Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/929567
scout vans, the rigors of early mornings and late nights, but Shorty provided an extra layer of learning how to prep in a foreign place. On top of the usual challenges, Art Director Jamie Hall had to search new vendors, as well as navigate the pass through system we often had to use when products or services were not available in New Mexico. Our core construction team, flown out from LA, had the task of finding supplemental crew. They found what turned out to be some solid Albuquerque foremen, painters and prop makers. For all its challenges, Albuquerque offered the production something that LA couldn't—a fantastic rural Nevada, small-town look. The Locations: My first trip to Albuquerque was spent jammed into a postage-stamp Ford Fiesta, scouting for a casino. We scooted up and down the I-25 freeway scouting rather questionable spaces, when finally, on the third day of three, our Albuquerque scouts John Lucas and Mickey Browne landed us at the perfect location. Right off of the I-25 frontage road sits the empty 1960s era Broadway Cattle Auction. The owner, herself a character straight out of central casting, was the recipient of her father's life's work, a cattle auction house-turned-feed store, turned-family storage space. Deals were made and two weeks later, full demo began, gutting the space, opening up walls, replacing windows, painting, carpeting, manipulating the façade, installing large-scale signage and adding all the elements to make this a divey, second tier Parumph, Nevada, casino. Pilot director Allen Coulter pitched early on to establish an energy to the show through the use of sustained movement, "oners" and long traveling shots. This makes for a great look, but requires a lot of set and room for movement. The pilot opens on the Silver Dust Casino as we find one of the uniformed waiters outside smoking. He tosses the butt, then we follow him through the back door, across the casino floor, though the window to catch a hit-and-run, and back again. This was a shot requiring a lot of setup, from the "Hollywooding" of furniture, to retractable pony walls and a little visual effects to help with reflections. The dressing required on this large set was very detailed and precise. Embracing the "oner," every ounce of floor needed to be covered with detail. The camera would see everything, including the comedy casino carpet (sourced in Nevada proper) and the wagon wheel light fixtures. Set decorator Edward McLoughlin (a Santa Fe local) and his capable crew helped mastermind everything from the import of vintage casino games, a large custom neon installation, and the acquisition of just about every piece of western-themed tchotchke and dressing LA and ABQ had to offer. Construction and the Art Department assisted in creating a number of custom pieces, including a large ocean mural (a delightfully awkward backdrop to the desert-themed casino floor), a small-scale mountain diorama over the bar, custom cactus door hardware, and large gold nuggets and mining pan. The set was intentionally overdesigned, knowing that in the course of over eight episodes, every angle of the room would make it to camera. Winter Is Coming. Over one hundred sets were shot in the course of the ten episodes, each with their own hiccups and pleasant surprises. Whether it was a massive build or just a quick pop-up one-off, a couple of the sets A B C