Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1010570
and exterior locations. Carcosa/Seri Negara, as the two houses are currently known, was constructed in 1913 to house the British Governor on a jungle-covered hill in what is now Kuala Lumpur's botanic gardens. About twelve years prior to scouting, the Malaysian government took control of the buildings, but they laid fallow while a new use was determined, and each began to revert to nature...feral dogs, collapsed floors, a dive-bombing bat population, rotting eaves and monkey feces throughout...but great potential. Singapore is stunning, expensive and bureaucratic. To maximize look and budget, two weeks of Singapore filming was planned at the end of production to accommodate the over-the-top wedding and reception, the iconic Marina Bay Sands Hotel, the world-famous Raffles Hotel, Changi Airport, the unique food emporiums and some driving sequences. K.L. Bound The promising Tyersall Park in Kuala Lumpur and the similarity of landscapes influenced the decision to base in Malaysia. Shorter travel times for scenery, equipment and crew between K.L. and Singapore were also considered. With several NYC scenes in the movie, K.L had strong modifiable choices. The plan was to use as many local crew as possible, representing the varied cultural backgrounds populating Singapore. Intentional crewing with a conscious cultural, regional, racial and gender mix is always my goal. Ultimately, a design crew was assembled with talented artists from twelve countries. After two weeks in K.L., our UK decorator had to return home for health reasons. Three weeks of searching for a qualified replacement lead to Andrew Baseman. A collaborator from years prior, Andy's passion for historical decor and research fit perfectly. He arrived in K.L. with only five weeks left in preproduction. With a very specific country to be portrayed in this first Hollywood studio movie in twenty-five years with a predominantly Asian cast, the visual style needed to take viewers on a joyful journey, with enough over-the-top elements to do justice to Kwan's book. Peranakan Straits Malaysia and Singapore have a rich history. The Straits Peninsula—the land mass stretching south from Thailand—is home to a specific culture and regional lifestyle called Peranakan. Early Dutch, Portuguese and Chinese immigrants, followed by British, influenced the look and tastes of the Straits. The confluence of other Southeast Asian cultures impacted every aspect of life. Many early Chinese immigrants married into local Malay families, making lasting imprints as they tamed jungles and developed the peninsula into the juggernaut it is today. As those Chinese "Peranakan" immigrants added to their fortunes, they collected the best of everything from around the world, displaying their wealth and travels through art, architecture and furnishing. The intent was to showcase three distinct generations of Singapore style, delineating each to reflect current generational tastes and relationships B A. A PORTION OF THE RESEARCH WALL IN THE KUALA LUMPUR DESIGN OFFICE. B. AN ANTIQUE PERANAKAN DRAGON KEEPS WATCH AT TYERSALL PARK. C. THREE GENERATIONS MEET IN AT TYERSALL PARK SINGAPORE. PRODUCTION STILL BY SANJA BUCKO. D. TYERSALL CONSERVATORY, SKETCHUP MODEL BY SET DESIGNER KYLE WHITE. E. TYERSALL CONSERVATORY UNDER CONSTRUCTION. F. FINISHED CONSERVATORY BUILDING. A C B