ADG Perspective

November-December 2015

Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/610353

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1/8" 1/8" 1/4" 1/4" 1/8" Nelson Coates, Production Designer Colin De Rouin, Art Director Michael Allen Glover, Assistant Art Director Martin Charles, Beatriz Kerti, Graphic Designers Patricia Klawonn, D. Tracy Smith, Paul Sonski, Chris Biddle, Aaron Jackson, Set Designers Dwayne Turner, Storyboard Artist Andrea Joel SDSA, Set Decorator day/night Los Angeles drop that would be one of the first printed with a new technique in Germany on a lightweight canvas. We designed the drop with elements from downtown buildings that had the same neo-noir feel as the locations. By running a rail between sets, and using a rail siding, the drape could effectively be turned around with two people to have the correct side face whichever set was slated to shoot that day. Through a bit of trial and error, we found that cinching top and bottom of the drop could help counterbalance the stretch in the fabric and maintain the verticals of the building depicted in the backdrop. Space was so tight during construction, that several other sets were actually built inside the main stage sets prior to loading scenery out to locations. Every square inch was used, and used again. Numerous sets were also constructed in the Harmony Room rehearsal hall, and much like Russian dolls, were completed inside one another, with the innermost set dressed to film first. As each set was shot, the company would move back to the main stage. The innermost sets would be dismantled, revealing the next set of walls, which were then dressed and filmed. Where possible, actual rehearsal hall walls and doors were utilized. We even prevailed upon the set dressing department of the series Scandal, to allow us to erect walls in a portion of their set dressing lockup in order to utilize adjacent hallways for walk and talk. To save money on strike, we again called upon Production Designer Corey Kaplan and the Scandal team, giving them first look at walls and scenery which could be reused instead of being tossed. Designing contemporary movies can be much more challenging than period ones when shaping the visual narrative to create a strong and cohesive look. Most casual viewers, and even savvy professionals, often don't realize the amount of work required to make design elements of a contemporary narrative appear natural and seamless. Even the film's crime-scene dumpster was built from scratch, and specifically designed for the ergonomics of the actresses, with trick-hinged sides to hold dressing in while allowing the camera to get low inside, and then up and wide, all without seeing the wild wall moving in the shot. Art was commissioned to subtly reinforce scene content and the change in eras. Layered touches of bureaucratic history and lags in technology in the public sector were carefully chosen, and all the ergonomics of character interactivity carefully crafted. Secret was a special collaboration with a small but outstanding design team, many with whom I had worked in the past, including Art Director Colin De Rouin, Graphic Designer Martin Charles, Set Designer Paul Sonski, set decorator Andrea Joel, construction coordinator Robert Carlyle and lead painter Kay Kropp, all who went above and beyond to give Secret an excellent and very specific, layered look. I am forever indebted to Billy and Mark for inviting me to the party, and to talented collaborators, costume designer Shay Cunliffe, Danny Moder, editor Jim Page and visual effects supervisor John Heller for their great contributions to bringing the Secret to audiences' eyes. ADG Below: Graphics created by Martin Charles and Beatriz Kerti for the main door to the District Attorney's office suite. The signage system for all the offices was developed by Ms. Kerti and a new (clearable) version of the Los Angeles County District Attorney seal was designed in the Art Department and formalized by Martin Charles. These pieces were all executed by Dangling Carrot Creative in Valencia, CA.

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