Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/916056
The Eagles Nest was described as a space where our 20-David S.W.A.T. team would hang out, obtain intelligence, strategize and be briefed before a call to action. Wanting to break away from a traditional desk-to-action arrangement, this centralized zone would become the focus of S.W.A.T. headquarters, and hopefully encourage a more dynamic shooting style. Supporting this central space were a series of scripted environments, a press center, locker rooms, interrogation rooms and offices. These environments were placed in the adjacent areas of the Edison Commerce Substation. This building had so many great industrial areas and architectural textures that it was simply a matter of finding the right spaces and treating them accordingly. One of the central themes driving this new iteration of S.W.A.T. was the desire to establish a vision of contemporary urban Los Angeles that was filled with gritty texture, but also has a sense of hope and pride. Delving deep into South Central LA seemed too clichéd. Barricaded structures. Dilapidation. Excessive homelessness. Detritus on every corner. Ultimately, we focused in on three zones that fulfilled our intentions. Each area enabled Justin to reference the LA skyline and thereby ground us in a recognizable location. A series of mood boards conveyed this, and actually drove the scouting process for location manager Scotty Poole. S.W.A.T. offered the interesting opportunity of translating the pilot design to a series. This process incorporates the shift in design dynamic from a solo director to a show runner. Fortunately, show runner Shawn Ryan was involved in the pilot, and saw what Justin and I had established. This meant the design process was simply a matter of adjusting the original designs to the restricted stage parameters, and expanding this world for episodic television demands. One of these expansion areas was the notion of a motor pool. Having already established the front face of S.W.A.T. at the Vernon police station as a digital extension, the idea of a motor pool at the rear of the structure made sense as a device to reinforce the idea of urgency and action. Finding a location to realize this, that would not require extensive visual effects work each time company filmed there, would not be so easy. Location manager Keith Bohanan was able to secure the rear side of a classic 1990s concrete tilt-up construction warehouse close to our stages. The thought was to attach an architecturally identifiable structure that would act as A. & B. Set photos of the S.W.A.T. HQ interior showing views of the set built on location in a former Edison Substation. C. Eagles Nest finished set. Photos by Andrew Murdock D. Eagles Nest, Photoshop illustration by Jamie Rama. E. S.W.A.T. motor pool, Photoshop illustration by Jamie Rama. F. Motor pool set photo by Andrew Murdock. G. S.W.A.T. motor pool with visual effects added. A B C D