In advance of International Production Design Week, running October 17 through 26, 2025, we asked eight designers to discuss a single prop or piece of scenery from their work and its role in the world of the film. This feature was produced by Javier Irazuzta.
Aftersun (Charlotte Wells, 2022).
The border tile lines the background in one of my favorite shots from Aftersun: Sophie and Calum are in their shared hotel room, separated by the bathroom wall. They are having a conversation, yet each is also in their own internal world—a separation reinforced through color, design, and lighting.
During our initial recce, our director, Charlotte Wells, noted the period-style border tiles in the hotel where we were staying. We discussed how it might be nice to incorporate something similar. A few days later, we chose the room that Sophie and Calum would share. The bathroom’s contemporary design felt unsuitable, so we stripped the space, installed false walls, and introduced period-appropriate fixtures, including a functional bathtub. Though technically challenging in a small space, this gave us complete creative freedom.
For the scene where Calum sits on the bathtub, we wanted it to feel as if he were submerged underwater, a subtle cue to his emotional state. We considered using tiles in various shades of blue to create this effect but struggled to find the best way to achieve the gradient.
Then, on her third visit to a street vendor in Istanbul who sells second-hand tiles, our art director, Güzin Erkaymaz, texted me a few samples. I was amazed to see that one was an exact replica of the tiles we had spotted weeks earlier! We reserved them immediately.
Photographs courtesy of the author.
The color combination allowed us to merge turquoise and deep blue tiles on either side. Using border tiles enhanced the period feeling, while the fish motif, with its large tail, added innocence and childlike energy. I believe it supports the emotional tone of the scene, adds authenticity to Sophie’s recollection of the holiday, and anchors the audience in this unique time and space.
Continue reading “The Prop and the Production Designer.”