Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1531774
6 2 P E R S P E C T I V E | J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 5 do what we do on a weekly basis, but we do it, and I love that people love it." Grace Under Pressure The way the show's fictional first responders worked as a team to put out fires was mirrored in the way our real-life crew worked. The stakes were high, safety was at the forefront of everyone's minds and there wasn't much time for mistakes (especially since the majority of our shooting days were double-up days). Having worked in the Art Department for the entire series from start-to-finish (five seasons, seventy-two episodes), I have to say the biggest lesson from such a run wasn't any of the technical skills I certainly gained from such a stunt/SPFX-heavy show. It was the importance of grace under pressure. Of finding creative solutions—against all odds—and if not with a smile every time, at least not with a scowl. Being patient, kind and open-minded with one another was the only way a show like that could keep chugging along without becoming a literal trainwreck. I was fortunate enough to have this modeled for me on a daily basis by Production Designers Seth Reed (seasons 1-2) and Denny Dugally (seasons 3-5) and all the other experienced Art Directors, Set/Graphic Designers, coordinators, etc., that were constantly tasked with problem-solving uniquely ludicrous things that no one could possibly be an expert on, and handling it all with candor and resolve. Challenges were met with enthusiasm—or at least humor. Most importantly, we tried to foster an environment where it felt safe to pipe up, and suggest weird ideas without fear of ridicule. The profound challenge however, was to learn how to keep showing up to work this way over the course of seventy-two episodes. Production work in general has always been like being thrown into 502-30 - FIRES - PROPANE FIREBALLS, HARTHAN/MARJAN FIGHT FIRES 502-37 - HOSE - BURSTS, TANKER GETS TOO HOT, MARJAN 502-38pt - EXPLOSION - MARJAN GETS LAUNCHED BY PROPANE TANKER SPFX BLAST* 502 - 503 TRAIN WRECK - SITE PLAN RSI POMONA - SCALE: 1" = 100' DIR: BRAD BUECKER | ADs: BURKE/BUSBY | DP: PJ RUSS | SPFX PROPANE TANK/FRKLN CRASH EXT TRIAGE (NEAR WRECK SITE) TUESDAY - APRIL 9 TUESDAY - APRIL 9 EXT WRECK/ EXT FRANKLIN'S CRUSHED CAR MONDAY - APRIL 15 - 501- 37 - ESTABLISH SMOKING TRAIN DERAILMENT (VFX) - 502-22 - 126 ARRIVES AT TRAIN WRECK SITE - 502-A23, 23pt, B24 - OWEN BRIEFED BY WAYTT, TEAMS GOES TO WORK - 502-A27 - OWEN'S FINDS FRANKLIN'S HORN BLOWING - 502 -28pt ND'S RAISE CONTAINER WITH AIRBAGS FOR SEARCH CAM - 502 - 31, A32pt - SEARCH CAM FINDS FRANKLIN, OWEN ORDERS MATEO TO GET OUT IF PROBLEM, NANCY KISSES HIM - 502 - 35, 36pt, 38 pt - MATEO RESCUES FRANKLIN, TRINA GETS IT ALL - 502 - 29 - EXT GOOD VANTAGE POINT OWEN TELLS TRINA TO MOVE BACK - 503- 8 TOMMY WAVES IN AMBO, HURT KENNY CALLS FOR TRINA 502 - 3 PT 3/A4 FRANKLIN REACTS TO ONCOMING DERAILED CAR! EXT/INT COMMAND TENT WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17 - 502-27, 28pt OWEN LEADS BRIEFING, OVERSEES SEARCH CAM FOR FRANKLIN, HEARS KENNY - 502-A32pt, 33, 34pt OWEN OVERSEES RESCUE, TOMMY COACHES MATEO TO SAVE FRANKLIN - 503- A15pt OWEN OVERSEES FROM CMND TENT, STORMS OUT INT FRANKLIN'S CRUSHED CAR THURSDAY, APRIL 18 - 502- 32, A32, 34 PT - MATEO'S FRANKLIN RESCUE THROUGH CONTAINER MAZE OF FURNITURE & FLOWERS - 502-19, 20pt2 - FRANKLIN CALLS 911 - WYATT INT HERO DAMON CAR - BEER/REBAR RESCUE - 503-18 pt 3 - PAUL FINDS DAMON IN WRECKAGE - 503-29 - OWEN STAYS TO KEEP CUTTING REBAR CAGE - 503-32 - OWEN'S BLADE SNAPS ON REBAR, SWITCHES TO HALLIGAN - 503-34 - OWEN'S HALLIGAN SLIPS OFF ITS PURCHASE ON THE REBAR, SEES CHLORINE GAS DRIP OVER EDGE OF TRAIN CAR, TRAIN LURCHES, BEER TUMBLES FROM PILE - 503-21, 22pt2 - PAUL & DAMON FACETIME W/ REMY TALK ON RADIO W/ OWEN THURSDAY, APRIL 18 EXT WRECK - PROANE EXPLOSION AFTERMATH FRIDAY, APRIL 19 - 503-04 - SMOLDERING DEBRIS, EXPLODED TANKER, DAMAGED HAZMAT TRUCK, CHARRED RAILROAD CROSSING GATE - 503-7 - OWEN WATCHES WIND, NEEDS TO IMPROVISE TO STOP LEAK - 503-13 pt MARJAN/PAUL/MATEO ARRIVE IN ATV, MARJAN GEARS UP MARJAN CHLORINE TANKER REPAIR MONDAY, APRIL 22 - 503-14 - MARJAN SUITS UP - 503-A15pt - PAUL/NDs WRAP CHAIN BELT AROUND TANKER - MARJAN CLIMBS LADDER UP TO FISSUE - MATEO GIVES MARJAN RUBBER MAT WITH DUCT TAPE ON EDGES - MARJAN TAPES FISSURE FROM BOTTOM UP - MATEO GIVES MARJAN STEEL PLATE - MARJAN SECURES STEEL PLATE WITH CHAINS - PAUL & ND MANUALLY WINCH CHAIN W/ IMMENSE STRENGTH - STEEL PLATE FALLS OUT OF PLACE, OPENING SEAL - OWEN ARRIVES, MARJAN RETURNS WITH BURNS - 503 - 15 MARJAN/PAUL FIND SPURS HAT NEAR HERO DAMON CAR EXT HERO DAMON CAR - BEER/REBAR RESCUE TUESDAY, APRIL 23 - 503-18 pt 1 - PAUL& MARJAN SEARCH FOR HAT GUY (FRANKLIN) - 503-A28, 28 - OWEN & PAUL WORK W/ SAWS TO FREE DAMON MATEO & NDS OVERSEE FROM ABOVE, MARJAN WARNS SHIFT CHANGE, MARJAN PAINTS X'S ON HERO DAMON CAR - 503-30 - CREW SEES TOXIC CLOUD, MATEO HAS PLAN TO TAKE CONTAINER WITH OWEN INSIDE - 503-A35 - OWEN SEES SEMI BEHIND HERO DAMON CAR, UNHOOKED TRAILER IN EVIDENCE, JUDD GAVE THEM A TOW, NODS AT PAINTED X ON EXT HERO DAMON CAR - 503-22pt3 - OWEN/MATEO/MARJAN PREP TO RESCUE DAMON EXT WRECK SITE - PROPANE TANKER EXPLOSION TUESDAY, APRIL 16 * * * * * * * * * * * * EXPLOSION #1 * * * * * * * * * * * * PRE-EXPLOSION PRE-EXPLOSION - NEED PLACEMENT: 503 - A33 - PAUL, MARJAN, MATEO, PAUL IN ENGINE AS IT DRIVES AWAY LOOKING AT GAS CLOUD DESCENDING ON HERO DAMON CAR W/ OWEN INSIDE PRE-EXPLOSION POST-EXPLOSION POST-EXPLOSION PRE-EXPLOSION POST-EXPLOSION PRE-EXPLOSION POST-EXPLOSION POST-EXPLOSION A. SITE PLAN WITH INTEGRATED SCHEDULE CREATED WITH SKETCHUP AND LAYOUT TO KEEP THE SITE PLAN TO SCALE. A