Directed By Alexander Payne
ELECTION
Production Designed by Jane Ann Stewart
First things first. This was by far the most fun I've had making a film. I was new to the business and really had no idea what the whole thing was about. But once I got going and I was creating Wolverines slam dunking basketballs and tossing shotputs that would end up 15 feet tall I knew I was where I belonged. I was allowed to create the Carver High Wolverines brand. Mascots, apparel, yearbooks... school pride every which way.
Then of course there were the porno boxes. The film in a film "Touchdown" is where I really made an impression on Alexander. My story synopsis and little details made this moment more realistic and believable. And it paved the way to more than two decades of collaboration with the "Bard of Omaha"
The Carver High gymnasium was my Sistine Chapel. It was a massive set loaded with mascots, posters and sweatshirts. I even hung my own banners from the rafters. Days later I was in the rain hanging my Immaculate Heart graphics on a scoreboard.
While Tracy Flick's campaign posters were bespoke and a little low rent, Paul Metzler needed sharper looking posters. They still needed that done by a high schooler look to them though, so I used some dopey clip art and made sure his photos had poorly placed seams in them. Tracy tearing them off the walls is one of my favorite moments.
Pan and Scan newspapers and the rudimentary animated map in the final act were icing on the cake for me. We designed and built a neon sign with a pooping cement truck for Paul's party scene. That sign hangs in my former sign shop to this day, and the giant wolverines occupy my garage. Carver High Football Rules!
Alexander Payne and Jane Stewart took a chance on me when I was starting out. They let me play, and I think together we created some great movie moments. People I work with love this film. They want to know when Election Reunion is coming!
NWC