With just a short time left until the highly anticipated live-action “Barbie” movie hits the screens. Meanwhile, the production team has been gradually unveiling intriguing details about the film, including a surprising impact they had on the world — causing an international shortage of pink paint.
In a recent interview with Architectural Digest, production designer Sarah Greenwood, set decorator Katie Spencer, and director Greta Gerwig shed some light on their creative process. They aimed to capture the incredibly essence of Barbie’s world, particularly the iconic Barbie Dreamhouse, which was the subject of the Architectural Digest feature.
“I wanted the pinks to be very bright, and everything to be almost too much,” Gerwig told AD. She shared that “the ‘kid-ness’ was paramount” — evoking the feeling of never forgetting “what made [her] love Barbie” as a young girl.
Why Pink Was Essential to the Film
The production team had a bold vision: they aimed to create a world filled with pink props, sets, and clothing—essentially anything that appeared on screen in the movie. To achieve this, they needed a massive amount of pink paint, as per a report by Variety.
Production designer Sarah Greenwood realized that she would need to source this signature pink shade from Rosco, a renowned company in the industry. However, their endeavor quickly led to an unexpected turn of events. As Greenwood put it, “The world ran out of pink.” They had utilized so much pink paint that Rosco was left with none.
Prior to this, Greenwood, director Greta Gerwig, and the team constructed a set on the Warner Bros. lot in London. Their creative inspiration drew from various sources, including the Palm Springs’ Kaufmann House, San Francisco Queen Anne Victorian architecture, the artwork of Wayne Thiebaud, and films like “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” and Gene Kelly’s “An American in Paris,” according to the report.
When the Los Angeles Times inquired about the pink paint shortage, Lauren Proud, VP of global marketing at Rosco, confirmed that the production team had indeed completely depleted their stock of paint. Their project had left a significant impact, creating a worldwide scarcity of pink paint.
But is the Claim True?
But it turns out that the claim of causing a pink paint shortage is not as straightforward as initially presented, according to The Vulture. Lauren Proud, the vice president of global marketing for Rosco, has provided clarification regarding the matter to the Los Angeles Times.
Proud explained that while Rosco did indeed run out of that specific shade of pink paint during Barbie’s production, the company had already been dealing with a reduced inventory in 2022. The global supply chain was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, causing shortages across various industries. Additionally, Rosco had faced challenges due to a severe freeze in Texas in 2021, which had damaged the materials used in their paint production.
Proud further mentioned that Rosco provided the production team with everything they could, given the existing supply constraints. She expressed skepticism regarding the claim that the team single-handedly caused the shortage. However, it is worth noting that even with limited supply, Barbie’s production did utilize all the remaining pink paint that Rosco had available.
So, while the story of the pink paint shortage may not be entirely as sensational as initially portrayed, the production team certainly made the most of the resources provided by Rosco, the report said.
What is the Barbie Film About?
“Barbie” is an upcoming fantasy comedy film, helmed by director Greta Gerwig, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Noah Baumbach. The movie takes inspiration from the popular Barbie fashion dolls created by Mattel and is influenced by Mary Pipher’s non-fiction book “Reviving Ophelia,” published in 1994. This live-action adaptation marks a departure from the computer-animated direct-to-video and streaming television films previously released under the Barbie franchise. Leading the cast are Margot Robbie, portraying Barbie, and Ryan Gosling as Ken. The film also features a talented ensemble supporting cast.
The long-awaited moment finally arrived on December 15, 2022, when the first teaser trailer for the Barbie movie made its debut on the big screen. People have been anticipating the film due to it being the first live action Barbie film. The trailer quickly took the internet by storm after Warner Bros. released it online the following day.
The trailer opens with a clever homage to Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey,” accompanied by the iconic music of Richard Strauss’ “Also sprach Zarathustra.” We see a group of young girls, dressed in raggedy clothing, playing with dolls. Helen Mirren’s voice narrates, expressing the historical lack of diversity in girlhood playthings, until one pivotal day.
The scene then transitions to reveal a gigantic Margot Robbie, dressed in a black and white striped swimsuit, portraying Barbie. (The first Barbie wore that exact dress). She towers over the little girls and playfully winks at them. The girls become ecstatic and start smashing their baby dolls in excitement. As the frenzy builds, one doll is flung into the air, spinning dramatically, before the trailer abruptly cuts to the title card.
The music shifts to a more lively tune as the trailer showcases a quick montage of exciting scenes. We catch glimpses of Margot Robbie’s Barbie overlooking the vibrant Barbieland, Simu Liu participating in energetic dance parties, a first glimpse of Ryan Gosling’s action-packed portrayal of Ken, and a brief moment featuring Issa Rae, who appears to be cheering alongside a ribbon with the word “President” on it.
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