Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1521244
Then one day, I was flipping through The Magic Book by Taschen when I came across a beautiful period photo of an African American magician. James Van Der Zee was the photographer credited. I learned he was a prolific African American photographer who had been shooting Black life and portraits for six decades, starting in 1908 in Harlem. I immediately ordered all his books and one for Kobi, who also fell in love with the photos. I was determined these would be our portraits. Assistant Art Director Mark McKeon, who was tasked with this project, reached out to Mr. Van Der Zee's widow, who let us know she had given the work and rights to The Metropolitan Museum of Art. After many phone calls, numerous emails and chewed-up fingernails, we were able to get clearance and quality images to print from the Museum. The next big location to find was the Meetbox offices. The Art Deparment put together a huge reference deck of tech offices (mostly Google all over the world) which are still just so bizarre and more over the top than can be imagined. It seems the goal of these tech companies is to imply that employees are having fun at work. In an attempt to lean into that we knew we were going to make our nautically themed office look fun and comfy. Bean bag chairs, boat-shaped bar, Ping-Pong tables, VR room, loungy boat couches. a juice bar and more… but in reality, there would not be a comfortable seat in the place. The juice bar would only serve green drinks, the LEGO table was so low to the ground, you had no place for your legs and the large 3D inspirational signs we made and placed around the office—MEET. GREET. WORK or DREAM. A. MEETBOX WORKSHEET WITH SET NOTES—BUILT IN THE HISTORIC STANDARD OIL BUILDING DOWNTOWN LA—SKETCHUP MODELS AND PLANS. B. MEETBOX AMERICAN OFFICE MAP WALL IN PROGRESS. ONE OF 3 INTERNATIONAL OFFICES SHOT ON THIS SET. REDRESSED BY CHANGING THE DIMENSIONAL LETTERS, DESKTOP SCREENS AND MAP HIGHLIGHTS. SET PHOTO. C. MEETBOX OFFICES PLAYPEN. SET PHOTO. D. MEETBOX OFFICES. SHIPLAP WALLS WITH VINTAGE PORTHOLES. SET PHOTO. E. MEETBOX OFFICES. SET PHOTO. B C A