Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1152740
8 8 P E R S P E C T I V E | S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R 2 0 1 9 took you to Puerto Rico for a baseball tournament. The history of the family in photos. Their garbage pail kids and McDonald's decorative glass adorned with cartoon characters that were given out in the late '80s. It was important to understand who cleaned, who took out that trash, who made the bed and who didn't. A single mother raising three kids didn't mean destitution. In the case of Yusef, the strength of his mother, Sharonne, meant a rich family life regardless. The color. Ava, Bradford and I explored color throughout. From the cold blues of the precinct, to sickly tans and greens, and the sharp glowing muted yellow of the roller shades. The warmth of the homes, with moments of bold compliments. Antron framed in his bedroom window with a deep blue wall that I imagine Bobby painted for his young boy. The heavy maroon accent of the window curtains. Parents lying in bed with their beautiful skin accented by the hues and patterning of their sheets. The richness of detail came from a symphony of talents. Art Director Carmen Cardenas, one of the few Latinas to hold that title, worked tirelessly, overseeing both locations and stage builds. I also worked very closely with Hannah Davis, the charge scenic, building the age and detail into the stage builds by hand-painting marble walls, packing in grime, and carving in decay into the municipal worlds—her level of specificity often neglected in comparable projects. The characters' lives were built into every square inch, making segues between builds and locations wholly imperceptible. Prop master Michael Jortner visited courthouses, requesting the actual documents to replicate. No one's research surpassed that of Michael's. Caroline Duncan, the costume designer, and I developed a common language and understanding of both our period explorations and the harmony of colors for our characters. Some of the greatest weight fell on Kara Zeigon, the set decorator, and her leadman, Ray Fischer, as they were charged with both living up to the exhaustive period research while accommodating several period locations per day. Henry Dunn, another talented designer, carried the torch in the third and fourth episodes. It was that camaraderie, and respect for the gravity of the story that made for such accurate and grounded art in the final product. With these points of celebration also came some difficult lows. Michael Davidson, the construction coordinator, unfortunately lost his right-hand man Aaron Padwee, who was hit by a car while he rode his bike home from our stages. Everyone on the production was affected, but Michael was hit the hardest, devastated. He channeled that pain into the incredible work he made for When They See Us, honoring Aaron in the process. However, what started with loss ended with life, as the charge scenic brought a new child into the world at the end of filming. All of these people carried the weight and responsibility of the project, and it was through them that the art of When They See Us was able to ring true. Their names now spoken as a community, they are not alone, there is a chorus of support; Kevin, Korey, Antron, Raymond, Yusef. Designers are at their best when they can honor and illuminate, and I thank Ava for sharing that light with me. Through these stories, I hope viewers can see not only the tragedy, but the necessary change, and then demand it. ADG A. EXTERIOR STREET FEATURING THE FLAT SIGNAGE OF 1989 NEW YORK. BASED ON PERIOD STREET VIEWS OF THE ACTUAL BLOCK ACROSS FROM THE TAFT HOUSES. ALL THE SIGNAGE WAS REPLACED, ALONG WITH ACCENTS OF GRAFITTI AND OTHER PERIOD RECREATIONS. B. THE INTERIOR OF THE COURTHOUSE. PRODUCTION STILL. A LOT OF TIME WAS SPENT ON THE DETAILS OF THIS MUNICIPAL SPACE, BUILDING IN THE HUMAN IMPERFECTIONS. C. COURTROOM FLOOR PLAN. ANN BARTEK, SET DESIGNER. D. COURTROOM, SKETCHUP MODEL STUDY. I WANTED TO STAY TRUE TO THE ENERGY OF THE MANHATTAN CRIMINAL COURT BUT OVERHEAD LIGHT FIXTURES AND A WALL OF WINDOWS WERE ADDED THAT HAD NOT BEEN IN THE ORIGINAL COURTROOM. IN SPITE OF THAT, ONE OF THE COURT CONSULTANTS WHO HAD WORKED IN THAT COURTROOM FOR YEARS FELT LIKE IT WAS A SPITTING IMAGE. E. COURTROOM. PRODUCTION STILL. IT WAS INTERESTING TO HAVE MADE CHANGES AND ENHANCEMENTS, BUT TO HAVE STAYED TRUE ENOUGH TO THE MIND'S EYE TO HAVE CAPTURED THE ENERGY OF THE REAL SPACE IN THE EYES OF THOSE WHO HAD WORKED WITHIN IT. A