Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1152740
spherical lens of the same focal length. Practically this means a 50mm in anamorphic terms is equivalent to 25mm in width. This is the format normally reserved for feature films." Fortunately, Michael loved this format and, having had much experience with features in the anamorphic process, he embraced the epic sets that fell before him in the scripts. One example of these large sets was the 1948 Paraguayan town. — Michael Hanan: "The production needed a town that would serve as a backlot. I knew we would require something that would serve as the visual underpinning for the set. Paraguay is not easy to find in Georgia—especially 1948 Paraguay! My solution was either to find a location near the studio or to undertake extensive building and enhancement to existing architecture—an area we could control completely for several weeks for preproduction and shooting. This was an extremely important set as it was the first scene in the first episode and would set the visual tone for the project." This swiftly led Michael to design the 1948 Von Fuch's Lab—in the story the lab follows, and is really part of, the Paraguayan town in terms of style. — Michael Hanan: "The lab was to be built in three parts, the exterior, interstitial stairs and hallways between the exterior and the lab, and the lab itself. The exterior would follow the Spanish Colonial-inspired exterior of the town and would be constructed and shot near it. I knew there would be very few Spanish Colonial Revival locations in Atlanta and, as the set needed to be isolated from the town and the location choices for that set were between slim and none, I decided to build the exterior. I wanted the lab level to be below the main floor and to feel as if it was retrofitted into the older Spanish Colonial part of the house. This is where Nazi technology was introduced—I wanted the original chamber to be something between a turbine generator at Hoover Dam and a U-boat from WWII." From a film set in 1950s Africa (where Michael found behind the scenes stills from The African Queen to help create Rita's backstory), all the way to Edwards Air Force Base, an X-15 hospital and creating a plane, Michael's vision came to life and a visual syntax was set for the rest of the series. B A C A. PAINT AND TEXTURE ELEVATIONS FOR THE PARAGUAYAN TOWN SET PREPARED MICHAEL HANAN IN PHOTOSHOP. B. PRODUCTION STILL OF THE PARAGUAYAN TOWN BUILT ON LOCATION NEAR THE MAIN STAGE. C. PHOTO OF THE X-15 ON STAGE BY COLIN DE ROUIN. NORMALLY THIS LEVEL OF FIT AND FINISH IS NOT SEEN ON THIS TYPE OF PROP ON TELEVISION— ESPECIALLY WITH THE TIME FRAME PROVIDED. D. MODEL STUDY OF THE MAIN CHAMBER IN VON FUCH'S LAB PREPARED BY COLIN DE ROUIN IN SKETCHUP AND PHOTOSHOP. E. PRODUCTION STILL OF VON FUCH'S LAB. THIS SET WAS BUILT ON STAGE. F. ALLEN COULTER'S SKETCHUP DRAWING OF THE NURNHEIM STREET. THIS AND OTHER DRAWINGS WERE USED FOR VFX REFERENCE.