DESIGNERS ON FILM

We've done it again, made it through another season of DESIGNERS ON FILM. Having just finished Season 2, here are highlights and episodes of note. - Sam Beddoes, who developed a video game based on The Rocky Horror Show, talked about the movie, aka The Rocky Horror Picture Show. https://www.designersonfilm.com/podcast/the-rocky-horror-picture-show-1975-w-sam Leading up to Halloween in 2025, we con...

In this bonus episode, you'll hear more from Sofia Cababa Wood who discusses Marie Antoinette, its themes, and movies that would pair well with it. Antoinette was ruled by her circumstances, but the 2006 movie shows us a more personal side, all while avoiding graphic imagery of her ultimate demise. We also talk about the funny, entertaining MTV Cribs parody that Jason Schwartzman did which appears...

Based on Lady Antonia Fraser's 2001 biography and directed by Sofia Coppola, the 2006 Oscar-winning movie Marie Antoinette portrays the queen in a way you might not expect, making her a relatable person, a teenager who becomes a leader, coping with life's ups and downs all while trying to have some fun too. The stylistic flair and visual embellishments (watch for a pair of Converse sneakers) make...

Designer Christie Wu shares more thoughts about Clockwatchers (1997), talking about iconic, memorable, and funny scenes. Starring Toni Collette, Parker Posey, Lisa Kudrow, and Alanna Ubach, Clockwatchers tells the story of four female temp workers struggling to get through each day of their 9 to 5 job. - Christie Wu is a concept-driven designer working at the intersection of culture, design, and t...

Starring Toni Collette, Parker Posey, Lisa Kudrow, and Alanna Ubach, Clockwatchers tells the story of four female temp workers struggling through the challenges of their 9 to 5 job. But when a new, full-time permanent hire comes on board suspicion and competition set in, made worse by a patronizing boss and thievery that brings about a witch hunt. Designer Christie Wu talks about how Clockwatchers...

In this bonus episode, Professor Karen Cheng shares more thoughts about Working Girl (1988), a movie she loves. We discuss the cinematography, Harrison Ford's character, and other movies that would pair well with Working Girl for a potential double feature. - Cheng is the author of Designing Type, a comprehensive, systematic guide to the design of letters, published by Yale University Press. Since...

Working Girl, directed by Mike Nichols, stars Harrison Ford, Melanie Griffith, Sigourney Weaver, with Alec Baldwin and Joan Cusack. Tess, played by Melanie Griffith, ascends the corporate ladder using her book smarts and street smarts, and by pretending to be somebody she's not. Tess strives to do big things, and has plenty of good ideas to get her foot in the door until she's caught, accused of b...

Based on the book The Accidental Billionaires with a screenplay by Aaron Sorkin and directed by David Fincher, The Social Network is a dramatization of Facebook's founding. The fictional story shows the grit, tenacity, and ruthlessness of its creators. Guests Scott Amyx and Cameron Tau talk about the movie, and how Facebook has caused disruptions impacting people at a very human level, resulting i...

The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967) was written and directed by Jacques Demy. Whether you call it off-beat, dreamy, or off-beat and dreamy, this whimsical musical is just the right movie to kick off spring thanks to its bright costumes, memorable set design, great dancing, and upbeat tunes. Plus, the situation with the sadistic killer will keep you guessing. Designer Radha Sachdev talks about what...

Fifty years ago, All the President's Men was released, starring Robert Redford as Bob Woodward and Dustin Hoffman as Carl Bernstein. The movie, written for the screen by William Goldman, dramatizes the research, legwork, and reporting done by The Washington Post's Woodward and Bernstein who exposed the Watergate scandal, shedding light on the corruption that stemmed from President Richard M. Nixon...

Tom Muller talks about Highlander, its poster design and home video release, and shares tips for organizing old school cassette libraries. This episode appeared on Season 1 of the show in 2024. - Tom Muller is an award-winning designer and creative director at helloMuller, and has made an impact on the cultural landscape with narrative-driven design and brand storytelling, creating compelling iden...

Chris Rubino talks about his work on film and television titles and graphics, and analyzes Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut, starring Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise, based on Arthur Schnitzler's Traumnovelle. Are Dr. William (Cruise) and his wife Alice (Kidman) in the middle of a nightmare or dream, or dealt a terrible hand of horrors in real life? We also talk about the supporting cast, from Marion...

In this bonus episode, designer, author, educator, curator, artist, and pioneering podcast host Debbie Millman talks about Arrival (2016). And then, special guest Zipeng Zhu joins the show to talk about creativity, and why trust is an important part of learning, growing, and improving. Plus, learn about the roles that communication and romance play in Arrival. - Debbie Millman is host of the pione...

Debbie Millman, designer, author, educator, curator, artist, and pioneering podcast host, joins Designers On Film to talk about Arrival (2016), a movie that has all the ingredients to keep you engaged and make you curious about life on this planet, or life beyond this planet. Amy Adams is Louise Banks, Jeremy Renner is Ian Donnelly, and together they're brought into a government operation to under...

In this bonus episode, hear more from Zipeng Zhu who talks about his design philosophy and methodology, the importance of sprinkling magic dust on top of things, and why swiping up and down and hoping for the best isn't the best design approach. We also talk about manga and manifestation, creating work that you can touch or work that touches people, and be sure to listen to the end, you'll hear us...

Nikki Villagomez knows a thing or two about fonts, not only because she's a designer but also because she's a published author and historian who loves typography. In addition to learning about her books Culture+Typography: Examples in Font Pairings and also the sold out Culture+Typography: How Culture Affects Typography, hear why Pretty in Pink means so much to her. Plus, we touch on Miami Vice, t...

Zipeng Zhu talks about his time studying design in New York and learning from Debbie Millman. He also gives thanks to all the amazing people who helped him on his creative journey, including Jessica Walsh who loves the movie Amélie as much as Zipeng. Amélie lives in a world unto herself, full of imagination and creativity, but she's kind and gives back to others, creating joy in a variety of ways....

Sam Potts talks about his comfort movie, Miracle starring Kurt Russell and Patricia Clarkson. Based on real life events, Miracle tells the story of the American hockey team and the 1980 Olympics Miracle on Ice. Russell plays Coach Herb Brooks, who leads the underdog American hockey team on a challenging journey and through rigorous training and a series of wins, they eventually face the seemingly...

Brand expert, author, internationally recognized designer, and TEDx speaker Kevin Finn joins the show to talk about Blade Runner starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Edward James Olmos, M. Emmet Walsh, Daryl Hannah, Brion James, and Joanna Cassidy. Deckard, played by Harrison Ford, is brought back to an elite unit that hunts and retires rogue Replicants, bioengineered beings virtually...

The 2013 movie Her, written and directed by Spike Jonze, stars Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Scarlett Johansson, and Rooney Mara. We see Phoenix as Theodore living an isolated life, occasionally recalling his marriage to Catherine played by Mara. The movie explores loneliness, love, and divorce, as well as technology. When Theodore acquires a new, advanced operating system that is able to relate to...

Greetings, Programs! Designer, writer, curator, and historian Tim Lapetino, who's the Creative Director at Atari, shares insights about Tron: Ares, which tells the story of two tech giants battling for digital dominance. We also talk about video games, the fantastic Nine Inch Nails music, Disney, Star Wars, Marvel comics, Alien, and artificial intelligence. - Tim Lapetino is an award-winning desig...

Greetings, Programs! Meet designer, writer, curator, and historian Tim Lapetino, who's the Creative Director at Atari. Armed with a passion for digital and visual culture, Tim shares insights about 1982's Tron, its production, sequels, and video games. We also discuss WarGames, classic sci-fi, artificial intelligence, and The Big Lebowski. This episode was originally released for our 1st Season in...

Designing a rave requires planning and patience, it also requires a vision. Get the proper space, the best DJs, and electronic dance music (EDM) that gets people dancing all night and into the early morning, until the last record spins. It's all captured in the movie Groove (2000) which Michael Sinanan fell in love with after the first viewing, not only because EDM has the beats that keep his desi...

Omar Diaz and Manny Colon, who work together as handfellas, bring iconic movie moments to life with custom-made puppets, cardboard props, creature designs, and special effects magic. Their puppet-powered parodies include The Matrix, Pulp Fiction, Jaws, and just in time for the holidays, Die Hard. The team brings unapologetic comedy, vintage puppet vibes, and handcrafted absurdity right to your eye...

What's the best book-to-film adaptation, and could it be Die Hard? Sean McCaul, of Citizen By Design, calls the Bruce Willis action flick his favorite movie. And Sean is in great company, James Cameron has called Die Hard HIS favorite action movie. We also discuss Frank Lloyd Wright, terrorism, Moonlighting and Blind Date, plus 1994's The Crow. For good measure, we get into Batman and Robin and ho...