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M O N S T E R S : T H E L Y L E A N D E R I K M E N E N D E Z S T O R Y | P E R S P E C T I V E 7 5 Meeting with Ryan In May of 2023, Ryan Murphy and I met to discuss the design and look of season two of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. We talked about how the story of the crime would be approached from different viewpoints in the script. The story spanned over three decades, starting in the 1960s through the end of 1996 when Lyle and Erik were convicted and sentenced to life in prison. I remembered exactly when the murder of Jose and Kitty Menendez occurred, as it dominated the news, and I also vividly remember the bold styles that had a strong presence in America. We talked about the various builds on stage, and especially about the tone and look of the show. Our show would primarily take place in sunny Beverly Hills, with its characteristic palm trees and bright blue skies. The story had a very different backdrop than the gritty world of Dahmer in the first season. Ryan had the color blue in mind as the dominant color throughout the second season of Monsters. Color Having a color theme is instrumental and every project I've worked on starts with a specific color palette and builds from there. For instance, with Hollywood, we used mostly browns and warm golds and for Dahmer, it was a very dingy and gloomy yellow. In the '80s there was a strong shift from the gritty earth tones of the 1970s to the more primary colors and pastels. With each project, I tend to focus on three or four colors. I find places to incorporate them into the design and add complementary colors to help accentuate them and achieve visual uniformity in the show's design. For Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, it was blue, red, white and gray. Hero Reference Books Starting any project represents a new learning experience. I always read the script several times and allow the images to flow into my head. Then, the research process begins. Besides the internet, I enjoy scouring bookstores. I consider them a refuge for inspiration. I love the hunt! I spend A-C. ELM DRIVE MURDER ROOM. ILLUSTRATIONS BY DWAYNE BURGESS. B C