killer martini
production designer
DIRECTOR
ALEJANDRO IRIAS
DIEGO GARCIA
CONCEPT DESIGNER
ROLE
Set in 1963 on the island of Roatán, Killer Martini is a suspense thriller that blends political intrigue with personal stakes. As a conceptual designer, I collaborated closely with the production designer to define a distinctive, modern visual identity that captured both the glamour and the tension of the era.
My work involved designing key environments, props, and keyshots that anchored the film in a stylized version of the 1960s Caribbean—infused with subtle political undertones and cinematic elegance. From luxurious interiors to shadowed corners filled with uncertainty, every space was crafted to reflect the dualities of the story: beauty and danger, nostalgia and threat, secrecy and spectacle.
A Stylish Conspiracy
Aesthetic Control in a Suspense World
To shape the film’s environments and visual tone, I grounded the design process in Art Deco principles, using symmetry, geometry, and stylized ornamentation as a visual language across props and sets. This aesthetic was reinterpreted through a Caribbean lens—combining rich textures, faded elegance, and political undertones. Rather than replicating period styles, the goal was to translate their essence into storytelling tools, creating objects and spaces that spoke of power, surveillance, and social hierarchy. My visual studies helped define spatial relationships, atmosphere, and rhythm—guiding the production team with references that were both historical and narratively driven.
This design approach also guided the creation of props and key elements, where every object served a narrative purpose. Items like radios, decanters, and signage were designed to reflect character, status, and tension—subtly reinforcing the story through materials, form, and detail. Each piece echoed the film’s visual language, blending Art Deco influence with Caribbean identity.
LIGHT AS A CHARACTER
Light and color played a fundamental role in shaping the emotional landscape of the film. I approached them not only as aesthetic components, but as narrative devices—tools to guide tension, perception, and tone. Warm, saturated tones were used in intimate scenes to suggest false comfort, while colder or high-contrast palettes heightened moments of suspense and political manipulation. Strategic lighting design—through slats, silhouettes, and reflections—was essential in creating atmospheres charged with secrecy and psychological pressure, reinforcing the sense that danger was always present, even in the most elegant settings.
This visual language extended beyond luxury environments. In more modest or raw locations—like backrooms, corridors, or transitional spaces—the same principles were applied using shadow, desaturation, and fragmented light. The goal was to preserve narrative continuity and ensure that tension remained embedded in every corner of the film’s world, regardless of scale or opulence.
Key Design Moments
Several scenes required a heightened level of visual storytelling, where design played a central narrative role. One of the key moments was the Private gala inside the villa, a space that blended tropical sensuality with sharp political tension. The use of dark wood, polished brass, and geometric tile patterns helped frame the scene as both intimate and dangerous.