Blab Entertainment
Production Designer Christopher Glass Crafts Hyper-Real Sets for Boots Rileys I Love Boosters
When Boots Riley’s absurdist crime comedy I Love Boosters burst onto the SXSW stage on March 12, 2026, its vivid world was already in motion—thanks to production designer Christopher Glass. The film, which premiered at the South by Southwest Film & TV Festival and opened in U.S. theaters on May 22 through Neon, follows a group of Bay Area shoplifters—led by Corvette (Keke Palmer)—as they resell high‑end clothing and clash with fashion mogul Christie Smith (Demi Moore). Glass translated Riley’s surreal vision into a series of striking, hyper‑real sets that amplify the story’s absurdity and social commentary.
Glass’s journey to production design began far from film sets. He started as a storyboard artist for commercials, then moved into pre‑visualisation and visual‑effects art direction, working with directors such as Sam Raimi and Ron Howard. His commercial expertise opened a door to feature films when Jon Favreau invited him to work on The Jungle Book. That experience cemented Glass’s transition to full‑time production design for movies and television.
When Riley approached Glass for I Love Boosters, he received the script alongside a playlist that set the film’s visual tone. Riley’s writing is highly visual, and he encouraged Glass to gather references that matched the absurdist, hyper‑real aesthetic he envisioned. Glass cited Michelle Gondry, stop‑motion animation, and White Cat, Black Cat as starting points, while Riley also referenced Time Bandits and Terry Gilliam. The goal was a heightened reality that would keep audiences engaged and mirror Christie Smith’s controlling presence.
A hallmark of the film’s visual language is its use of color‑coded stores. Each boutique is painted a single hue—yellow, green, red, blue, and so on—and the montage sequence shows the gang moving from one monochromatic shop to another. Glass explained that the sets were built as a single structure that could be repainted and redecorated between shoots. For example, a green set was first painted, then later repainted yellow for a different scene. The production team deliberately avoided matching every clothing rack exactly; instead, they embraced a spectrum of yellows to create a cohesive yet varied look.
The film’s most striking set is Christie Smith’s penthouse studio, which is tilted to give the impression of a 45‑degree incline. Practical concerns forced the team to reduce the angle to 15 degrees, but Glass and the construction crew later increased it to 17 degrees to preserve visual impact. The slanted floor required L‑brackets and chains to secure furniture and décor, and the lighting had to be adjusted to accommodate the incline. The result is a set that feels both luxurious and unsettling, mirroring Smith’s character.
Glass also oversaw the design of the Chinese factory where the stolen garments are produced. Influences for the factory’s look included Brazil and Who Framed Roger Rabbit, with a candy‑colored palette that contrasts the film’s otherwise monochromatic environments. The factory’s interior was populated with lint, dye spills, and other industrial details inspired by real factory footage. Costume designer Shirley Kurata’s pink outfits for the factory workers complemented the green and other hues in the set.
Collaboration was a constant throughout production. Glass worked closely with costume designer Kurata, cinematographer Natasha Braier, and the special‑effects team to ensure that color, lighting, and movement all supported the film’s tone. He noted that the most challenging aspect was coordinating the montage sequence, which required shooting multiple color sets in a single day while managing costume changes for the actors.
Glass reflected on his unconventional path to production design, noting that while many designers come from art‑directing or set‑decorating backgrounds, he entered the field through storyboard and visual‑effects work. He advises aspiring designers to gain experience in construction and architecture, as building safe, functional sets remains essential even in a hyper‑real aesthetic.
I Love Boosters has received positive reviews for its bold visual style and social commentary. Glass’s work demonstrates how meticulous set design can reinforce a film’s narrative and thematic concerns, turning surreal concepts into tangible, immersive environments. The film continues to screen at festivals and in theaters, with Neon handling distribution. Production design credits for I Love Boosters are listed under Christopher Glass, and the film’s release schedule remains unchanged for the U.S. market.
Glass’s journey to production design began far from film sets. He started as a storyboard artist for commercials, then moved into pre‑visualisation and visual‑effects art direction, working with directors such as Sam Raimi and Ron Howard. His commercial expertise opened a door to feature films when Jon Favreau invited him to work on The Jungle Book. That experience cemented Glass’s transition to full‑time production design for movies and television.
When Riley approached Glass for I Love Boosters, he received the script alongside a playlist that set the film’s visual tone. Riley’s writing is highly visual, and he encouraged Glass to gather references that matched the absurdist, hyper‑real aesthetic he envisioned. Glass cited Michelle Gondry, stop‑motion animation, and White Cat, Black Cat as starting points, while Riley also referenced Time Bandits and Terry Gilliam. The goal was a heightened reality that would keep audiences engaged and mirror Christie Smith’s controlling presence.
A hallmark of the film’s visual language is its use of color‑coded stores. Each boutique is painted a single hue—yellow, green, red, blue, and so on—and the montage sequence shows the gang moving from one monochromatic shop to another. Glass explained that the sets were built as a single structure that could be repainted and redecorated between shoots. For example, a green set was first painted, then later repainted yellow for a different scene. The production team deliberately avoided matching every clothing rack exactly; instead, they embraced a spectrum of yellows to create a cohesive yet varied look.
The film’s most striking set is Christie Smith’s penthouse studio, which is tilted to give the impression of a 45‑degree incline. Practical concerns forced the team to reduce the angle to 15 degrees, but Glass and the construction crew later increased it to 17 degrees to preserve visual impact. The slanted floor required L‑brackets and chains to secure furniture and décor, and the lighting had to be adjusted to accommodate the incline. The result is a set that feels both luxurious and unsettling, mirroring Smith’s character.
Glass also oversaw the design of the Chinese factory where the stolen garments are produced. Influences for the factory’s look included Brazil and Who Framed Roger Rabbit, with a candy‑colored palette that contrasts the film’s otherwise monochromatic environments. The factory’s interior was populated with lint, dye spills, and other industrial details inspired by real factory footage. Costume designer Shirley Kurata’s pink outfits for the factory workers complemented the green and other hues in the set.
Collaboration was a constant throughout production. Glass worked closely with costume designer Kurata, cinematographer Natasha Braier, and the special‑effects team to ensure that color, lighting, and movement all supported the film’s tone. He noted that the most challenging aspect was coordinating the montage sequence, which required shooting multiple color sets in a single day while managing costume changes for the actors.
Glass reflected on his unconventional path to production design, noting that while many designers come from art‑directing or set‑decorating backgrounds, he entered the field through storyboard and visual‑effects work. He advises aspiring designers to gain experience in construction and architecture, as building safe, functional sets remains essential even in a hyper‑real aesthetic.
I Love Boosters has received positive reviews for its bold visual style and social commentary. Glass’s work demonstrates how meticulous set design can reinforce a film’s narrative and thematic concerns, turning surreal concepts into tangible, immersive environments. The film continues to screen at festivals and in theaters, with Neon handling distribution. Production design credits for I Love Boosters are listed under Christopher Glass, and the film’s release schedule remains unchanged for the U.S. market.
