Death and Other Details

The SS Varuna’s many reviews use the words: “Impeccably reproduced luxury liner” ¹, and “Meticulously restored” ², but it was all filmed on a stage, except for a few scenes in the pilot.

In one interview I read, the Creators: Heidi Cole McAdams and Marc Webb said, “Our incredibly talented production designer James Philpott recreated those details on stage. The scale of our sets — built to match the scale of those massive ships — was almost embarrassing. Our dining hall is two stories tall and could have hosted a high-end wedding if it wasn’t for all the camera equipment.” ³

While I collaborated on a few other areas of the ship, my main contribution was the stern pool deck built in a parking lot with Blue Screen all around. (Spoiler Alert) Sadly, the ship sinks at the end of the season and the show isn’t picked up for a second. But we can still enjoy the beautiful design, lighting, and photography of what it may have been like to travel on one of these ocean liners.