42
Sports biopic about legendary baseball player Jackie Robinson, directed by Brian Helgeland and starring Chadwick Boseman
On 42, I worked under Production Designer Richard Hoover and Supervising Art Director Aaron Haye, early in my Art Director training. Though hired as an Assistant Art Director, I was entrusted with significant responsibility, overseeing about seven sets across Macon, Georgia, and effectively coordinating much of the city’s environment for the production.
Key sets I art directed included:
An entire city street in Macon and nyc city, reimagined to reflect the 1940s with awnings, neon signage, storefronts, board-ups, and accurate period dressing. This included transforming restaurants and department stores to capture the era with historical precision.
An airport for Jackie Robinson, staged as a pivotal turning point in the film.
A bus station, recreated with period authenticity.
A Dodgers’ spring training field in Florida, adapted to represent one of the training camps where Jackie Robinson prepared for the majors, including the creation of segregated entrances and facilities — my first direct experience in designing Jim Crow-era environments.
A gas station, reworked to stage a conflict between Jackie Robinson and a bus driver transporting the team.
This project was a formative experience in my career, deepening my understanding of both art direction and project management. It was meaningful not only for the historical subject matter, but also for the opportunity to grow under the mentorship of Richard Hoover and Aaron Haye.
