Interview with François Audouy: Exploring Bob Dylan’s World and the Nuances of Musical Biopics in ‘A Complete Unknown’

Production designer François Audouy brings a wealth of experience to period dramas, having previously worked on titles like Air and Ford v Ferrari. However, his skills faced a significant challenge with Searchlight Pictures’ Oscar-nominated film, A Complete Unknown, where he was entrusted with recreating iconic music-related locations, vital to depicting the essence of the era.

The genre of musical biopics has gained considerable traction in recent years, with critically acclaimed hits like Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman securing their places in both box-office success and audience affection. These films resonate deeply with fans and new viewers alike when crafted with care. It was thus inevitable that a biopic chronicling the life of Bob Dylan would eventually emerge.

A Complete Unknown features Timothée Chalamet in the pivotal role of the legendary singer-songwriter. The narrative delves into Dylan’s rapid ascent to fame, portraying key moments of his journey, including his bond with Woody Guthrie (played by Scoot McNairy) and the pivotal moment when he embraced his controversial approach, challenging the folk music scene of the 1960s. Authenticity in aesthetic representation is crucial for a period film set in that defining decade, especially one centered on a figure like Dylan, making the careful selection of locations and settings a priority for Audouy.

Balancing Authenticity and Creativity in A Complete Unknown

The film traverses a range of significant locations, including Greystone Hospital, bustling bars in Greenwich Village, and the Newport Folk Festival. Each of these settings played a pivotal role in shaping Dylan into the artist recognized today. As the storyline draws from historical events, Audouy faced the critical task of faithfully reflecting the ambiance of the 1960s while encapsulating the challenges and experiences that Dylan encountered as a burgeoning musician amidst the backdrop of Cold War anxieties and conservative norms. Achieving this vision required a delicate blend of accurate replicas and creative interpretations.

“That’s what was so much fun about this movie. There were different categories of sets—there were sets where we wanted to be as true, as real as possible, kind of like recreations of the actual spaces, which is Bob Dylan’s apartment but also … Columbia Records Studio A was an exact recreation of the space down to all the instruments and the microphones and the mixing board. Everything was perfectly recreated because it’s iconic. It’s like a high, holy space where these incredible albums were recorded. We really wanted it to look identical and to also sound identical because it was all live recordings.

And then there were other spaces that had to feel right. They weren’t exact recreations, but they had to feel like what it must’ve felt like for Bob to go visit his idol at Greystone Hospital on a Sunday morning in January. There was no historical reference of that meeting, of course, but I was after capturing a feeling of that institution of where he lived for the last waning years of his life and what it must’ve felt like to live in those sort of sterile conditions.”

Audouy emphasizes the need for thoughtful planning in production design. “As a production designer, you need a lot of time to think,” he states. “It’s not just picking up a pencil and drawing a set and building the walls. As I’ve been doing this for a while now, I’ve realized that a lot of the job is thinking and also being sensitive to the evocative nature of spaces and what it feels to be in them.”

Given the importance of locations like Columbia Records Studio A for music enthusiasts, and especially dedicated Bob Dylan fans, Audouy rightly identifies the significance of achieving an authentic recreation of these spaces. Their presence on screen can elicit profound emotional responses from audiences, further enriching the storytelling experience.

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