaches design research and professional practices. https://www.jessicabarness.com/ https://jessicabarness.substack.com/ https://www.whatscholarshiplookslike.net/ https://www.kent.edu/vcd/profile/jessica-barness - Frankenstein (2025) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1312221/ https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/frankenstein-ending-explained - Mary Wollstonecraft: Britain's first feminist, via BBC https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/articles/zkpk382 - Other movies discussed: The Bride! (2026) The Devil's Backbone (2001) Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022) Monty Python's Meaning of Life (1983) Nosferatu (2024) The Odyssey (2026) Pan's Labyrinth (2006) Prometheus (2012) The Shape of Water (2017) Until the End of the World (1991)

  2. Oct 15 ·  Bonus

    Strangeland (1998) with Debbie De Villa [bonus]

    In this bonus episode, production designer Debbie De Villa talks about her work on Strangeland (1998) and where it sits in relation to SE7EN (1995) and Saw (2004). Strangeland stars Dee Snider (of Twisted Sister), Elizabeth Peña, Robert Englund, and Linda Cardellini (from Scooby-Doo, Freaks and Geeks, as well as DTF St. Louis and the new series Crystal Lake based on Friday the 13th). In Strangeland, a stalker uses the internet to ensnare teenagers, who are kidnapped and put through painful rituals that bring the stalker pleasure. Actor Kevin Gage (who played Waingro in Heat) is the detective who will not stop until the stalker is apprehended. Debbie also talks about the notion of conformity in filmmaking, and movies that visually come from an emotional place. - As a teenager, when production designer Debbie De Villa saw an exhibition with work by set designers and production designers that was full of sketches, models, and works in progress, she knew she wanted to work in film. Studying set design for theatre gave her the hands-on experience she needed to embark on a career in movies. https://www.debbiedevilla.com/ https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0212139/ - Strangeland (1998) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0124102/ - Other movies and shows discussed: Crystal Lake (2026-) Escape from New York (1981) Friday the 13th (1980, 2009) Heat (1995) The Last Laugh (1924) Love the Hard Way (2001) A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984, 2010) Nostalgia (1983) Saw (2004) SE7EN (1995) Ulee's Gold (1997) Wings of Desire (1987)

  3. Oct 8

    Caddo Lake (2024) with Debbie De Villa

    Debbie De Villa has decades of experience as a production designer on dozens of films, including but not limited to Caddo Lake (2024) and Trap (2024). Caddo Lake tells a twisty story with a sprawling narrative that intertwines family members in ways they never imagined. In M. Night Shyamalan's Trap, a father and daughter attend a pop concert but as the evening goes on, the anxiety builds and things quickly unravel for everyone including the pop star. Debbie joins the show to talk about bringing words in the script to life, why being resourceful matters in filmmaking, and taking the audience for a ride. - As a teenager, when Debbie De Villa saw an exhibition with work by set designers and production designers that was full of sketches, models, and works in progress, she knew she wanted to work in film. Studying set design for theatre gave her the hands-on experience she needed to embark on a career in movies. https://www.debbiedevilla.com/ https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0212139/ - Caddo Lake (2024) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15552142/ - Other movies discussed: Backfire! (1995) The Burbs (1989) Lake Placid (1999) Love the Hard Way (2001) Strangeland (1998) Trap (2024) Ulee's Gold (1997)

  4. Oct 1 ·  Bonus

    Coming in October (2026)

    Sharing October updates, so you can learn about each guest and their movie, and watch or re-watch their movie of choice before you hear upcoming episodes. NOTE: there may be a Spooky Movie Theme here, we are near Halloween after all. - SCREAM (1996) with Matt Manos, who may not have worked on the movie but knows it backwards & forwards and has a lot to say about how masks are not only very necessary for each SCREAM killer but we discuss how masks also play a role in what designers do. https://www.mattmanos.com/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117571 - THE SUBSTANCE (2024) with Miriam Schulman who loves the movie and the dark take on what it means to be an artist. Miriam is author of "Artpreneur: The Step-by-Step Guide to Making a Sustainable Living From Your Creativity" and Host of The Inspiration Place. https://www.theinspirationplace.net/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt17526714/ - CADDO LAKE (2024) with production designer Debbie De Villa who talks about what makes working in film fun, and we also discuss her earlier work on movies like STRANGELAND (1998), plus we touch on the M. Night Shyamalan movie TRAP (2024) and her contributions that shaped TRAP's look & feel. https://www.debbiedevilla.com/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15552142 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0124102/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26753003/ - FRANKENSTEIN (2025) with professor, designer, and horror fan Jessica Barness who returns to the show having already dissected (sorry for the slashing suggestion, I mean she analyzed) NOSFERATU (2024) on a prior season of the show. https://jessicabarness.com/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1312221/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5040012/

  5. Sep 24

    Starstruck (2026) with Dr. George Ellis

    Dr. George Ellis, who in addition to being a urologist is a producer making movies, has won plenty of awards in the film festival circuit. For his second time visiting the show, Dr. George talks about filmmaking as equal parts design thinking and social experimentation, and why as a producer it's important to have a methodical approach. Plus, learn about his film Starstruck, and what movies have impacted him, such as A Clockwork Orange with its modern take on violence fused with classical music. - Dr. George Ellis, MD is an award-winning filmmaker who has won multiple awards through his production company Coronado Beach Productions at several film festivals. Most recently, his film Starstruck was selected to be shown at the Central Florida Film Festival. He also won awards at the Tampa Bay Underground film festival and won the award for best Indie Short Film at the New York Movie Awards for his film The Eden Trials. George is an American Physician and Urologic Surgeon, and has been published numerous times in the scientific literature and now dedicates his medical skills to the under-insured as a volunteer. https://www.CoronadoBeachProductions.com https://www.imdb.com/name/nm15501484/ - Starstruck (2026) https://youtu.be/ha0N2HRNcyg - Mortal Sin (2025) https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EeFd3cDDA/ https://youtu.be/FH36AiDPNnE?si=WcfuL48wb-plUw7s - Dr. George's first guest spot (2025) from Season 2 https://www.designersonfilm.com/podcast/mortal-sin-2025-dr-george-ellis - Other movies and shows discussed: A Clockwork Orange (1971) Coma (1978) The Great Train Robbery (1978) M*A*S*H (1970) One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) The Verdict (1982)

  6. Sep 17

    RE-RELEASE: The Fly (1986) with Daisy Koenig

    David Cronenberg's The Fly (1986) stars Jeff Goldblum as Seth Brundle, a brilliant scientist who creates a teleportation process. Geena Davis, who was Goldblum's real-life partner during the filming, plays the ambitious journalist Veronica who falls in love with Brundle. Cronenberg's remake of the 1958 movie (which was based on a 1957 short story) packs a lot in, getting right to the mad scientist's lab then plenty of body horror. Brundle, who teleports himself during a drunken pity party, did so with a fly on board. Since the computer doesn't know what to do with these two separate entities, it fuses them, resulting in Brundlefly, and utter tragedy. Daisy Koenig, a graduate of Winthrop University's design program, talks about what makes Cronenberg's The Fly so memorable and why unhappy endings are the best kind. When she's not rewatching The Fly or any of Cronenberg's other movies, Daisy works as a graphic designer for The Ben Silver Corporation in Charleston. Having debuted in 1986, The Fly turned 40 this year and it's the perfect way to kick off scary movie season. This episode originally appeared on an earlier season of the podcast. - Daisy Koenig, a graduate of Winthrop University's design program, is a designer for The Ben Silver Corporation in Charleston, SC. She's also an accomplished muralist and illustrator for a variety of clients. https://daisykoenig.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/daisykoe/ https://www.instagram.com/daisykoenigart/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ben-silver-corporation/ - The Fly (1986) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091064/ https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000343/‍ ‍ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051622/ https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0486228/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Langelaan - Other movies and shows discussed: Alien (1979) Beetlejuice (1988) The Brood (1979) Call Me by Your Name (2017) Cosmopolis (2012) Dead Ringers (1988) eXistenZ (1999) Frankenstein (2025) The Fly (1958) The Fury (1978) Hereditary (2018) Hostel (2005) The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004) The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) Saw (2004) Scanners (1981) Spider (2002) Videodrome (1983) Wicked (2024)

  7. Sep 10

    Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) with Dan Stroupe

    Raiders of the Lost Ark captivated audiences on the big screen 45 years ago, today the movie feels just as fresh, exciting, and mesmerizing. Teacher, treasure hunter, preserver of rare antiquities Indiana Jones goes on a quest for the Ark of the Covenant, battling Nazis and his nemesis Belloq. But Indy can't do it alone, and has support from Karen Allen as Marion and John Ryhs-Davies as Sallah and George Harris as Katanga. For fashion designer Dan Stroupe, the movie has special meaning. Indy Influences are present in his brand and collections, notably the elements of travel since every collection of Dan's is based on a place he has been. With each collection he designs, and each garment and accessory created, Dan strives to inspire wonder and adventure through fashion. - Dan Stroupe is the founder of Oak & Audubon, an accessories and made-to-order clothing brand and labor of love. As its chief designer, he brings decades of experience in luxury retail, custom clothing, and creative direction to his fashion label. Born in Charlotte, NC on Old Oak Lane, Stroupe has lived in New York City on Audubon Avenue for over a decade. While the brand's namesake is based on places he has called home, Oak & Audubon evokes the pleasures and joys of travel, something Stroupe has been fortunate to experience all his life, having travelled all over the world. Stroupe has a degree in Illustration, has worked for many years as a graphic designer and art director, all while working in the luxury clothing industry. He cut his teeth at Bloomingdales on 59th Street, eventually moving to world renowned shirtmakers Turnbull & Asser where he spent over a decade serving business tycoons, actors, politicians, and royalty. While at Turnbull & Asser he managed their bespoke services in the New York Townhouse and the By Appointment trunk shows for North America, as well as internationally. Currently, along with Oak & Audubon, Stroupe is now back in ready to wear full time, managing the Men's Loro Piana business at Bergdorf Goodman. And he's designing a new menswear collection for a new completely American Made label debuting next spring. https://oakandaudubon.com https://instagram.com/oakandaudubon - Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) https://imdb.com/title/tt0082971/ https://esquire.com/style/mens-fashion/a25848350/indiana-jones-style-fashion-outfits/ - Other movies discussed: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)

  8. Sep 7 ·  Bonus

    RE-RELEASE: One Crazy Summer (1986) with Mike Wirth [more thoughts]

    You want more? YOU GOT IT! Plenty of tangents, arts and crafts talk, and more swear words than usual make this bonus episode go to eleven (apologies to Nigel Tufnel). In addition to more One Crazy Summer thoughts, hear Jason's pugs barking, learn about synthesizers & MIDI & PageMaker, how to organize your movies, packing and moving, murals, paint and emotion, beer can designs, sketchbooks versus laptops, NYC's Strand Book Store, and Bill Murray's brother Joel. This re-released episode originally appeared on Season 1 of the show. - A Southern, Jewish-American originally from New York, Mike Wirth is artist-in-residence with the Stan Greenspon Center for Holocaust and Social Justice Education, and full Professor of Graphic Design at Queens University of Charlotte. As an educator and community builder, Wirth's work focuses on social justice and identity, fusing complex and personal issues and influences into his art. He's led projects with Jewish federations across the US, has had How Our Laws are Made featured on The Daily Show blog, is the author of Hiddur Olam, a Torah art book, and is the host of The Jewish futurism Lab podcast where Jewish tradition meets design, technology, and speculative imagination, with each episode blending story, studio practice, and future-thinking. mikewirthart.com/ instagram.com/mikewirth/ mikewirthart.com/podcasts/the-jewish-futurism-lab/ - One Crazy Summer (1986) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091680/ - LETTERBOXD Season 3 https://boxd.it/UxwBk - contact us https://www.designersonfilm.com/hollaback

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Every episode, host Jason Tselentis speaks with a phenomenal guest, usually a designer, about their favorite movie. It might be worth watching over and over, and over again. Maybe it left them with more questions than answers, or a lingering feeling. Learn about art direction and set design, cinematography and performance, casting and screenwriting, acting and costume design, makeup and music, as well as advertising, marketing, media, technology, unforgettable quotes, and so much more. Whether or not you are a designer, you will enjoy every revealing conversation that explores creativity and strategy, perseverance and leadership, craft and style.

Information

  • Creator
    Jason Tselentis
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    120
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Show Website
    DESIGNERS ON FILM