Set in the extravagant world of the 1930s, the series blends murder, mystery, comedy and surrealism into one stylish narrative. It follows a group of some of history’s most celebrated Surrealist artistes, including young versions of Salvador Dalí, René Magritte, Man Ray, Lee Miller and Pablo Picasso, who find themselves trapped inside a lavish mansion when a mysterious serial killer begins targeting the guests.
Herbots revealed that the visual language of the series drew inspiration from some of cinema’s most distinctive filmmakers while also staying rooted in the works of the Surrealist artists themselves.
One of the show’s biggest highlights is its elaborate production design, costumes and makeup, all of which help recreate the larger-than-life personalities of these legendary artists. According to Herbots, every look was carefully crafted through months of experimentation and fine-tuning.
Talking about the painstaking process behind the costumes and makeup, he shared, “The costumes and makeup in this series are a story of their own: it was the first time I saw characters being sculpted through countless tests, the forehead of Magritte had to be smaller, Picasso’s nose bigger, the wave in Man Ray’s hair was difficult to capture. Sheila’s cut, Lee Miller’s style, the iconic look of Lord James… all choices that evolved in the months leading up to the shoot, step by step helping to bring the characters to life.”
“That’s the beauty of making a series set in the past: everything you see on screen is a choice. From the smallest prop to a character’s scarf, shoes, or socks, details that help tell the story. Each one had to be discussed in depth.”
This is Not a Murder Mystery is streaming on Lionsgate Play.
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