Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1316563
unfold themselves when called to action. Thang's modeling and animatic studies spearheaded these designs that were passed to the visual eff ects department. I was really excited that we were able to have so much input into what would essentially be realized as fully CG characters. In order to create the futuristic Los Angeles aesthetic, a language on how to enhance and process the locations through sets and decoration was developed, with practical lighting being the key. Damon Liebowitz and his crew handled the construction and installation of the set lighting, alongside the set decorating team. The practical fi xtures became a critical component of the design of the show, creating and defi ning the space. It was an essential element, with many resources devoted to integrating fi xtures in all the sets, props and vehicles. For city exteriors, large LED panels were used featuring custom art and advertisements created by Graphic Artist Simon Jones and the playback team spearheaded by Chris Keiff er. Projected in real time, the interactive light from the screens became a real part of the scene. The biggest example of this is in the climatic riot seuences in episode eight where a 100-foot run of 1-foot- high LED panels, along with dressing, were set up in a very limited 12-hour window in Paul Hastings Plaza downtown. At that point in the show, I had gone to work on another project, so Jon Carlos took over as Production Designer. I think he is the only one who could have pulled that off because it was only a day of setup for a one-night shoot, at a time when all the pieces of the preceding episodes had to be wrapped up as well. Another aspect Jon fully developed was the street conversion kit, putting together a unitized system, along with Art Director Rebekah Scheys that could be deployed in a matter of hours to change a standard city street into something that felt like a pedestrian plaza. This included various types of road coverings, seating and planter boxes. Along with the amazing swing gang, headed up by David "Millie" Milstien, the show managed to 'futurize' and dress blocks of LA to bring them in line with the foreign locations already shot. 7'-4 1/2" 1'-3 1/2" DETAIL: FRENCH DOORS Scale: 3/4" = 1'-0" 5 6 8 3/4" 7" 7" 7" 7" 5.A 6 5.B 6 9'-4" 1 1/2" 1 3/4" 1'-6 1/4" 5'-9" 1 1/2" 1 3/4" 1'-6 1/4" 1'-11 3/4" 6 1/2"7 3/4" 3'-2" SECTION: FRENCH DOORS Scale: 3/4" = 1'-0" 5.C 6 7'-4 1/2" 1'-3 1/2" 1'-10" SECTION: FRENCH DOORS Scale: 3/4" = 1'-0" 5.A 6 A. ARNOLD'S HOME. STAGE SET BUILT AT LOS ANGELES CENTER STUDIOS, INSPIRED BY FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT'S LA MINIATURA PRODUCTION STILL. B. CONSTRUCTION DRAWING BY SET DESIGNER ERNIE AVILA IN VECTORWORKS. DETAIL OF THE FRENCH DOORS FOR ARNOLD'S HOME STAGE SET. C. RIOT SCENE SHOT AT THE PAUL HASTINGS PLAZA WITH LARGE LED ADVERTISEMENT SCREENS. PHOTO BY JP JONES. A B C HBO