Graphic of a two-headed lizard from eXistenZ

Collaborators: The Fly: Production Design and Effects

A distinctly Cronenbergian take on a ‘50s sci-fi tale The Fly traces Jeff Goldblum’s transformation from scientist Seth Brundle to the creature Brundlefly. This effects-heavy film posed significant challenges for the production team. Hear Denise Cronenberg, Stephan Dupuis, Mark Irwin, Howard Shore, and Carol Spier discuss some of the challenges they faced in designing the telepod, makeup, sound, and other memorable elements from the film.

Your browser requires flash to view this content. Download flash

View a transcript of this video

Explore the gallery below

Camera instruction drawings for a scene in The Fly where Jeff Goldblum climbs up the walls, sketch 1 Camera instruction drawings, sketch 1.
Carol Spier, Production Designer

The Fly, 1986
Ink on paper
28 x 21.7cm
Courtesy Carol Spier
Camera instruction drawings for a scene in The Fly where Jeff Goldblum climbs up the walls, sketch 2 Camera instruction drawings, sketch 2.
Carol Spier, Production Designer

The Fly, 1986
Ink on paper
28 x 21.7cm
Courtesy Carol Spier
Camera instruction drawings. Revolving stage with camera instructions.
Harold Michelson

The Fly, 1986
Pencil, ink, white-out on tracing paper
21 x 27.5cm
Collection of Carol Spier and James McAteer
Photo credit: Tom Moore (Fern Bayer Collection, Toronto Film Reference Library)
Sample of a storyboard for a scene in The Fly, with notes. Storyboard, Scene 50B Brundle starts down building.
Harold Michelson, Art Department Visual Consultant

The Fly, 1986
Graphite and ink on tracing paper
28 x 21.6cm
Courtesy Carol Spier
Sample of a storyboard for a scene in The Fly, with notes. Storyboard, Brundle crawling up wall, on the ceiling.
Harold Michelson, Art Department Visual Consultant

The Fly, 1986
Graphite and ink on tracing paper
28 x 21.6cm
Courtesy Carol Spier
Drawings for the construction of Brundle's live-in laboratory. Furniture plan for Brundle's laboratory.
Carol Spier, Production Designer

The Fly , 1986
Graphite on vellum
61 x 91.4cm
Courtesy Carol Spier

Explore the gallery below

Jeff Goldblum crouches in the skeleton on the pod from The Fly. Jeff Goldblum, who plays Seth Brundle, positions himself in an early incarnation of the telepod.

The Fly, 1986
Photographer: Attila Dory
Footage and Stills From “THE FLY” (1986) Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox.  All rights reserved.
Drawings for the construction of Brundle's pod in The Fly. Telepod sketches
Carol Spier, Production Designer

The Fly, 1986
Graphite on vellum
61 x 91.4cm
Courtesy Carol Spier
Clay telepod maquette, view 1. Preliminary Telepod maquette, view 1.
James McAteer, Set Designer

The Fly, 1986
unfired Clay
Courtesy Carol Spier
Clay telepod maquette, view 2. Preliminary Telepod maquette, view 2.
James McAteer, Set Designer

The Fly, 1986
unfired Clay
Courtesy Carol Spier

Explore the gallery below

Fly Man makeup breakdown coloured pencil sketch. Fly Man makeup breakdown sketch.
Stephan Dupuis, Creature Effects

The Fly, 1986
Coloured pencil, pastel on photocopy on paper
27.9 x 21.6cm
David Cronenberg Collection, TIFF Film Reference Library
Fly Man makeup breakdown coloured pencil sketch, stage 1. Fly Man makeup breakdown sketch, stage 1.
Stephan Dupuis, Creature Effects

The Fly, 1986
Coloured pencil, pastel on photocopy on paper
27.9 x 21.6cm
David Cronenberg Collection, TIFF Film Reference Library
Fly Man makeup breakdown coloured pencil sketch, stage 2. Fly Man makeup breakdown sketch, stage 2.
Stephan Dupuis, Creature Effects

The Fly, 1986
Coloured pencil, pastel on photocopy on paper
27.9 x 21.6cm
David Cronenberg Collection, TIFF Film Reference Library
Fly Man makeup breakdown coloured pencil sketch, stage 3. Fly Man makeup breakdown sketch, stage 3.
Stephan Dupuis, Creature Effects

The Fly, 1986
Coloured pencil, pastel on photocopy on paper
27.9 x 21.6cm
David Cronenberg Collection, TIFF Film Reference Library
Fly Man makeup breakdown coloured pencil sketch, stage 4. Fly Man makeup breakdown sketch, stage 4.
Stephan Dupuis, Creature Effects

The Fly, 1986
Coloured pencil, pastel on photocopy on paper
27.9 x 21.6cm
David Cronenberg Collection, TIFF Film Reference Library
Fly Man makeup breakdown coloured pencil sketch, stage 5. Fly Man makeup breakdown sketch, stage 5.
Stephan Dupuis, Creature Effects

The Fly, 1986
Coloured pencil, pastel on photocopy on paper
27.9 x 21.6cm
David Cronenberg Collection, TIFF Film Reference Library
Fly Man makeup breakdown coloured pencil sketch, stage 6. Fly Man makeup breakdown sketch, stage 6.
Stephan Dupuis, Creature Effects

The Fly, 1986
Coloured pencil, pastel on photocopy on paper
27.9 x 21.6cm
David Cronenberg Collection, TIFF Film Reference Library
Fly Man makeup breakdown coloured pencil sketch, stage 7. Fly Man makeup breakdown sketch, stage 7.
Stephan Dupuis, Creature Effects

The Fly, 1986
Coloured pencil, pastel on photocopy on paper
27.9 x 21.6cm
David Cronenberg Collection, TIFF Film Reference Library
Fly Man makeup breakdown pencil sketch for Jeff Goldblum. Fly Man makeup breakdown sketch for Jeff Goldblum.

The Fly, 1986
Stephan Dupuis, Creature Effects
Photocopy on paper with annotations by David Cronenberg
27.9 x 21.6cm
David Cronenberg Collection, TIFF Film Reference Library
Fly Man makeup breakdown pencil sketch for Jeff Goldblum, stage 1. Fly Man makeup breakdown sketch for Jeff Goldblum, stage 1.

The Fly, 1986
Stephan Dupuis, Creature Effects
Photocopy on paper with annotations by David Cronenberg
27.9 x 21.6cm
David Cronenberg Collection, TIFF Film Reference Library
Fly Man makeup breakdown pencil sketch for Jeff Goldblum, stage 2. Fly Man makeup breakdown sketch for Jeff Goldblum, stage 2.

The Fly, 1986
Stephan Dupuis, Creature Effects
Photocopy on paper with annotations by David Cronenberg
27.9 x 21.6cm
David Cronenberg Collection, TIFF Film Reference Library
Fly Man makeup breakdown pencil sketch for Jeff Goldblum, stage 3. Fly Man makeup breakdown sketch for Jeff Goldblum, stage 3.

The Fly, 1986
Stephan Dupuis, Creature Effects
Photocopy on paper with annotations by David Cronenberg
27.9 x 21.6cm
David Cronenberg Collection, TIFF Film Reference Library
Fly Man makeup breakdown pencil sketch for Jeff Goldblum, stage 4. Fly Man makeup breakdown sketch for Jeff Goldblum, stage 4.

The Fly, 1986
Stephan Dupuis, Creature Effects
Photocopy on paper with annotations by David Cronenberg
27.9 x 21.6cm
David Cronenberg Collection, TIFF Film Reference Library
Fly Man makeup breakdown pencil sketch for Jeff Goldblum, stage 5. Fly Man makeup breakdown sketch for Jeff Goldblum, stage 5.

The Fly, 1986
Stephan Dupuis, Creature Effects
Photocopy on paper with annotations by David Cronenberg
27.9 x 21.6cm
David Cronenberg Collection, TIFF Film Reference Library
Fly Man makeup breakdown pencil sketch for Jeff Goldblum, stage 6. Fly Man makeup breakdown sketch for Jeff Goldblum, stage 6.

The Fly, 1986
Stephan Dupuis, Creature Effects
Photocopy on paper with annotations by David Cronenberg
27.9 x 21.6cm
David Cronenberg Collection, TIFF Film Reference Library
Fly Man makeup breakdown pencil sketch for Jeff Goldblum, stage 7. Fly Man makeup breakdown sketch for Jeff Goldblum, stage 7.

The Fly, 1986
Stephan Dupuis, Creature Effects
Photocopy on paper with annotations by David Cronenberg
27.9 x 21.6cm
David Cronenberg Collection, TIFF Film Reference Library
Fly Man makeup breakdown pencil sketch for Jeff Goldblum, stage 8. Fly Man makeup breakdown sketch for Jeff Goldblum, stage 8.

The Fly, 1986
Stephan Dupuis, Creature Effects
Photocopy on paper with annotations by David Cronenberg
27.9 x 21.6cm
David Cronenberg Collection, TIFF Film Reference Library
Pre-transformation sketch of Seth Brundle (view 1). Jeff Goldblum sketch (view 1).
Stephan Dupuis, Creature Effects

The Fly, 1986
Pencil crayon on paper. Inscribed: "1985 'The Fly' Jeff Goldblum #0"
36.5 x 28.5cm
Courtesy Stephan Dupuis
Pre-transformation sketch of Seth Brundle (view 2). Jeff Goldblum sketch (view 2).
Stephan Dupuis, Creature Effects

The Fly, 1986
Pencil crayon on paper
6.5 x 28.5cm
Courtesy Stephan Dupuis
Preliminary sketch of Brundlefly in its late stage (1). Makeup breakdown sketch (1).
Stephan Dupuis, Creature Effects

The Fly, 1986
Pencil crayon on paper
36.5 x 28.5cm
Courtesy Stephan Dupuis
Preliminary sketch of Brundlefly in its late stage (2). Make-up breakdown sketch (2).
Stephan Dupuis, Creature Effects

The Fly, 1986
36.5 x 28.5cm
Pencil crayon on paper
Courtesy Stephan Dupuis
Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum) begins to show signs of transformation in The Fly. An early stage of Seth Brundle's (Jeff Goldblum) physical transformation.

The Fly, 1986
Photographer: Attila Dory
Footage and Stills From “THE FLY” (1986) Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox.  All rights reserved.
Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum) observes the degradation of his body in the mirror. Jeff Goldblum as Seth Brundle.

The Fly, 1986
Photographer: Attila Dory
Footage and Stills From “THE FLY” (1986) Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox.  All rights reserved.
Veronica Quaife (Geena Davis) is attacked by Brundlefly (Jeff Goldblum) in a scene from The Fly. Jeff Goldblum as Seth Brundle, in an advanced stage of his character's physcial transformation, and Geena Davis as Veronica Quaife.

The Fly, 1986
Photographer: Attila Dory
Footage and Stills From “THE FLY” (1986) Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox.  All rights reserved.

Fly head, as seen in the film The Fly.
Life-size head of the Fly creature (prop).
Chris Walas Inc., Creature Effects

The Fly, 1986
Foam rubber, bristles
34 x 21 x 28cm
David Cronenberg Collection, TIFF Film Reference Library