Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1512164
8 6 P E R S P E C T I V E | N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 to understand the aesthetic of the silo, with the style being more East European and Socialist, very functional and austere. One of the first areas Amanda started looking at was the lighting, as the silo was an underground structure with no natural light. In the early days of electricity, lights often used prismatic/holophane glass shades which work by spreading the light using prisms, so getting more light from less wattage. Working closely with DP Mark Patten, most of the sets were lit only with the practicals. The various levels of the silo would have different approaches to lighting. The upper levels had slightly more sophisticated and bespoke lighting and the deeper down levels had the more industrial and functional lighting. Kate Pirouet, Amanda's buyer, found some incredible industrial lights to buy from old ships, submarines and a decommissioned nuclear power station. The style of the silo dressing was generally function over decoration, and there was almost nothing made of wood. Amanda and her team could not afford to rent all the dressing pieces due to the length of the show, and they also couldn't afford to build every piece from scratch. So, Amanda and her team scoured antique markets for old metal and retro furniture, recovered and painted modern furniture and props. There was very much an element of 'real' recycling within the set decorating and prop departments to produce the dressing seen in the silo. And recycling was also a big part of silo life. If one lived or worked in the upper levels of the silo, then less of the general dressing would have been recycled, but the lower down you lived in silo, the more the general dressing would have been recycled. And in the upper levels, there would be brighter colors, maybe some bespoke furniture or dressing pieces, etc., and further down in the silo there would be dirtier colors, worn fabrics, damaged glass and more recycled dressing. The prop and model-making team, led by the wonderful Jonny Norman, were incredible, and recycled so much of the furniture, hand props and dressing from everything that had been purchased. The actual set decorating team was relatively small and compact, but very efficient, which included Katie Ralph as the assistant set decorator and Carla Fernandez Diaz as the assistant buyer. Working very closely with Graham Yost and Morten Tyldum, Amanda gave all the furniture and props a certain style, leaning heavily toward a '50s-'70s Eastern European style, but often with a twist. Some of the furniture had to be bespoke, which was a complete gift for Amanda as she studied furniture design at university. A. MAYOR'S APARTMENT. CONCEPT RENDERING BY ARNAUD VALETTE. THIS INTERIOR SET WAS REDRESSED AND RECONFIGURED FOR VARIOUS OTHER APARTMENTS. B. SIM'S APARTMENT. ALSO RECONFIGURED TO OTHER APARTMENTS, BUT BUT NO APARTMENT SET WAS PHYSICALLY THE SAME SHAPE. SET PHOTO. C. LOWER LEVEL 'SECRET PLACE.' A SET SITUATED IN THE DARK VOID OF THE SILO. SET PHOTO. D. SHERIFF'S APARTMENT. CONCEPT RENDERING BY MAX BERMAN FROM A VECTORWORKS MODEL CREATED BY GAVIN BOCQUET. E. JUDGE'S OFFICE. SET PHOTO. F. SILO RAMP. POLICE STATION MODEL BY MICKY KELM. G. SILO RAMP. FULL-SIZE PRINTOUT OF AIRLOCK DOOR. H. EXTERIOR SILO. CONCEPT IMAGE BY PATRICK FAULWETTER. A B C