Designing Decay on the Set of True Blood

What goes into creating a dark, sexy mood for a tv show? New York Magazine just ran an interview with True Blood producer Alan Ball about the details that make that death and decay so seductive.

First, he treats the set for Sookie Stackhouse’s home as if it were his own. He travelled to the deep South to get every item right. For Sookie’s aged home, inherited from her grandmother, designers had the floors sag deliberately and made sure the joints did not line up perfectly. Bits and pieces were purchased from salvage yards. A hand-crocheted piece about “The Home” was even created by Alan Ball’s mother.

Production designer Suzuki Ingerslev explained the infamous Wheel of Torture in vampire bar Fangtasia’s basement as the work of incredible artists and plasterers. The bar itself is the public face of vampire sheriff Eric to entice revenue from the human population. Tacky, and meant to be sexy.

For Bill the vampire’s house, everything was meant to look like it was disrepair. Everything was worn through, including the velvet couch. What else would you expect from a bachelor of over 150 years?

Photos courtesy of HBO