The Oscars
2023
"As the first Oscar stage design spearheaded by a pair of women designers, the vision was centred on the aesthetic sensibilities and iconography of traditional cinema halls, movie theatres, and social salons."
Stirworld.com
An ode to classic Hollywood cinema but with a modern twist, The Oscars was designed to encapsulate elegance of the era. Inspiration stemmed from art deco buildings, ornate interiors and slick architectural details.
Team
Alana Billingsley
Production Designer
How we got there
We were inspired by classic movie houses, theatres and social salons around the United States. The brief we were given was to design a set that really celebrates film, both the experience of cinema and the talent that makes cinema what it is. We felt like the attention needed to be brought back to the experience and the art of cinema, to look specifically like an award show fit for film. It was important to create a fully immersive wrap-around experience for the guests.
We created a vibrant gathering space where classic motifs became modern canvases on which the intention was to write a love letter to cinema. The stage is very architectural and draws on the memories of the moment we first experienced the cinema. Whether it was walking under the marquee of lights and into the foyer, the first smell of sweet popcorn, the warmth of the golden deco lighting, the texture of the elegant drapes or the fully transformative experience of that huge projection screen.
The gold and silver art-deco stage decorations evoked the glamorous hotels and ocean liners of Hollywood's golden age."
The BBC
"All the production elements served to enhance the feeling of the set being more than just a scene concocted for the event, but rather a veritable ode to a shared love for cinema, that is universal among those who attend and view the Oscars, each year."
Stirworld.com
