Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1433736
this family and community being kind, proud and welcoming, set the tone for the (re)creation of this entire world. The way they opened their hearts and home to us, started what is one of the most intimate and meaningful journeys I've experienced in my profession. It was a powerful weekend. Starting preproduction with this personal research armed my desire to keep the story as close to historically accurate as possible. Production allowed me to bring on board Sean Horan, a knowledgeable passionate researcher who dug up, organized and refined information that could be integrated into the sets and world building. There were audio transcripts from the family, a massive library of books and a large wall in the Art Department filled with images of the family, from childhood to adult kingpins. To gauge the right tone for the first season, it was eually important to look back to their childhood, to look at what would be ahead in later seasons. The crew had all eight episodes available from the beginning and we were able to really work o of the actual family home and understand what details mattered in the experience and memory of each family member. We integrated the custom-painted wallpaper in the boys room, the hand sewn curtains matching pillowcases in lion patterns, the unfinished drywall in the kitchen, the brassglass furniture Mrs. Flenory loved in the formal wood-paneled living room, the sheets in the upstairs hallway to keep in the heat during winter, the kerosene tank in-between the bedrooms. We identified all these elements on the photos and recreated them to be built on stage. This way we were also able to provide the actors, guest directors, editors, composers, etc., with backstory documents, photos and historical punch lists that hopefully aided them in finding an authentic connection to the material. While the home isn't an exact replica of the real house in Detroit, we integrated as many of those details as possible in the design of both oors. After careful conversation with the show runner andy, key director Tasha mith and cinematographer Tim urton, we decided to introduce additional windows and open up the space to guarantee cinematic exibility. However, we also made the conscious choice to keep the sets authentically small, not catering to dollies and crew. I love that we made that choice as it was important E F G H E. FLENORY HOME LIVING ROOM. SET PHOTO BY SEAN HORAN. F. FLENORY HOME LIVING ROOM. SET PHOTO BY SEAN HORAN. G. FLENORY HOME LIVING ROOM. SET PHOTO BY SEAN HORAN. H. FLENORY HOME FIRST FLOOR. PRODUCTION STILL.