Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1507937
morning, often even inviting in the directors and the DP for a full creative hoedown, and then Duke slowly retreated to the buzzing mill to execute with calm precision. How he never seemed to break a sweat I will never know. Set decorator Casey Hallenbeck remained from the former crew and was the first to meet and greet me with enthusiastic positivity as to where we could take things. Coming up to Production Design through the decorator's route, it is always the department that I am viscerally drawn to and have such a passion for. Casey and I saw eye to eye and thoroughly enjoyed the opportunities together to either imbue humor or beauty into a scene. I was in great hands and Casey was a true professional to work with. He took a lot on and made life easier for the Art Department on the whole. Next, I needed a prop master who could fashion the skull of Christ out of a coconut. The fearless and most deftly nimble-fingered master of all props came to my attention thanks once again to Hallenbeck. Prop master James Kroning came on board and kept us all in line with a deeply impressive understanding of our very complicated and layered story and timeline. With an enviable rolodex full of numbers of local craftsmen to sculpt and fashion a long roster of bespoke props, James truly held the Hollywood key to what makes a prop master great: A deep understanding of characters, agile script navigation and comprehension and well-developed relationships with local craftsmen. Mrs. Davis attracted artists who were true professionals. Next, I needed a fearless group of Art Directors, Set Designers and Graphic Artists who could work fast to our accelerated schedule and without hesitation. Even though they came with it, experience wasn't what I was looking for as much as fresh enthusiasm and imagination. I was looking toward the courageous screenwriting as a cue to take on the set design and needed a gang who was up for the challenge. I was looking for the kooks! They showed up. My motley crew consisted of Eric Jeon, Christian Zollenkopf and Shannon Walsh. My Supervising Art Director, Harry Otto, brought with him a long respectful resume and demeanor to invoke reassurance and keep us all grounded. Harry and I came from completely different backgrounds in our cinematic careers, but we had one thing in common—we had started out in the exact same place; a run-down factory in Vernon, Los Angeles, in 1996. We were engaged separately on a small independent film written and directed by the Wachowski siblings and both became PAs A. HIPPO DISPLAY. SET PHOTO. B. MAPPIO MANOR HIPPOMEAT FACTORY ILLUSTRATION BY JAMIE RAMA. C. DURDEN HEADQUARTERS CONSTRUCTION IN PROGRESS. D. DURDEN HEADQUARTERS SET PHOTO. A B C D