How the Oscars Production Designers Misty Buckley & Alana Billingsley Prep the Stage Long Before Movies’ Biggest Night

Production designers Misty Buckley and Alana Billingsley are the quiet architects behind Hollywood’s biggest live spectacles—the Oscars, the Grammys, and the Super Bowl halftime show—but their work on the 97th Academy Awards was something special. Fresh off their 2024 Emmy win for the previous year’s Oscars, the duo once again transformed the Dolby Theatre into a shimmering “temple of alchemy,” crafting a show that married theatricality, technology, and meticulous craftsmanship. From Ben Stiller’s now-viral “broken” stage bit to the gold‑veined pyramid centerpiece and category‑specific visual storytelling, Buckley and Billingsley delivered a night that set a five‑year ratings high while celebrating the artisans who keep Hollywood’s creative engine running.

It’s All About the Doors: Production Designers at Comic-Con

“These images are more widely recognized than Michelangelo’s David or the Parthenon,” John Muto (Home Alone) said as he introduced the members of the production designers panel with a series of clips from films like The Avengers and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and television series like True Blood and Constantine.

 Before you hear a word of dialog or learn a character’s name,