Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1072449
but it was necessary to create the illusion that the buildings were in fact connected. To fill the gap, Jim Ondrejko suggested using portable carports covered in tarps placed off each building. A strategically placed motorhome hid the remaining space. The scenics then proceeded to temporarily age everything down so it all looked seamless with the environment. The biggest challenge was trying to land the two banks. As scripted, a larger bank in Torrance and another smaller community bank in the middle of Palm Springs would be needed—two drastically different settings. Robert Foulkes searched for three months to find the bank locations that could serve all the exterior and interior action that was called out in the script. Combing through several dozen location files and closed property listings, three filming locations were chosen—the McCullough building near LAX for the Torrance bank, a Masonic building in Palmdale for the exterior desert bank, and a vacant Chase bank building in Culver City for the desert bank interior. The McCullough building was built in 1964 by the renowned architectural firm Welton Becket and Associates, the same firm that designed the Capitol Records building in Hollywood. The building had been sitting mostly vacant, which offered the ability to own the site for a week. Unfortunately, the grounds hadn't been maintained, and the original reflecting pools had settled unevenly and couldn't be refilled with water. The front was minimally landscaped, and the pools converted into planters by adding greenery. Michelle Peters, the Graphic Designer, created fictitious bank branding that referenced the film's color scheme and complemented the existing mid-century design. The bank would be the setting of a key action sequence, so it was essential to get the aesthetics right and provide the right opportunities for the effects team. Through the use of a white model and Lego figures (a creative contribution by Karyn's son), the staging of the action sequence was figured out. Close collaboration with the special effects team helped map where the plugs and set dressing elements should be placed to enhance the gunfire. E. EXTERIOR GANG HOUSE. SET PHOTO. F. WHITE MODEL OF THE TORRENCE BANK INTERIOR WITH LEGO CRIMINALS. G. & H. INTERIOR OF THE MCCULLOUGH BUILDING USED AS A LOCATION FOR THE TORRANCE BANK. SET PHOTO. I. TORRANCE BANK DURING ROBBERY SCENE. PRODUCTION STILL. F G H I