TRON: Ares | Production Designer Darren Gilford on the Grid, Dillinger Red World, and Flynn’s Legacy

Production Designer Darren Gilford joins Decorating Pages to break down the production design of TRON: Ares — from building a bold new Dillinger red world to honoring the franchise’s visual DNA.

Darren shares the real craft behind the look: materials testing (including a candy-apple red technique on stainless panels), how CNC-cut surfaces and grain direction affect highlights on camera, the engineering behind LED-lit floors, and why the Grid demands a totally different approach than “real world” sets. Plus, we talk Flynn’s world as a love letter to Sid Mead, Easter eggs pulled from the original archive, and the art department problem-solving it takes to make TRON feel iconic again.

TRON Ares, Darren Gilford, production designer, production design, set design, sci-fi film, art department, set decoration, visual effects, concept art, Sid Mead, light cycles, filmmaking podcast.

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Discover the Art of TV & Film Design with Decorating Pages Podcast

Hosted by Emmy-winning Set Decorator Kim Wannop, this podcast takes you behind the scenes of your favorite shows and movies. Each episode features in-depth conversations with the industry’s top production designers, set decorators, prop masters, and art department professionals, offering rare insight into the creative process of visual storytelling.

Whether you’re a film and TV fan, aspiring designer, or entertainment industry pro, Decorating Pages Podcast is your backstage pass to the world of production design. Learn how sets are built, stories are shaped visually, and characters come to life—one episode at a time.

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