Decorating Pages

Production Designer Alexandra Schaller joins me to talk about crafting the haunting world of TRAIN DREAMS, the Netflix adaptation of Denis Johnson’s novella.We unpack how the cabin became a full character, why the fire tower and logging camp were such ambitious builds, and how shooting almost entirely with natural light and candles shaped every design choice. Alexandra shares how she worked with the director, DP, set decorator, props, greens, and scenic teams to make Washington’s landscape feel intimate, mythic, and deeply emotional. Topics include:Turning landscape into storyBuilding and rebuilding the cabin across timeDesigning the fire tower and logging environmentsColor as emotion, especially Gladys’s yellowPlanes, trains, and giant trees on an indie budgetThe reality of remote locations, weather, and limited resourcesListen if you love production design, set decoration, indie films, Netflix originals, and craft-forward conversationswith the people who build the worlds on screen.