Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1316563
5 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 2 0 Joe Nussbaum who was immediately drawn to a reference image of sculptures made out of twine and wood. With new illustrations by Ricardo, and with this new direction, the Art Department built a small model of a brand-new portal concept, made only from organic materials in a vortex swirl shape, which, in the end, embodied the theme of Sage Academy. Once the design was approved, a full-sized armature was made out of chicken wire and plywood on which to attach the twigs and branches. This sequence was shot in an environmentally sensitive forest in North Vancouver and the production was given strict guidelines regarding the materials we could bring into it. We made the conscious decision to ask and gain permission to gather the building materials needed from the forest floorfallen tree branches, twigs and other natural, organic building materials. This set was constructed almost entirely from recycled materials from the immediate area, and once shooting was over, the portal set was dismantled, and the materials returned to the environment from which they were harvested. Nature was an ever-occurring theme through the design of Upside-Down Magic, and we were constantly thinking of how to incorporate the natural building materials around us. The location selected at Shawnigan Lake School on Vancouver Island was perfect both for shooting, as well as for its proximity to nature. Bill recalls, "As a child, I built complete environments out of the materials I found on the beachdriftwood, twigs and stones. Designing Upside-Down Magic helped me relive those experiences and harness those sensibilities." The campus came to life with organically sculpted features and animals. We added an array of carved tulips and flames for practical lighting throughout the grounds. We had a lot of fun with the animal "abominations," the whimsical creatures Nory fluxed into. For instance, when she was supposed A. SAGE ACADEMY RENDERING BY BILL BOES. B. MOOSE SCULPTURE. SET PHOTO BY DISNEY CHANNEL/EIKE SCHROTER. C. SAGE ACADEMY DOORS. SET PHOTO. D. FLARE DORMITORY WITH TULIP LIGHTS. SET PHOTO. A B