The capsules are entirely soundproof – participants are interacting with each other through speakers.
Netflix’s unique dating show, “Love is Blind,” implemented an ingenious idea to ensure complete privacy for its contestants. Originally, the producers planned to have the pods soundproofed on only a few sides, allowing sound to pass through the light-up walls. However, they soon realized that this caused sound to bleed from one pod to another, compromising the contestants’ privacy.
To address this issue, the producers made a crucial decision – they decided to make the entire pod soundproof. This meant that the contestants could communicate with each other through speakers, without any external interference. As co-creator and executive producer Chris Coelen explained in an interview with Variety in 2020, each pod was equipped with a small speaker on the front wall that allowed the contestants to hear each other. It was just the two individuals in the pod, with no producers or any other personnel present.
Furthermore, to add a personal touch, the cast members were given the option to bring their own engagement rings or choose from a limited selection. This allowed them to express their individual preferences and added an element of customization to the show.
With these innovative approaches, “Love is Blind” managed to create a truly unique and private environment for its contestants, ensuring an authentic and immersive dating experience like no other.
Participants in the competition have the luxury of selecting their preferred ring designs. According to Netflix’s Coelen, gentlemen are given the choice of “approximately 10 to 12 various styles and shades” of rings. In addition, if they desire, they are allowed to bring their own personal ring to the show. Interestingly, Coelen mentioned that female contestants also have the opportunity to propose during the show, despite no one having taken up on this option so far. It is worth noting that the show is typically recorded a year or two in advance of its actual airing.
Couples participating in the show “Love Is Blind” had to maintain secrecy about their relationship status until the finale episode aired on Netflix. Despite having a mere 38 days to connect, get engaged, and tie the knot, they had to endure a year-long wait before their journey was televised and they could openly share their relationships with the world.
According to “Love Is Blind” contestant Damian Powers, the series had concluded filming in November of 2018, but it wasn’t until February 2020 that the show aired on television. This meant that the couples who found love on the show had to keep their marriages under wraps, especially on social media, so as not to spoil the surprise ending.
The second season of “Love Is Blind” was filmed in 2021 and aired in 2022. However, unlike popular belief, the producers of the show did not extensively plan the contestants’ dates and were not overly involved in their romantic encounters.
Except if they were put into pods and had their meetings scheduled for them, Netflix’s reality dating show, Love Is Blind, gave contestants more autonomy in their relationships compared to other heavily produced shows of the same genre, according to Chris Coelen, the show’s creator. Coelen aimed to let contestants have control over their experiences within the limitations of the pods. In 2020, Coelen explained to Oprah magazine, “If a contestant expressed a desire to have a lasagna dinner with someone, we made sure they got their lasagna. They had the freedom to do anything except touch or see each other… We wanted them to make their own decisions and shape their destinies.”
Additionally, contestants were not given prompts or specific topics to discuss during their interactions. As Coelen shared with Variety, “We never interrupted them with a producer saying, ‘Hey, talk about this, talk about that.’ They simply did what they wanted.”
However, the producers did assist contestants in arranging dates with particular individuals.
The dates were organized by the producers of the show, “Love Is Blind.” In this unique dating experiment, the contestants were unable to see each other or communicate outside of a confined space called the pod. So, how did they end up in a pod with the person they were interested in? The producers played a crucial role in arranging these connections.
According to Coelen, one of the show’s creators, the contestants were given the opportunity to choose who they wanted to continue talking to. If both parties were interested in getting to know each other better, the producers would ensure that they were paired up and had the chance to meet in the pods. Coelen revealed these details during an interview with Oprah magazine.
In the beginning, there were around 40 to 50 individuals who made up the season-one cast of the show.
Following a span of 10 days, the lineup of contestants on the Netflix series “Love Is Blind” was diminished. According to Coelen, the show’s producer, the initial cast comprised approximately 40 to 50 individuals as revealed in an interview with E! News in 2020. Throughout the period spent conversing in isolation pods, a handful of contestants were eliminated, resulting in a reduced pool of around 20 to 25 individuals. As the process unfolded, it became apparent that certain individuals were attracting more attention than others. Consequently, a decision was made to narrow down the group to focus on those who were forming stronger connections, giving them more opportunities to bond. It is worth noting that although additional couples may become engaged during the show, their stories may not be prominently featured.
Season one of the popular Netflix series “Love Is Blind” featured a total of six engaged couples. Surprisingly, the producers and creators of the show didn’t anticipate the overwhelming success and number of couples that would become engaged. In fact, there were even more couples who got engaged but couldn’t be included in the series. Chris Coelen, one of the show’s producers, admitted to feeling nervous about whether any couples would actually make it to the altar. However, in the end, they had more engaged couples than they could follow on the show. Coelen revealed that a total of eight couples got engaged during season one, but only six of them were showcased.
In season two, there were reportedly two additional couples who got engaged, but unfortunately, their stories weren’t featured on the show. It seems that the phenomenon of using celebrities to describe one’s appearance to potential matches is a common tactic amongst many contestants on the show.
Vanessa Lachey appeared to suggest that these depictions were not consistently correct. Netflix’s show hosts Nick and Vanessa Lachey revealed on a segment of “People Now” in 2020 that participants often resorted to comparing their looks to famous celebrities as a way to visually convey their appearance to potential matches on the other side of the wall. When discussing this, Vanessa hinted that some of the contestants’ assertions of resembling certain celebrities may not have always been entirely truthful. Additionally, since participants had the freedom to remain in the pods for as long as they desired, it sometimes led to contestants dozing off.
Producers had to encourage certain participants on the Netflix show to pause and grab a bite to eat. In the pods, where couples were allowed to remain for as long as they wished, some dates even turned into impromptu napping sessions. According to Coelen, the creator of the show, some individuals expressed their desire to spend as much time as possible conversing with their match by saying, “I love to fall asleep in the pod with the person I’m talking to.” Coelen further revealed in an interview with AV Club that contestants sometimes needed reminders to take breaks for essential tasks like eating, using the restroom, conducting interviews, or simply getting some sleep, as they were so engrossed in their ongoing conversations with potential partners. At first, the dates were brief, but they soon evolved into marathon sessions lasting hours on end.
The duration of the dates in the pods on “Love Is Blind” could not be easily determined due to the editing of the show. However, according to the show’s creator, the lengths of the dates varied depending on the stage of the process. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly in 2020, he explained that in the beginning, when there were many contestants to go through, the dates would be short, lasting only around seven to 10 minutes. But as time progressed, the couples would spend hours together, engaging in multiple conversations throughout the day. While in the pods, the contestants had the freedom to suggest special activities for their dates, as long as they adhered to two rules.
Participants were given the freedom to engage in various activities during the competition on Netflix. According to Coelen, the show’s creator, there were some limitations such as the inability to see or physically interact with each other. However, apart from these constraints, the contestants were encouraged to explore their creativity and enjoy a wide range of options. They could choose to have dinner, indulge in games, express themselves through painting, or opt for any other activity that would enhance the personal nature of their date. Notably, contestants were completely disconnected from their devices, leaving behind their computers and cell phones for the duration of the show.
It was a deliberate decision to strip the contestants of their cell phones and technology on the reality show “Love Is Blind,” just like many other reality shows do. The show’s premise, according to Coelen, was to challenge the reliance on dating apps and technology in finding love. In today’s society, where dating apps and technology have made people feel disposable and superficial, the idea was to remove these devices and encourage the contestants to truly connect with each other. This was achieved through various means on the show.
