Designing Batman, Dunkirk and Interstellar | Production Desginer Nathan Crowley at Brain Bar

Designing Batman, Dunkirk, and Interstellar | Production Designer Nathan Crowley at Brain Bar

[Music]

Clarifying the Role of a Production Designer

Interviewer: So let us clarify a little bit what exactly a production designer does because I'm sure not many of us know.

Nathan Crowley: Yeah. I'm responsible for everything physical that you see up there, except for costumes. We have to take the script, work with the director, and dream what it should be—the space, the environments, the walls we have to create...and then physically go and do it. We use a lot of realistic processes. Every image you see up there, I have a memory of standing on glaciers, on South Street, with Christian Bale 90 floors up on the Sears building. That truck flipped for real. We mix mediums to make you, the audience, believe you're in the environment without question. Like magicians, we use different techniques—miniatures, CGI, real locations—to create a complex job.

Impact of CGI on the Job

Interviewer: Has your job changed with the use of CGI?

Nathan Crowley: We work with Christopher Nolan and IMAX, so we believe in immersing the audience in the film. Doing CGI on IMAX is expensive and complex. We try to do as much practically as possible. We resort to CGI only when we can't do something practically. Miniatures, real locations, and physical effects are all part of our mixed medium to achieve the best image.

Starting the Design Process and Working with Christopher Nolan

Interviewer: How did your career start, and at what point did you meet Christopher Nolan?

Nathan Crowley: I went to America after art school, got a job drafting in a studio, and eventually became a production designer. I met Christopher Nolan after working on "Behind Enemy Lines." We realized we grew up streets apart, which helped us connect. We both love cinema and aim to create immersive experiences.

Balancing Creativity and Business

Interviewer: How is the ratio between creativity and business in your case?

Nathan Crowley: We dream in Chris's house but then deal with the studio, crews, and logistics. We have to convince everyone we're not insane and can achieve what we envision. For example, building a Batmobile that goes 100 mph or filming in the sea with minimal digital waves.

Other Projects and Goals

Interviewer: What about your dream jobs or future projects?

Nathan Crowley: I'd like to do a James Bond film but never get asked. I just finished "First Man" about Neil Armstrong with Damien Chazelle. We recreated the moon landing practically. I prefer original work over revisiting classics like "Star Wars."

Daily Routine and Challenges

Interviewer: What does a typical day look like for you? How long is the process from hiring to production?

Nathan Crowley: I start early, making sure our 3D printers are running well. I check on construction, special effects, and coordinate with Chris. We're usually building at multiple locations and countries. The process involves three months of dreaming, 12 weeks of pre-production, and then shooting and post-production. For example, the Tesseract in "Interstellar" took a lot of time to figure out.

Dealing with Television and Cinema

Interviewer: What do you think about the battle between television and cinema?

Nathan Crowley: Television has great stories, but it's not cinematic. Films take you away; TV doesn't do that for me. I worked on the pilot for "Westworld" but prefer cinema for its immersive experience.

Advice for Aspiring Designers

Interviewer: What advice would you give to aspiring filmmakers or production designers?

Nathan Crowley: You need to be a jack-of-all-trades, massively optimistic, and have ideas. Deal with people and energize them towards your vision. Stay open-minded and push through even when things get tough.

Most Difficult Parts of the Career

Interviewer: Can you share the most difficult part of your career so far?

Nathan Crowley: "Interstellar" was challenging due to its enormous design job. Designing everything from ships to robots was tough. "Dunkirk" was logist

What do you do in your free time?

Nathan Crowley: We walk around New York, visit museums, and I'm always learning new techniques, especially 3D printing. I bank all the imagery I see because I know it'll be useful someday.

Interstellar and Dunkirk's Unique Challenges

Nathan Crowley: "Interstellar" was a massive design challenge, while "Dunkirk" was more about logistics. Finding the right people and dealing with unexpected problems, like moving the Ranger to a glacier, was part of the job.

Conclusion

Closing Video and Applause

Next Projects

Nathan Crowley: I can't disclose much about upcoming projects with Nolan because he's very secretive, but we always aim to surprise and immerse the audience.

Keywords

• Production Designer
• Physical Environment
• Christopher Nolan
• CGI
• IMAX
• Creativity
• Business
• Original Work
• Daily Routine
• Television vs. Cinema
• Advice
• Interstellar
• Dunkirk

FAQ

Q: What does a production designer do? A: A production designer is responsible for creating the physical environments seen in a film, except for costumes. This includes working with the director, dreaming up the environments, and physically constructing them.

Q: How does CGI impact your work? A: We try to do as much practically as possible, using CGI only as a last resort. This approach is costly and complex but creates a more immersive experience for the audience.

Q: How did your career with Christopher Nolan begin? A: I met Nolan after working on "Behind Enemy Lines." We realized we grew up near each other, which helped us connect. Our shared love for cinema led to a long-term collaboration.

Q: What advice do you have for aspiring production designers? A: Be a jack-of-all-trades and remain massively optimistic. Have ideas, stay open-minded, and be prepared to deal with people and energize them towards your vision.

Q: What are the challenges of working on films like "Interstellar" and "Dunkirk"? A: "Interstellar" was challenging due to its enormous design job. "Dunkirk" was more about logistics, like managing ships and dealing with unforeseen problems on set.