THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT ON SET
Behind The Scenes of The Netflix Hit
Though we wish we could have been on the set of Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit, the streaming service provided us with a bird’s eye view of the chess-focused drama. You can watch the video above.
Writer/director Scott Frank and starring actress Anya Taylor-Joy eloquently lead us through the different elements of the compelling narrative about Beth Harmon, a female chess prodigy. From the beginning, Taylor-Joy said she related to Beth. Walter Tevis, who wrote the novel, says that the story is less about chess and more about Beth fighting her demons.
The series tactfully weaves in Beth’s vices and obsessions: drugs, alcohol, sex, and, most of all, winning. Beth’s psyche was a common thread throughout the series. Cinematographer Steven Meizler made use of closeups to get into characters’ heads. The technique was one way to make chess cinematic while maintaining game accuracy.
Of course, the video dives deep into set design and costuming, headed by Uli Hanisch and Gabriele Binder, respectively. Throughout the series, we see checkered patterns infiltrate the design and costumes, creating a beautiful synergy and visually pleasing background.
Scott Frank says the mini-series format allowed for “rich, more complex” characters and storytelling — and thank God for that. At the center of it all is Beth, one of the most captivating personalities of 2020.
“What’s fascinating about watching her grow up is that she puts on all of these different personas,” Taylor-Joy says. “It is incredibly sad because it’s basically just saying that she just doesn’t feel that she’s enough without them.”
