Crafting Character through the Power of Production Design 🛸

We’re so obsessed with the set pieces in Out of This World, we just can’t stop talking about them! Designing Nebby’s spaceship and the Space Case diner wasn’t just about making sets that looked retro or classic, it was about building a world that reflected our protagonists’ stories and journey. Today we are talking with our very own alien spaceship world builder, Production Designer Vanessa Plaza Lazo, on her approach to creating the perfect props and set decoration for our characters, and why we should pay a little extra attention to production design in our favorite films.

Vanessa, it’s a pleasure to talk with you today! You pulled off something we haven’t quite seen before in films—an aquatic-inspired spaceship filled with eclectic souvenirs from across the galaxy. What was your inspiration for the spaceship and set dressing it?

Vanessa: I consider the main spaceship design a collaboration between Christy Gray and myself, since she was the one who started it and I took over the lead after, where I made some additions to it. It was very interesting and fun for me to get a deep understanding of Nebby to be able to dress the ship. I had several conversations with Elia [the director] for this, where we agreed that every single element on the ship should reflect the idea of a united planet earth identity and Nebby’s connection to it. It is true that there are multiple different cultures around the world and all of them are represented in different ways, but at the same time, we are based on some of the same principles. We are humans and we are all ruled by emotions. That’s why I focused on bringing those emotions in the ship through different types of elements, not just old images, but also objects that could represent that idea: Faun, Greek and Egyptian face sculpture pieces, old tribe masks, helmets, unusual glasses. I tried to wear Nebby’s space boots and think of what they would be attracted to, to actually make them want to take those items as a souvenir. Nebby is a being connected with water and light, so I thought light and colors are another way to express emotions. Bringing different elements where light could be projected in different shapes and colors could also be something to represent not just those human emotions but also evolution in terms of how they developed different ways to project them. In Nebby’s ship you’ll find a young alien’s desire to meet humans and the way humans are perceived by aliens.

You also designed the Space Case diner, a diner at the intersection of space and time. How did you approach it?

Vanessa: The idea of time and space is always very subjective, so I used it as a mirror to represent the diner as the human version of Nebby’s bedroom. The diner shows humanity’s pop culture perception of aliens with a touch of Bebe’s and Ariana’s feel.

So much about these characters’ lives can be felt immediately just by looking at the spaceship and diner sets. In Out of This World and other productions you’ve worked on, what is your artistic approach to fusing narrative into props and locations to tell a story without words?

Vanessa: It’s all about the characters' back story and getting into their shoes to feel the world these characters live in. When I read a script there is just so much I can pick up from them, maybe some space descriptions and character actions. So after a script breakdown, I go deeper into the character’s back story--the story not being told in the script. That’s when the real treasure chest gets opened. It is important to really get to know the characters: their manners, their beliefs, likes, hobbies, fears, life experiences, etc. With all that information we start telling a story through the set and all the detailed set dressing.

What advice would you give to a younger person trying to break into production design in Hollywood?

Vanessa: Be very persistent and dedicated. Always find new inspiration sources and upgrade your skills constantly.

Who has been your most influential artistic inspiration in your career?

Vanessa: I believe the artistic world is so broad and the stories we get to tell could be about anything that it’s really hard to stick to one influential path. You can find inspiration in architecture, fine arts, literature, people’s stories, etc., especially when it comes to designing. But when it comes to growing as a professional, I would say that family and close friends are always an inspirational source to be a better person everyday and always give my 200% to keep taking my career to another level.

Now that you’ve helped build an alien spaceship, do you believe in aliens?

Vanessa: I believed in them before building a spaceship, so now I just feel a little closer to actually getting to meet one.

Check out some art and artists that inspired the film’s mood board!

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Nebby's Spaceship Mockup

When imagining Nebby’s home, our team wanted to give our spaceship an Out of This World twist. Here are some other iconic space ships from films we love!