Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/765720
THE INFIRMARY AND AUTODOC by Greg Hooper, Art Director Of the several sets I oversaw and managed, the one that stands out is the infirmary. As I got deeper into pre- production, it became clear that the infirmary had its own story to tell. It was part of the non-public area of the ship and attached to a curved corridor so that the ship's crew and passengers would approach the door from the curved hallway, and a guillotine door would slide open automatically, allowing passage. Similar to those found on today's modern cruise liners, the infirmary was like a mini-hospital or urgent care center. However, in this film, the doctors are robotic and medical treatment is completely automated. Enclosed instruments scan, probe, treat and even perform surgery on the patients. The sophisticated device that does all this is called the Autodoc. After treatment and diagnosis, it prescribes and dispenses medications out of a slot akin to a Las Vegas slot machine with gratifying sounds of winning the medication, and a chance for some humor. It was decided early on that the infirmary would not be a one-off set. Instead, it would be transformed into the crew hibernation area and also the bridge of the ship. By reusing and changing the rolling platform, altering paint colors and flooring materials, and reusing the main doorway and rolling deck, one set was easily and inexpensively changed into three sets. The Autodoc was designed and manufactured in Los Angeles, Set Designers and prop makers were in Atlanta, and several outside vendors created set pieces and countertops many miles away from the studio. Furthermore, planning and implementing set decoration, playback, graphics, lighting and grip department needs all played a crucial roll in delivering a set that blended into, and advanced, the narrative at hand. In my opinion, one of the most impressive aspects of the infirmary was the many layers of paint that were applied to different parts of the set. These layers, sometimes subtle and sometimes dramatic, accentuated the hundreds of layers and parts giving it more depth and refined detail that could otherwise just melt or fade into the background. This wasn't your average trip to Dunn-Edwards for a gallon of satin Navajo White. Guy had a strict color pallete that he chose from and used carefully. Some may say that this painting process was an extravagant effort that would go unnoticed by the audience. Not this time. Lead paint supervisor Chris Woodworth and his team went above and beyond like I've never seen, applying these layers flawlessly to produce an outstanding look. The entire infirmary process was an orchestra of artists from sketch to paint and beyond, all coming together to create something beautiful. Left, top to bottom: The infirmary set was one of the most complex, mounted onto a platform and wheels in order to attach it to the curved halo corridor. Warren-like corridors join the more humble C-class cabins to the elevator system. Noelle King's set design is an asymmetrical concept giving the impression that the elliptical side adjoins the outer side wall of the vessel. A detail of the Autodoc showing its digital display and print graphics by Trey Shaffer and Kevin Kalaba. Jim and Aurora explore the accessible areas of the crew quarters as they look for a solution to their plight.