INTERVIEW: The Penguin Production Designer on Capturing the Darkest Side of Gotham

The Penguin absolutely nails its seedy Gotham City setting. For that, we have Kalina Ivanov to thank.

She’s production designer on The Penguin , and led the creative charge on the likes of Carmine Falcone’s mansion, Oz’s loft (she hand-painted his artwork herself) and the Crown Point Neighbourhood.

Settings you see in HBO’s spinoff series of 2022 movie The Batman are based on locations from Ivanov’s life. “Having landed in New York City in 1979,” she exclusively tells Men’s Journal, “I saw with my own eyes the darkest and bleakest years of urban decay.”

In the interview below, Ivanov also reveals what iconic films inspired the show’s style, and just how hands-on lead actor Collin Farrell was in shaping the series.

Men’s Journal: How does your work on The Penguin differ to your previous work, such as Lovecraft Country and Little Miss Sunshine? What skills from your repertoire were you applying here?

Kalina Ivanov: The Penguin is my first foray in the DC universe. Prior to this, I was focusing on fantasy and period films and television shows such as The Tender Bar, The Boys In The Boat, and Lovecraft Country. My training as a theater designer has helped me navigate different genres from the realism of Little Miss Sunshine to the multi-universes of Lovecraft Country , and the contemporary Broadway world of SMASH . I find great artistic satisfaction in exploring modern rom-coms such as Long Shot or the exotic lives of Big and Little Eddie in Grey Gardens .

Men’s Journal: Production design-wise, are you going for a similar style to The Batman , or were you trying to differentiate this series in some way?

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Kalina Ivanov: From our very first conversations with Matt Reeves and Lauren LeFranc, we all agreed that we were going to focus on different Gotham neighborhoods than the ones depicted in The Batman . The series’ visual language is grounded in the point of view of its main character, Oz, also known as The Penguin. Oz lives on the ground level of Gotham on the East Side.

He is clawing his way up in the gang hierarchy, and the production design needs to reveal this specific milieu. Matt Reeves and Lauren LeFranc referenced the films The French Connection and Scarface as inspiration for the series, and I couldn’t be more inspired. Having landed in New York City in 1979, I saw with my own eyes the darkest and bleakest years of urban decay. I drew upon those first impressions throughout the show’s design process. As an immigrant, I lived at the bottom of the social structure. It came natural for me to identify with Oz and his ascent.

Men’s Journal: The budget is smaller than The Batman , so how are you able to achieve the same quality as a feature film?

Kalina Ivanov: That’s the million dollar question! I simply never worried about it. As long as the production design feels authentic, the audience will enjoy the visual ride.

Men’s Journal: We've seen the trailers so we've got a sense of what will happen, but what surprises can we expect from The Penguin ?

Kalina Ivanov: This question is tricky because I can’t reveal any spoilers. Let’s just say that Oz meets his equal. My task was to translate that battle of wills into two distinct visual worlds.

Men’s Journal: How much of what we see from The Penguin is a set, and how much is shot on location?

Kalina Ivanov: We built many sets, and we also transformed multiple locations into Gotham-specific visuals. We filled four stages with built sets, and shot extensively in the South Bronx, Queens, Yonkers, and Long Island. Every location was transformed into a specific Gotham neighborhood and many will be unrecognizable for the viewers. New York City offers such a rich canvas to paint on!

Men’s Journal : How much did you work with Colin Farrell, and have you got any behind-the-scenes anecdotes there?

Kalina Ivanov: Colin was not only the leading actor, but also a producer. It was wonderful to have a one-on-one design meeting with him to discuss the visual arc of his character, as well as the entire show. He loved the idea of his first loft existing in an old jewellery repair shop. Per the script, his character has ‘bad taste’. Colin wanted to define ‘bad taste,’ and he brought references for paintings that his character would own. It’s very satisfying to work this close with an actor about their environments, and we happily interpreted his suggestions. I personally created a painting that hangs in his bedroom.

Men’s Journal: What aspect of the series are you most proud of having helped create?

Kalina Ivanov: There are so many exciting sets in the series. Lauren LeFranc and her team of talented writers supplied us with great visual possibilities. From my end, I was able to weave Greek mythology into many of them, so look for those details.

All the sets are my children, and if I had to choose, I am most proud of Carmine Falcone’s mansion, Oz’s loft, the Crown Point Neighbourhood, and others you will see in later episodes, but I can’t mention yet!