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really light chain link fence was found that would allow the wrought iron fence to be clearly seen. One of the most visually pivotal moments of the movie is when the kids enter the sewers and end up at the cistern where Pennywise lives. At the beginning of the design process, I wanted it built all in bricks, as it would have been in the Victorian age. Because of time and financial issues, and with the input from the construction and scenic departments, it was decided to go with formed concrete. The builders of this time period would not have used plywood sheeting, so plaster prints of heavy planks were moulded on burlap to texture the tunnel interiors. This treatment gave a finish that could then be augmented with additions like water levels, dents and algae. We then created some escape ladders and open trap wells to allow light to come in from above. The cistern was built in sections, with the top portion constructed first and, once done, winched up so the walls could be built underneath. It was easier to assemble the bell-shaped top of the cistern set on the stage deck so the flats would lean onto each other, interlocking into a self-supporting structure. All of the set components had to be manufactured using a CNC machine to make the complex shapes perfectly accurate. The water element of the cistern reminded me of an experience I had on a previous show. I once shot at the Six Flags amusement park in New Orleans, which had been flooded during Hurricane Katrina, and I remembered the feeling I got when walking on the site the first time. There were water-level marks left everywhere from the flooding. Constant. Leveled. A great book of photos by Montreal-born Robert Polidori documents the aftermath of the storm. This inspired the water-level staining of the cistern. In order to achieve the effect, a surveyor's laser was used to trace various levels, at eye height and below, and scenic aging was added to indicate the levels of flooding and the wear and tear it would cause. Large pipes and drains were added, as were some giant doors to texture the walls and give access to the cistern for the Losers (as the young characters in the story refer to themselves). The special effects department installed a series of pumps and tanks under the raised platform to circulate the water spilling from the pipes as part of the sewer system. Pennywise was scripted to have lived there with his wagon for hundreds of years. All the clothes and toys of the dead children were piled up on the wagon until its suspension was finally crushed by the weight. This prompted the idea to incline the wagon on one side. It was important that the clothes and toys in the pile represent the different eras, they would be several © Warner Bros. Pictures C D E