Marty supreme: 5 set design secrets from the film's production design expert

A24’s sports comedy drama, Marty Supreme, directed by Josh Safdie, is generating Oscar buzz, and much of that is thanks to its meticulously crafted production design. The film loosely adapts the life of legendary table tennis player Marty Reisman, and the sets transport viewers to a vibrant, gritty 1950s New York. We sat down with veteran production designer Jack Fisk to uncover the secrets behind creating this immersive world. Fisk, known for his Oscar-nominated work on films like There Will Be Blood and The Revenant, shared insights into the challenges and triumphs of bringing Reisman's world to life. He's quite the master of his craft.

Recreating 1950s new york: a journey back in time

Fisk and set decorator Adam Willis didn't just want to depict 1950s New York; they sought to capture its soul. Drawing inspiration from Fisk's childhood in Illinois, they scoured vintage shops, prop houses, and even temporarily acquired businesses to achieve authenticity. One key find was Norkin's Shoes, a shoe store crammed with 8,000 boxes, meticulously color-checked and labeled to reflect the era. “I remember when I was a kid in a little town in Illinois, I went into the shoe store that had a machine where you could put your feet in,” Fisk recalled. This element of nostalgia became a cornerstone of the film’s visual identity.

The iconic lawrence's table tennis club: a hub of activity

A central location in the film is Lawrence's Table Tennis Club, a real Prohibition-era speakeasy that served as a social hub for table tennis and high-stakes gambling. Fisk painstakingly recreated the club's atmosphere, using archival imagery and city tax records to piece together the original floor plan. He discovered the club had a fascinating past, having previously functioned as an indoor golf club with murals of gardens and trees.