The Film and Furniture Podcast

In this episode of The ‪Film and Furniture Podcast, host Paula Benson sits down with Hamnet production designer Fiona Crombie and set decorator Alice Felton — both of whom have received major industry recognition for their work, including BAFTA and Academy Award (Oscar) nominations — to explore the deeply tactile, emotionally charged world of Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet. Based on Maggie O’Farrell’s award-...

In this episode of The Film and Furniture Podcast, host Paula Benson sits down with Bugonia production designer James Price to unpack the quietly unsettling visual world of Yorgos Lanthimos’s Bugonia. This one is for true film obsessives: unapologetically nerdy and endlessly illuminating, it goes far beyond surface aesthetics to explore how furniture, design and architecture shape the film’s glori...

In this episode of The Film and Furniture Podcast, host Paula Benson sits down with writer-director Gaby Dellal to explore the layered interiors, emotional undercurrents, and design-led storytelling of Park Avenue — a film where furniture, colour, and architecture become central to the drama. Starring Fiona Shaw and Katherine Waterston, Park Avenue unfolds almost entirely within a sumptuous Upper...

Episode Summary: In this episode of The Film and Furniture Podcast, host Paula Benson sits down with Severance Season 2 set decorator David Schlesinger to explore the unnerving design language of Apple TV+’s hit series. Fresh from the show’s Emmy win for production design, Schlesinger shares how the interiors of Lumon Industries—and the contrasting “outie” world—were meticulously crafted to be as...

🎧 Episode Summary: In this episode of the Film and Furniture Podcast, host Paula Benson sits down with celebrated production designer Kasra Farahani to explore the bold, retrofuturist world of Fantastic Four: First Steps. Known for his work on Loki and Black Panther, Kasra brings his architectural flair and cinematic vision to Marvel’s reboot—blending mid-century modernism with sleek space-age op...

Episode Summary: In this episode of the ‪@filmandfurniture Podcast, host Paula Benson sits down with filmmaker Nadia Conners, writer and director of The Uninvited, for a deeply insightful conversation about storytelling, interiors, and how architecture and décor can reflect the inner lives of characters. Set in a house in the Hollywood Hills over the course of one unsettling evening, The Uninvited...

In this episode of the ‪Film and Furniture Podcast, host Paula Benson goes solo to take us on a deep dive into one of the most recognisable and discussed design elements in film history: The Shining’s hexagonal carpet. Celebrating the 45th anniversary of Stanley Kubrick’s psychological horror masterpiece, Paula reveals the story behind the infamous Overlook Hotel carpet, shares her own research jo...

Episode Summary In this episode of The Film and Furniture Podcast, host Paula Benson dives into the world of Luca Guadagnino's film Queer with production designer Stefano Baisi. Stefano shares the process of creating the film’s surreal, dreamlike film sets, where furniture, decor, and architectural elements play a significant role in telling the story. From historical research to designing imagina...

In this episode of The Film and Furniture Podcast, host Paula Benson sits down with production designer Stanislas Reydellet to explore the striking production design of Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance. Reydellet, a key creative force behind the film, shares the details of crafting a visually immersive world—one that is both unsettling and meticulously designed. From grand, minimalistic apartments...

🎙️Episode Summary In this episode of The Film and Furniture Podcast, host Paula Benson takes us on a design-centric journey through the 97th Academy Awards, highlighting the nominees and winners for Best Production Design and other key categories. From the magical world of Wicked to the gothic atmosphere of Nosferatu, the futuristic landscapes of Dune Part Two, and the intensity of The Brutalist,...

In this episode of The Film and Furniture Podcast, host Paula Benson sits down with the Oscar nominated production designer Craig Lathrop to explore the haunting world of Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu. They dive deep into the intricacies of world-building in gothic horror, where every detail—from furniture to lighting—plays a role in creating an atmosphere of dread and tension. Craig shares his process...

🎙️ Episode Summary In this episode of The Film and Furniture Video Podcast, host Paula Benson chats with production designer Mark Scruton, who brings us behind the scenes of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Mark shares his experience collaborating with Tim Burton, the creative process behind reviving the iconic Maitland/Deetz house, and the intricate film set designs that define the film’s world. From Vic...

In this episode of The Film and Furniture Podcast, Paula Benson interviews production designer François Audouy about his work on A Complete Known, the film directed by James Mangold and starring Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan. François takes us behind the scenes of this remarkable film, which captures the cultural revolution of the early 1960s, exploring how music, art, and society collided to sha...

In this exclusive video podcast with Film and Furniture’s Paula Benson and Dune: Part Two production designer Patrice Vermette, and set decorator Shane Vieau, we reveal how the film’s designs go beyond aesthetics to reflect the cultures and identities of the film’s three primary worlds: the resilient Fremen of Arrakis, the oppressive Harkonnen of Giedi Prime, and the opulent Imperial society of Ka...

In this exclusive video podcast interview with Film and Furniture’s Paula Benson and The Brutalist's production designer Judy Becker and set decorator Patricia Cuccia, we explore the design, furniture and architecture of the film The Brutalist. Directed by actor-turned-filmmaker Brady Corbet, The Brutalist tells the story of László Tóth (Adrien Brody), a fictional Hungarian Jewish architect and fu...

The movie Wicked brings to life a magical world where both macro and micro design elements work in harmony to immerse the audience in the origin story of Elphaba (The Wicked Witch, played by Cynthia Erivo) and Galinda/Glinda (Ariana Grande). In this exclusive video podcast interview with Film and Furniture’s Paula Benson and the film's production designer Nathan Crowley, we explore the design proc...

Welcome to the Film and Furniture video podcast! If you’re a film fan with a passion for design, grab your headphones and/or screen, because, you’ve just found the perfect place to geek out over the magic of film design. Every episode, will take you deep into the world where cinema and design collide, with an incredible lineup of video interviews and insights that you won't want to miss! Film and...

Join Film and Furniture’s Paula Benson and Conclave's visionary production designer Suzie Davies, for an exclusive behind-the-scenes video interview on the design of the film. This video podcast contains spoilers. Conclave, a gripping political thriller, takes audiences behind the locked doors of one of the world’s most secretive events—the election of a new Pope. Set within the Vatican’s hallowed...