‘Its sheer madness is unparalleled’: inside the production design of I Love Boosters
by https://www.creativebloq.com/author/natalie-fear · Creative Bloq- Copy link
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Boots Riley's absurdist crime comedy I Love Boosters is far from conventional. From its stunning movie posters to its action-packed trailer, it's not a movie that comes quietly. Following a group of shoplifters as they face off against fashion mogul Christie Smith, the film soon spirals into a surreal science fiction body horror with some slicing social commentary for good measure.
But such an eccentric story needs immersive production design to match – that's where Christopher Glass comes in. To understand the meticulous practical effects process behind I Love Boosters and more, I sat down with Christopher to uncover the intricate artistry of production design and the evolution of the industry.
Christopher Glass
Christopher Glass is an Art Director Guild (ADG) Award-winning and Gold Cannes Lion-winning Production Designer whose work spans feature films, television, and commercials. Known for creating visually ambitious, emotionally resonant worlds - he has collaborated with some of the most influential directors working in film and advertising today.
How has your industry changed since you first started out?
I think beyond the obvious technological changes that have happened in the last 25 years (iPhones, iPads, Motion Capture/LED Volumes, real-time rendering and now AI) the largest conditions that have changed in the industry are economic.
The decentralization of film work from a Los Angeles hub to being scattered all over the world, chasing the latest tax rebate; the creation of IP-obsessed streaming platforms with tech companies swallowing traditional studios via ever larger mergers and acquisitions have created an environment where there is less work in general.
When there is work, it tends to be less creative and completely risk-averse. There is a focus on collecting libraries of “content” versus actually having an interest in making great films, TV shows or commercials. That’s why movies like “I Love Boosters” and what NEON and A24 are doing is much needed today.
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In an ideal world, film companies would break away from these monstrous corporations and return to smaller autonomous studios, run by people who truly care about telling unique and compelling stories.
What's your favourite example of practical effects in filmmaking that people often overlook?
I think miniatures and forced perspective are my favorite practical effects, overlooked not only by audiences but also by filmmakers themselves. Filmmakers sometimes don’t know or realize these are great options for getting tangible effects in camera.
People tend to think miniatures have to be small buildings and cars. I have used 70% scale miniature “backings” to eliminate the need for LED walls or traditional translight backings. You get parallax when you move the camera. You can dress or light up windows how you want and change everything in modular ways. You can design sets with forced perspective to make things look further away or more expansive. These are techniques that have been around for over 100 years.
We used miniatures on “I Love Boosters” in a different way. Almost the entire third act is a combination of full-scale and 1/6th and 1/12th scale miniatures. We have stop-motion characters running across moving vehicles, down streets and alleys. It was an intentional choice for the handmade look.
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In fact, when we were shooting, our Director Boots Riley thought some of the miniature shots started looking too real and told the folks at Blind Beagle FX (the miniature company run by Christopher Warren) to make them look more “miniature.”
What has been your favourite project throughout your career?
I have a few favorite projects for varying reasons. “I Love Boosters” stands out for sure. Its sheer madness and creativity are unparalleled for me. I also really loved doing the battlefield war sets for “12 Strong” – which was a completely different experience – and “The Jungle Book” will always be a special film for me. I learned a hell of a lot from that and really loved the people I worked with.
What's the most challenging practical effects project you've ever worked on?
Hands down, the Apple short film directed by Spike Jonze starring FKA Twigs called “Welcome Home.” Every detail, from the lighting, camera, props, actor choreography, music cues, and artwork, was subject to complicated practical effects and moving set pieces.
As an example, we built the apartment twice. One was “normal” and unmoving. The other one was the magic trick set where everything moved and stretched. Each moving piece affected the next, like a domino effect.
HomePod — Welcome Home by Spike Jonze — Apple - YouTube
One time Spike asked me to move the coffee table about 4 inches in one direction. I had to explain to him that the metal table, with a spring-loaded stretching magazine was attached to the stretching rug, and both were bolted into moving tracks underneath the floor connected to levers hidden just out of view of the perpendicularly moving walls at the end of the room… So it wouldn’t be easy.
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Everything in that set depended on precise placement, choreography and movement. Every pattern and texture of fabric had to be precisely made and printed to achieve the “pixel” stretching effect throughout. The umbrella on a stand, a bike and a lamp had to be meticulously sculpted to be extruded by movement.
The large moving wall actually hovered on air bearings and was timed to the music. The hallway was made of ribbons stretched with so much tension, it bent the original steel frame and had to be rebuilt before shooting. The list goes on and on. Nothing was easy about that project. I thought it was the end of my career, and it was all going to go down in flames. But to my pleasant surprise, we won a Gold Cannes Lion for Film Craft.
Coming in close second for most difficult was “I Love Boosters!”