Awards Chatter Jack Fisk - 'Marty Supreme'
Feb 5, 2026
Jack Fisk, legendary production designer and artist behind films like Days of Heaven and There Will Be Blood, shares vivid stories from his long career. He talks about early collaborations with David Lynch, decades with Terrence Malick, building the movable Days of Heaven house, researching historical sets, and recreating 1950s New York for Marty Supreme. Short, sharp anecdotes about craft and world-building.
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Production Designer As Expanded Role
- The title 'production designer' signaled an expanded role beyond drafting, reflecting designers who shape a film's visual identity.
- Fisk saw the role as continuous practice of the same craft even when the name changed.
Working Around Union Rules For Carrie
- On Carrie Fisk negotiated to work as art director despite union requirements by finding a union art director willing to be the paid head.
- He sacrificed pay but ensured he could execute the designs he and Brian De Palma wanted.
Helping Shape The Shower Scene
- Fisk helped Sissy Spacek prepare for Carrie's shower scene by sharing research and physically demonstrating an injury reaction.
- He sat in the shower with prosthetic makeup so Spacek could mimic a real trauma response.