Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1043753
3 8 P E R S P E C T I V E | N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8 I found a house online in an archive of historical houses that I thought combined the scale and detail of an authentic Victorian interior with the warmth and whimsy of a house that belonged to generations of magicians. This reference became the basis for the wainscot, doors, casings and staircase. The rest of the scale and detail fell into place around this model. A The construction coordinator, Doug Womack, is a Local 44 member from LA who has relocated to Atlanta. We had worked together previously on Need for Speed, also for DreamWorks/Amblin. Doug has assembled and trained a highly skilled local crew in Atlanta, including plasterers, sculptors, metalworkers, finish carpenters and cabinet makers. His paint foreman, Joe Hawthorne, is another LA transplant, who backs himself up with a dedicated team of local craftsmen. Every inch of the house glows with secrets and tricks passed through generations of scenic professionals. The centerpiece of the house's entry hall is a giant stained-glass window, which animates and changes over the course of the film. These windows were a combined effort of Illustrator Fernando Acosta and Graphic Designer Clint Schultz. Fernando created the images for each window, based on a specific style of Tiffany glass windows, and Clint translated them into colored glass with leading. The images were printed digitally by Astek, and then had the leading cut on a CNC machine. Each room in the house was designed around specific script and character requirements. The library contains a forbidden cabinet with a secret book of necromancy spells. The entire room, from its sliding double doors to its towering gothic bookcases and endless shelves of leather tomes and magical talismans, represents the ancient and powerful legacy of the magicians who have preceded Lewis. The bedroom Jonathan has prepared for Lewis used to be an astronomical study for Isaac Izard (Kyle MacLachlan), Jonathan's evil mentor. The sloped ceilings are covered with ancient astronomical maps charting the cycle of a lunar eclipse. These images bear down on Lewis as he listens for the sound of his uncle wandering the halls in search of the mysterious ticking, which reverberates throughout the house. One night, Lewis follows his uncle into the solarium, an abandoned greenhouse now used to store magic props and memorabilia. This room contains a fireplace in the shape of an ogre's mouth, through which Jonathan discovers the secret workshop of B C A. THE DINING ROOM. B. THE PARLOR. ILLUSTRATIONS BY JAMIE RAMA. PHOTOSHOP OVER A SKETCHUP MODEL RENDERING. C. THE PARLOR. SET PHOTO.