K.K. Barrett and the Production Design for Her: How Close is it to Real Near-Future LA?

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Her is the Spike Jonze story of love and seductive technology in near future Los Angeles.

But its depiction of LA has created a buzz among people interested in the future of real LA. K.K. Barrett talks about creating the look for idealized city living, but says he still loves his car.

Her, Twombly in highrise apartment

Creating the Look for Her

Her is the Spike Jonze story of love and seductive technology in near future Los Angeles. Its designer K.K. Barrett (below right) has been nominated for an Oscar for Best Production Design, along with set decorator Gene Serdena.

K.K. BarrettAnd he’s found he’s had to do a lot of talking because people have been so intrigued by his depiction of Los Angeles – a vision that to some seems rather smooth and cold, and to others upbeat and modern.

K.K. talks to DnA about how he, Jonze and the team went about envisioning Los Angeles. Not only was it not based on any expert indicators of LA’s development he says, it did not take cues from other futuristic movies. He explains why they chose to film in Shanghai, why everybody seems to live in a nice highrise home, and what aspects of city life they chose to eliminate so as to create a future of easy living.