Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/834282
Above: The fully dressed kitchen onstage. Right, top to bottom: Kyle's living room in mid-construction. The living room and curved staircase, now complete. The raised living room seating area with fi replace and modern art. A screen capture from the series, looking out to sea across the bluff. Point Dume mobile home park and still surf the local beaches. I proposed to my wife on the Point Dume Marine Preserve and my son graduated from Malibu High School. As well, being a designer, I had already sussed out the prime locations where I would build a dream house. The show had the potential to be something unique, but I had reservations about the tone of the show. I pitched a look-book for color palette, lighting style and design to see if the studio and network were interested in my vision. After meeting writer/ creator Jonathan Abrahams and executive producer Jimmy Fox, I felt confident we were on the same page. As my plane departed LAX, I could see the smoldering grid of asphalt below. Los Angeles was in the midst of a record- breaking heat wave and I was eager to fly north. Three hours later, my plane descended into Vancouver, and I was greeted with a cool misty rain. The dense forests and snow-capped mountains loomed over a modern city skyline. For many years, Vancouver has been a locale for production but has recently seen unprecedented growth. The hustle to pull a strong crew together was by far my most difficult challenge. When I arrived, there were fifty-three productions in Vancouver. The demand for crew overshadowed the supply of talent, and many of the bigger features had the budget to attract the most seasoned Vancouver locals. I needed to start the drawing process immediately and Vancouver's IATSE Local 891 introduced me to an up-and- coming Assistant Art Director/Set Designer named Myleen Baesa. Based on her reputation and portfolio, I hired her over the phone. She turned my initial sketches into practical plans and 3D models. She was fast, reliable and had a good sense of design.