Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/929567
"This stageflow calendar became very popular—the fact that the assistant directors, department heads and many of the crew carried it in their pockets, was a testament to its use, and the contribution that the Art Department can make to the entire production— sometimes we're more than sets, locations, dressing and props." The show was ambitious because Rian had a great story to tell, so it was actually a unique pleasure to figure out what the proper practical and virtual narrative environments looked like and how to provide him with them. Rian and producer Ram Bergman were such generous and wise collaborators, both because they are naturally humane, smart people, but also extremely practical—they have a great intuition about film coupled with an enduring faith in the cleverly simple approach to every challenge we faced. The ambition pushed the Art Department to arrive at solutions that made the problems manageable and the sets beautiful, ones we never would have realised had we not been set to the formidable task. The intensely direct collaboration with Rian and Ram, as well as cinematographer Steve Yedlin, visual effects supervisor Ben Morris, creature supervisor Neal Scanlan, costume designer Michael Kaplan, set decorator Richard Roberts and property master Jamie Wilkinson, ultimately created a believably consistent look and feel from opening crawl to end credits. ADG Rick Heinrichs, Production Designer Chris Lowe, Todd Cherniawsky, Supervising Art Directors Mark Harris, Phil Sims, Senior Art Directors Andrew Bennett, Neal Callow, Dean Clegg, John Dexter, Jason Knox- Johnston, Matt Wynne, Ben Munro (1st Unit Standby), Huw Arthur (2nd Unit Standby), Damir Gabelica (Croatia), Art Directors Oli van der Vijver, Action Vehicles Art Director Liam Georgensen, Hazel Keane, Hugh McClelland, Matt Sims, Assistant Art Directors Roxana Alexandru, Ian Bunting, Denise Ball, Alice Biddle, Gavin Dean, Teri Fairhurst, Sandra Phillips, Mary Pike, Quinn Robinson, Alfredo Lupo, Paul Savulescu, Jr. Set Designers Kevin Jenkins, Conceptual Designer/ VFX Art Director Nick Ainsworth, Mauro Borrelli, Adam Brockbank, Tim Browning, James Carson, Paul Catling, Paul Chandler, James Clyne, Seth Engstrom, Roberto Fernández Castro, Kim Frederiksen, Jaime Jones, Tani Kunitake, Aaron McBride, Chris Rosewarne, Matt Savage, Justin Sweet, Concept Artists Laura Grant, Chris Kitisakkul, Graphic Designers Rob Jose, Lisa Royale, Jack Cave Model Makers Richard Roberts, Set Decorator A. Snoke's Throne Room. Set photo by Ben Munro. B. The stageflow calendar by Supervising Art Director Todd Cherniawsky. Detail with entire calendar superimposed. C. The Jedi Temple. Art by Kim Frederiksen. 3D model and render, finished in Photoshop. D. The Jedi Temple ledge. Art by Seth Engstrom. Digital painting in Photoshop. D