Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1470106
During this period, the crew had to begin looking at how we might return to filming and what the best way to protect ourselves from continuous shutdowns would be. n one hand, this involved the now ubiuitous VID protocols that have become standard throughout the industry, but on the other hand, we had to look at how to mitigate exposure. This involved taking a hard look at location work and how to contain it, as well as how to bring elements back to the more controlled environment of the studio. We were quite lucky to have Arborfield Studios all to ourselves so, in many ways, once the testing protocols were put in place, the studio felt like one of the safest places one could be. Very uickly the art team had to start looking at the repurposing of built environments that were only intended to serve a single purpose and how we could transform them into new environments originally intended to be on location. Streets, ravines, battlefields and battlements all became backlot elements and stage sets. Distant work was grouped into a tightly knit array of locations in Yorkshire. The additional time also gave us the opportunity to reexamine and refine ideas for sets on which we had not yet begun construction. A strange but positive silver lining to a dicult journey. After thirteen weeks of lockdown, and nine weeks of refocused preproduction, shooting recommenced on August 1 with fresh resolve and a mad schedule that had four blocks shooting virtually simultaneously. Forward and Backward The journey through season two became even more interesting when discussions began about the prequel series and season three. Knowing that The Witcher would be stretching its world both into the past and into the future added an extra level of intensity and complexity to the Art Department's approach. While still focused on the task at hand, we were able to start thinking about ways in which both the past and the future might better inform the immediate scope of the world. Season two gave us the opportunity to explore and present a much clearer understanding of the evolution of the continent and a chance to provide greater definition to the origin and evolution of its known world. To have been trusted with the visual universe of such an amazing project as The Witcher is an incredible honour, and to have had the privilege to work with this outstanding and talented team has been both humbling and elevating. ADG Andrew Laws, Production Designer Stuart Kearns, Super vising Art Director Justin Warburton-Brown (Senior), Sophie Bridgman, Danny Clark, Philip Elton, Dominic Hyman, Mark Larkin, Marco Anton Restivo, Chantelle Valentine, Art Directors Celene McDowell, Jamie Shakespeare, Assistant Art Directors Chelsea Davison, Ewa Galak, Oliver Herrick, Draughtspersons Zoltán Mányi, László Szabados, Gábor Szabó, Daniel Veres, Concept Artists Sam Moulsdale, Louis Burnett, Graphic Artists Rob Cameron, Set Decorator C