THE HOLDOVERS
Directed By Alexander Payne
Production Designed by Ryan Warren Smith
I worked on Alexander Payne's The Holdovers off and on for nearly two years. It is by far my most immersive experience in the making of a film including filming, post production, marketing and the design of the artwork for the soundtrack and a one sheet poster. My first task was creating a brand for our fictional school, Barton Academy. While the Boston locations provided a lived-in backdrop, we needed to make the place a character in itself. The script called for an academy that was founded in the 18th century, so I felt we needed to show some visual progression, in the crest in particular. This version is meant to give the feel that it was created sometime around the turn of the 20th century. I then created a more mid-century version that we used on test books, code of conduct and flyers. The mascot was also a big player. I wanted something that felt real in the space and emitted the right energy for an institution that prepped young men to be leaders. His derisive snort is my favorite feature. The carved dedication to war heroes in the chapel wall was something I did digitally in post production, along with the memorials carved into the chapel stones. The signs, pennants and banners needed to be period accurate and add to the rigid environment we were creating. The flyers, while only atmosphere were a fun playground to inject some callbacks to other projects and hide some Easter eggs.
Angus Tully has his secrets. Among them are his affinity for Zap Comics and a little smut. I wanted to make my own skin mag for Tully to be sneaking a peek at. Alexander wanted it to be more trashy than mainstream. I found some saucy ladies for the cover and did some extensive research on smut mags of the time to get my cover art. DENT was born. The Kinky Tale within I wrote myself. The updated Barton seal is on his notebook. The photo of the Tullys holds another secret. While initially done during production, this is another element that was created digitally in post production. The hospital pharmacy was a fun project. I designed the sign which was built by a Prop Shop. The flyers and signs that go with it are modeled after actual pieces from the era. With a keen eye you can see my name on the Pharmacist placard. Very often in my work I need to go beyond the basic design of elements and need to create composites to inform the Art Department how the elements I create are meant to work in those spaces. The Christmas Tree lot was one of those situations. The design of some bespoke looking pieces created a nice contrast to the situation and ended up being one of my favorite moments in the movie. The Salon and TV Repair shop is an example of creating a set digitally and providing a road map for the decorators. This was a personal set for both the director and the production designer. I had to make sure it delivered. The flyers, ads and window graphics were all thoughtfully designed. The nail salon was a personal project for me. It is a tribute to my mom and my neighborhood. A period liquor store is always going to be a challenge. We were fortunate in finding accurate labels and getting permission to display real brands, but there is always need for the personal touch. The stripes on the cooler were designed to give the tiny space some movement and color. The stripes are misaligned purposefully to back up the nature of Tully and Mr. Hunham's growing friendship.
Getting the environment outside the academy right was challenging. It was important for us to create the vibe that this was a working class area, but not so run down that it seemed too old to be the 1970's. The Winning Ticket we made from the ground up. The sign is one of my favorites. It looks like it has been there for a decade. The Boston area gave us a lot. We needed to dress it for dinner though. Some period signage, taxi cabs and digital coverups brought the scenes to the next level. Devin's Dungeon is another post FX. The owner of the shop on location wasn't too helpful the days we were filming, so what better than to turn the place into an adult bookstore. Too Hot For Sweden! The Panty Hose ad was Alexander's idea and I ran with it... The scenes in the State Hospital where Tully connects with his father are powerful and needed an austere look. The signs are simple and to the point. This was a particular favorite of designer Ryan W. Smith. Ryan is a pleasure to work with. He is open to ideas and having worked together before, albeit short-lived, we were efficient in dialing in the look and feel that Alexander wanted for the film. Items made as props require a bit more attention. The pill bottles I knew would be seen up close, so extra care was taken to make them ready for their close up. More Easter eggs here, not least is Hertzels Pharmacy. A callback to About Schmidt. Meditations was something that went through some evolution. Mr. Hunham's go to holiday gift had to look great up close, but we also wanted to give the character a splash of playfulness with a colorful cover art. This was a nice moment in the film that displays the cohesion of the primary characters.
Being a 70's baby this project meant a lot to me. I had never really done a period film before, but I have created many things for film meant to look vintage. I love the mid-century aesthetic, so I really went deep to make things for The Holdovers as authentic as possible. Alexander and I have collaborated on many things over the years, but I can say this the film I am most proud of. I added some extra treats to the site, the movie poster I created and title animations for the movie, among other things. Please take a minute to look around.
NWC