Behind the Scenes of “Poor Things”: Yorgos Lanthimos’ Most Audacious Film Yet

Imagine a world where the impossible becomes reality, where the boundaries of science and morality blur into a kaleidoscope of vivid colors and surreal landscapes. This is the world of Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest cinematic venture, “Poor Things.” Known for his unconventional narratives and bold visual style since his early days in the Greek weird wave, Lanthimos has outdone himself with this film, pushing his distinctive approach to filmmaking to new, mind-bending heights.

“Poor Things” is not just a film; it’s an experience that challenges our perceptions and jolts us out of our comfort zones. Based on Alasdair Gray’s 1992 satirical novel, the story follows the extraordinary journey of a woman resurrected with the brain of her unborn child. It’s a premise that sounds outlandish, yet in Lanthimos’ hands, it becomes a captivating exploration of identity, freedom, and the essence of humanity.

With a budget of $35 million—his largest to date—one might assume that Lanthimos would have to temper his eccentric vision to appease studio executives. But quite the opposite happened. The increased resources only amplified his audacious style, allowing him to create a world that’s as visually arresting as it is narratively daring.

In this article, we’ll delve into the making of “Poor Things,” exploring how Lanthimos and his team crafted this extraordinary film. From the innovative cinematography to the intricate production design, and from the whimsical costumes to the transformative makeup, we’ll uncover the creative decisions that brought this twisted fairy tale to life. So, fasten your seatbelts and prepare to have your mind expanded as we journey behind the scenes of Yorgos Lanthimos’ craziest film yet.

Chapter 1: Painting with Light – The Unconventional Cinematography of “Poor Things”

A Palette of Film Stocks and Vintage Cameras

From the very first frame, “Poor Things” announces itself as something different. The visuals are so striking, so unlike anything we’re used to seeing, that they demand our attention. This unique look is the result of a collaboration between Lanthimos and his director of photography, Robbie Ryan, who embarked on an extensive equipment testing process to achieve their vision.

Imagine a filmmaker today choosing to shoot primarily on film in an age of digital dominance. That’s exactly what Lanthimos and Ryan did. They opted for a 35mm ARRI ST camera, with an Arricam LT as backup. But the real gem in their arsenal was a VistaVision camera from the 1950s, known for its wider 1.66:1 format. This vintage beauty was used for a key sequence: Bella’s reanimation.

Now, working with vintage equipment has its quirks. During the reanimation scene, the VistaVision camera’s battery ran low, causing the frame rate to drop. When played back at normal speed, this ‘mistake’ made Bella’s eyes snap open like a doll’s—an effect so eerie and perfect that Lanthimos and Ryan embraced it. It’s moments like these that remind us how happy accidents can often lead to cinematic magic.

A Spectrum of Colors and Contrasts

But the camera choice was just the start. The film stocks they used were equally unconventional. For most color scenes, they chose Kodak Vision 3 500T 5219. However, for the Lisbon sequences, they switched to Kodak’s Ektachrome 100D 5294—a color reversal positive stock that cranks up the saturation and contrast. The result? Lisbon pops off the screen in a candy-colored haze that mirrors Bella’s wide-eyed wonder.

And let’s not forget the black-and-white footage. Here, they went old-school with Eastman Double-X 5222 stock. This choice gives these scenes a stark, high-contrast look that feels both timeless and unsettling—perfect for a story that blends the Victorian era with futuristic concepts.

Lenses: From Dreamy Bokeh to Extreme Vignettes

When it came to lenses, Lanthimos had high expectations. Ryan recalls, “We had one day where we tested over 50 lenses… loads of different kinds of optics.” They eventually settled on three types: portrait, wide, and zoom.

For portraits, they chose 58mm and 85mm Lomography Petzval lenses. These lenses, set to their widest apertures (T2.1 and T2.3 respectively), create a distinctive spiraling focus fall-off near the frame’s edge. It’s like looking through a dreamy, swirling vortex—a perfect visual metaphor for Bella’s whirlwind journey of self-discovery.

On the wide-angle front, they used an 8mm Oppenheimer/Nikkor and a 10mm Arri/Zeiss Ultra Prime. But the real game-changer was the 4mm Nikkor Optex Super Cine. Made for 16mm cameras, this lens created an extreme vignette on their 35mm film. The result? A warped, almost fish-eye view that distorts reality in a way that feels both playful and unsettling.

These wide lenses also allowed for freer camera movement. Ryan explains that any bumps from an off-track dolly wouldn’t register—a boon for a director like Lanthimos who eschews storyboards and shot lists in favor of a more spontaneous, organic approach.

Lighting: Natural Yet Surreal

With such stylized camera choices, you’d think the lighting would follow suit. But here, Lanthimos took a counterintuitive approach. He wanted the light to feel natural and realistic, often placing lights outside windows on set. As Ryan puts it, they’d “attempt to light each world as if it was a normal location.” This grounding in reality makes the film’s fantastical elements feel all the more believable.

But natural doesn’t mean static. Lanthimos often wanted 360-degree camera movement, which meant Ryan had to get creative. He hid lights and relied heavily on practicals (lights that are part of the set, like lamps or chandeliers). In Lisbon, they went to extreme lengths, hanging massive 24K and 26K lights high enough to stay out of sight, while using smaller fixtures for street scenes.

For black-and-white scenes, Ryan changed tack. He wanted more contrast, so he removed diffusion from most lights. This harsher lighting heightens the sense of unease in these sequences, reflecting the darker aspects of the story.

In the end, the cinematography of “Poor Things” is a masterclass in controlled chaos. By combining vintage equipment, unconventional film stocks, and a mix of dreamy and distorted lenses with naturalistic lighting, Lanthimos and Ryan have created a visual language that’s as complex and transformative as Bella herself. It’s a world that looks like ours but feels delightfully, disturbingly off—and that’s exactly the point.

Chapter 2: Building Bella’s World – The Intricate Production Design of “Poor Things”

A Universe on Soundstages

In most films, location shooting adds a sense of authenticity. But for “Poor Things,” authenticity was beside the point. Lanthimos wanted to create a world that mirrored Bella’s unique perspective—a “tweaked reality” that’s familiar yet off-kilter. To achieve this, nearly all of the film was shot on enormous soundstages at Origo and Korda Studios in Hungary, with the largest stage measuring a whopping 64,310 square feet.

Production designers Shona Heath and James Price were tasked with bringing this alternate universe to life. But how do you design a world that doesn’t quite exist? Their solution was as innovative as the film itself: virtual reality. Using Unreal Engine, they created a digital walkthrough of the sets. “The program allowed us to view their designs in real-time and make changes as needed,” explains Ryan. Once Lanthimos approved a design in VR, it became the blueprint for the physical set.

A City for Every State of Mind

One of the most striking aspects of “Poor Things” is how each city Bella visits has its own distinct visual identity. This wasn’t by accident. Heath explains, “We started with a painting for each city to give us a feeling. Lisbon was sort of dusty and magical and a bit candy-sweet. While Paris was sort of cold and beautiful, like a Degas painting.”

These visual motifs aren’t just pretty; they reflect Bella’s emotional and intellectual growth. Lisbon, with its sugary hues, represents her childlike innocence. Paris, in its cold beauty, mirrors her growing awareness of the world’s complexities. It’s production design as character development, a visual journey that parallels Bella’s internal one.

Building Reality in a Fantastic World

Despite the fantastical nature of the story, Heath and Price insisted on a level of realism in their sets. Nearly everything was built to scale using accurate materials. Why? Because Lanthimos’ roving, wide-angle camera demanded it. With a 4mm lens capturing vast swathes of the set, there was nowhere to hide imperfections. This commitment to detail makes Bella’s world feel tangible, even as its design pushes the boundaries of reality.

But building a world from scratch on soundstages isn’t without challenges. Studios are notoriously echoey, a sound designer’s nightmare. Heath and Price’s solution? Soundproofing their sets with a mix of timber and concrete. It’s this kind of behind-the-scenes problem-solving that allows the fantastical world of “Poor Things” to come alive without technical distractions.

When Sets End, CGI Begins

Of course, even the largest soundstage has its limits. When the camera captured areas where the set ended, visual effects artists stepped in. They seamlessly extended the scenery in post-production, maintaining the illusion of Bella’s expansive, peculiar universe.

The most technologically advanced set was the cruise ship. Here, the team employed a 197 by 3344 LED virtual production volume—essentially, a massive wraparound screen displaying animated water and sky. This tech wasn’t just for show; as virtual production supervisor Adrian Weber notes, it was crucial because the ship had many reflective surfaces. An LED volume provided realistic reflections that a green screen simply couldn’t match.

In the end, the production design of “Poor Things” is a testament to the power of imagination. By combining traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology, Heath and Price have created a world that feels utterly unique yet strangely familiar. It’s a world that could only exist in Bella’s story—and now, thanks to their tireless work, it exists in ours too.

Chapter 3: Dressing the Dolls – The Whimsical Costumes and Transformative Makeup of “Poor Things”

Bella’s Untamed Tresses and Naked Face

In the prim and proper world of Victorian England, a woman’s appearance was her billboard, signaling her status and propriety. But Bella, with her transplanted infant brain, has no concept of these societal norms. Hair and makeup artist Nadia Stacey brilliantly captures this innocence in Bella’s ever-changing locks.

“She doesn’t have any societal restraint,” Stacey notes. “She wouldn’t know that women tie their hair up and she shouldn’t have it loose like that.” So, instead of the tightly wound buns typical of the era, Bella’s hair is a wild, ever-growing entity. Using extensions, Stacey lets Emma Stone’s hair reach an astonishing 42 inches at some points—a physical manifestation of Bella’s uninhibited growth and curiosity.

But the real shock? Bella wears almost no makeup for most of the film. In an industry (and an era) obsessed with female perfection, Lanthimos and Stacey made the bold choice to let Stone’s natural face tell the story. It’s only when Bella works in the brothel that she dons makeup, and even then, Stacey keeps it naive. “Everything’s done with very basic materials,” she explains. It’s as if Bella has raided a child’s craft box rather than a lady’s vanity.

Godwin: A Patchwork of a Man

If Bella’s look is defined by its natural simplicity, Dr. Godwin’s is its polar opposite. Willem Dafoe’s character, a scientist who plays God with questionable ethics, required a transformative approach. Stacey’s process was as unconventional as Godwin himself. She took a picture of Dafoe’s face, cut it up, and reassembled it to create a Frankenstein-like template for his look.

Enter prosthetics designer Marc Coulier. Using 3D scans and molds of Dafoe’s face, Coulier sculpted Godwin’s distinctive features—the scars, the off-kilter eyes, the patchwork complexion. Applying these prosthetics was no small feat, taking three hours each day. But the result is a character who physically embodies his twisted experiments, a man who’s both creator and creation.

Costumes: Empowerment and Restriction

In the world of “Poor Things,” even clothes tell a story. Costume designer Holly Waddington threw the Victorian rulebook out the window, creating outfits that are as subversive as they are stunning. “This was not going to be a very traditional period film,” Lanthimos says, “so we could work with layers of garments that we would never normally see in films.”

For Bella, Waddington took inspiration from an unlikely source: children. “Just looking at my own kids,” she explains, “often it’s from the waist down that’s missing.” This childlike dishevelment is reflected in Bella’s costumes. She’s often half-dressed, her outfits a mix of adult garments and childish abandon. It’s a visual reminder of her unique condition—an adult body housing a child’s mind.

But Waddington’s most radical choice was avoiding corsets for women. Instead, she channeled Victorian fashion through massive, billowing sleeves. “Big sleeves felt quite empowering,” she notes, “like lungs full of breath and air that ignited and reanimated Bella.” It’s a brilliant subversion—using a Victorian silhouette to symbolize freedom rather than constraint.

In a delicious twist of gender roles, it’s Duncan (Mark Ruffalo) who gets the restrictive treatment. “I had thigh pads, calf pads, a codpiece, a corset, a high collar,” Ruffalo recalls. “It makes him a bit of a rooster.” While Bella’s clothes allow her to grow and explore, Duncan’s constrain him, visually underlining his pomposity and emotional limitations.

Conclusion: A Visual Feast of the Unconventional

From the innovative cinematography that distorts and enchants, to the production design that builds a world just left of reality, to the costumes and makeup that challenge our notions of beauty and propriety—every visual element of “Poor Things” serves its audacious narrative.

Yorgos Lanthimos, emboldened by his biggest budget yet, hasn’t just made a film. He’s created a cinematic playground where every frame, every set, every costume, and every prosthetic contributes to a singular vision. It’s a vision that questions our assumptions about beauty, freedom, and what it means to be human.

In an age where so many films play it safe, “Poor Things” revels in its own audacity. It’s a reminder that true creativity often lies not in following rules, but in knowing which ones to break. And in breaking those rules—whether they govern cinematography, set design, or societal norms—Lanthimos and his team have crafted something truly extraordinary.

“Poor Things” is more than Lanthimos’ craziest film. It’s a testament to what’s possible when talented artists are given the freedom to push their craft to its limits. It’s a kaleidoscopic funhouse mirror held up to our world, reflecting something familiar yet fantastically strange. And in that distorted reflection, we just might see ourselves—and cinema itself—in a thrilling new light.