Authenticity Key To "Manchester By The Sea" Production Designer Ruth De Jong

The small fishing town featured in “Manchester by the Sea” is as prominent a character as the film’s actors.  After reading the script, production designer Ruth De Jong immediately recognized the importance of capturing this unique New England authenticity.  Her research began with a trip to Massachusetts and the setting of the film’s tale.

“The backdrop was grounded in real life,” said De Jong.  “To get the authenticity, I had to get to know the townspeople, to see where they lived, to go to their boats.”

Working within the constraints of a limited indie budget that prohibited builds (with the exception of a fully constructed house double that gets burned), the production design was dependent on the perfect found locations.  During a six week scout, De Jong went in and out of houses, churches and fishing vessels in addition to visiting a local nautical museum.  She sent all her notes and findings to set decorator Florencia Martin, who joined De Jong to review the locations prior to defining the details that would bring the working-class environment to life.

“Florencia is very hands-on and great with details; she finds the key elements that bring in life that won’t distract the viewer’s attention,” said De Jong.

While a tragedy lies at the film’s core, De Jong was careful to avoid color palette’s that would alter a viewer’s emotional status.  Layers of colors and textures in textiles and furniture both indicative of a young family starting out and true to the New England location were key to creating a production design that presented the “day in the life” slice of Americana.

Capturing a sense of time and place as a production designer is a skill artist De Jong honed with production designer and mentor Jack Fisk.  Starting as a PA, she rose the ranks, working as an art director with Fisk on films including Terrence Malick’s “The Tree of Life” and Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Inherent Vice.”   Content in their partnership, Fisk saw the potential she had as a production designer and encouraged her to “spread her wings.”  To usher her out of the nest, he introduced her to creative luminaries such as artist/director David Lynch, whom De Jong has joined as the production designer on his “Twin Peaks” reboot.   While unable to reveal details, Jong states the experience is “magical.”

“David is a visionary.  He’s excited about details and nuance,” said De Jong.