Shraman Mitra
‘Designing Miami’ is an exciting design reality show that follows interior designers, Eilyn and Ray Jimenez as they set about making a name for themselves in Miami. However, herein lies the twist as even though Eilyn and Ray are happily married and live in the same apartment, they head different interior designing firms and are each other’s, professional competitors. In fact, they often bid on the same project together and are pretty cutthroat when it comes to their business. Hence, it is exciting to witness how they balance their interpersonal and professional relationship while passing one milestone after the other on their way to success.
Throughout the show, we see Eilyn and Ray take up jobs at different locations in and around the city of Miami. While they deal with clients, contractors, and their employees on a daily basis, one might wonder if the conversations are scripted. Moreover, once the interior design firms are done working on a space, the transformation is so drastic that audiences might wonder if it was put on just for the show. Hence, we decided to jump in and find out if ‘Designing Miami’ is indeed unscripted, as the network claims.
Is Designing Miami Real or Fake?
Netflix has billed ‘Designing Miami’ to be an unscripted series ever since its premiere, and we find no reason to believe otherwise. An unscripted TV show entails that the filming is entirely script-free and that cast members are allowed to act of their own free will while the cameras are rolling. Besides, the production is also not allowed to construct and rehearse scenes before recreating them in front of the camera. However, that being said, viewers must note that the narrative is always susceptible to minor modifications in order to make it more appealing.
Nevertheless, ‘Designing Miami’ is quite honest in its approach as both Eilyn and Ray invite cameras into their offices and allows the network to document the way they go about conducting business. Moreover, they are also quite open when conversing with clients in front of a camera and do not hesitate to call a spade a spade if such a situation ever arises. Besides, on top of it all, the show documents Eilyn and Ray’s success and also showcases their drawbacks. This becomes especially clear when Ray is portrayed as struggling under pressure and, with no one to help him, even resorts to pulling all-nighters, which adversely affects his health.
Interestingly, apart from documenting the professional side, ‘Designing Miami’ takes us into Eilyn and Ray’s personal lives and even gives us a glimpse into their apartment. This is where the show’s authenticity shines, as instead of keeping the apartment as spotless and perfect as possible for the cameras, the place looks lived in, and the couple behaves as if the cameras do not exist. Moreover, they also refrain from holding back when talking about each other and reveal not just their positives but also the obstacles they have overcome while living together.
However, despite the genuineness, readers should note that a network is always obliged to maximize its profits. Since dramatic plots attract more viewers, producers often try to influence the narrative of reality shows through minor edits in post-production. Keeping that aside, fans can rest assured that ‘Designing Miami’ is as authentic as it can get.
Read More: Where Is Designing Miami Filmed?
