Craft: How Sam Bader Revived the Shakers’ Era for The Testament of Ann Lee - MovieMaker Magazine

      The Shaker community depicted in Mona Fastvold's The Testament of Ann Lee viewed labor as a spiritual practice, believing that constructing a chair or a home could serve as a prayer.

      In response, the film's production designer, Sam Bader, sought to reflect their dedication to craftsmanship.

      Bader aimed to deeply engage viewers in the spiritual journey of Mother Ann Lee, the group’s founding leader portrayed by Amanda Seyfried. The historical Ann Lee led her small group of followers from England to America in 1774, and the Christian sect became known for their ecstatic worship, celibacy, and handcrafted furniture that is still valued today for its simplicity and durability.

      To achieve this, Bader utilized existing structures from Hancock Shaker Village, a historical location in Massachusetts, along with new sets primarily created in Budapest, Hungary. He drew inspiration from paintings to envision the pre-photographic era of the Shakers.

      “Through research, we examined artists like John Lewis Krimmel and Francis Guy to understand the appearance of homes during that time,” he explains.

      His designs were influenced by the Shakers' emphasis on practicality and the confined spaces typical of the period.

      “The foundational layer comprised an understanding of the 18th century, including the daily lives of people and their interactions within space,” Bader elaborates. “People owned very few possessions and had limited storage. Homes weren’t large, particularly for the lower class in England.”

      In The Testament of Ann Lee, the Tree of Life, a significant element in Shaker art, is prominently featured. Fastvold co-wrote the screenplay with her partner, Brady Corbet, with whom she also collaborated on 2024’s The Brutalist, which he directed. Both films explore themes of starting anew in America and are noted for their striking production design.

      Bader's sets visually narrate the Shakers' challenging transition from a harsh existence in England to a more hopeful future across the Atlantic.

      Life in England, he notes, “was more complex and unclear.” However, as the Shakers arrive in New York in the film, “the environment opens up with new constructions, clear skies, and pristine waters. This creates a spatial narrative that concludes with utilitarian spaces harmonizing with nature.”

      Fastvold and cinematographer William Rexer II chose to shoot on 35mm film for its painterly aesthetic. The film incorporated “some limited CGI, primarily analog matte paintings that provide a handmade feel, which aligns beautifully with celluloid,” Bader points out.

      For instance, the film’s meeting house facade was a standalone structure with a CG matte painting extending its roof.

      “While viewing the film's initial assembly, I couldn't distinguish between the real and digital elements, despite my involvement in their design,” he states.

      Bader’s painterly approach came naturally to him, as he opted against using AI in his work.

      “I come from an oil painting background, having studied classical drawing and abstract oil painting from a young age. I gained admission to college with an art portfolio and eventually attended USC in Los Angeles, initially pursuing a studio art career,” he shares.

      He later relocated to New York and secured a position as a production assistant under production designer Adam Stockhausen on Steven Spielberg’s 2015 film Bridge of Spies.

      “There’s a continuous thread from that moment to now,” he adds. “Progressing through the art department into art directing leads one to become a production designer for projects across various budgets and scales.”

      On Gifts From the Shakers

      The most significant symbol in the film arose from the Shakers' archives.

      “The most prominent symbolism not directly mentioned in the script was the tree,” Bader explains. “The Biblical tree of life, Eden, and the apple orchard play a crucial role in Shaker art, and we aimed to play on that theme.”

      The team also drew inspiration from the Shakers’ “gift drawings”—artworks that emerged from spiritual visions believed to be divine. Typically created on simple paper cutouts, these works inspired Bader and Fastvold to creatively integrate them as murals within the film’s sets.

      “While there isn’t a Shaker meeting house adorned with painted murals in that way, we wanted to explore that idea,” Bader notes.

      The film’s title cards were designed based on the “hieroglyphic, primitive, cave-painting-like motifs” characteristic of the Shakers' messages.

      “As the film concludes, woodcuts, artwork, and photography become solidified in the audience's perception,” Bader remarks.

      The Testament of Ann Lee is now available for viewing on demand through Searchlight Pictures.

      Main image: Amanda Seyfried leads the cast of The Testament of Ann Lee. Searchlight Pictures