Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1124104
D E F better inform their budgets. Equally critical, this window of time will allow the Production Designer to carefully consider, interview and secure the most important and capable key departmental hires, who are invaluable for achieving an overall financial savings and ultimately, a professional realization of their productions. Looming Clouds, Hurricanes and the Cautionary Tale The Art Department's primary start-up challenge was the design and building in twenty-eight days of a Habitat for Humanity community, one that consisted of fourteen houses, two that were practical and twelve shells, all of which were located in an abandoned tract-home subdivision thirty minutes west of Savannah. In addition to this backlot, the full interior of Dee Dee and Gypsy Rose's home had to be simultaneously built at the Film Factory, a converted lingerie workshop- turned-stage facility located in Savannah's Yamacraw Village District. There were a number of trials and tribulations that were encountered in the building of the backlot community. A shortage of local crews and materials, along with a very slow location acquisition process proved to be among the biggest challenges. Add to this a very high attrition rate within the ranks of the backlot's construction crew due to an extreme and relentless summer heat, one hundred percent humidity, daily lightning storms and a historic hurricane season. And then there was an intrusive local building and safety department that refused to recognize the difference between the building of temporary motion picture structures and that of real houses. The production was required to comply with a number of their building code's statues starting with the commissioning of a formal set of engineer's drawings which had to be plan-checked and then monitored through ongoing worksite visits by their building inspectors; all of which contributed to significant delays and increased construction costs. D. & E. DEE DEE AND GYPSY'S ON-STAGE BEDROOM AND LIVING ROOM. SKETCHUP MODELS BY HIND AL-SHANEEN. F. DEE DEE AND GYPSY'S ON-STAGE BEDROOM. FRAME CAPTURE BY CINEMATOGRAPHER ZACH GALLER. G. DEE DEE AND GYPSY'S ON-STAGE LIVING ROOM. FRAME CAPTURE BY CINEMATOGRAPHER ZACH GALLER. H. DEE DEE AND GYPSY'S ON-STAGE KITCHEN. PHOTO COURTESY OF NBC UNIVERSAL. H G