Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1531774
Some of the most technically complex sequences were the rice field scenes. The series needed to depict the growth of the rice fields across four seasons in just eleven days of shooting, from planting to the spring shoots glimmering on the water, to the lush green growth of summer, then the golden harvest, and finally, the post- harvest barren fields. Achieving this required a creative solution. Fortunately, the geography of the location, with its natural curves and stepped layers, allowed us to create four distinct stages within one massive field. None of the modern- day farmers knew how to hand-plant the rice, as mechanization long ago replaced the old methods. So, it was the town elder, a man in his nineties, who stepped in to teach us the traditional way. This level of detail and authenticity brought the rice field sequences to life in a way that honored the extraordinary writing, direction and performances. Another standout design was the two pachinko parlors we built. The first was a pre-war parlor, a small, charming space with hand-painted wooden pachinko machines featuring cute pop culture characters. It symbolized a distraction from the hardships of daily life and the humble beginnings of pachinko culture. By contrast, the 1989 pachinko parlor was an over-the-top explosion of flashing lights, sounds and modernity, symbolizing the Japanese Bubble Economy and the excessiveness and overreach of the character Mozasu. This juxtaposition visually captured the rapid cultural and societal transformations central to the story. Working on Pachinko was a year-long journey through Japan, Toronto and South Korea, back- and-forth again and again. I learned to be brave, to trust the story and to trust myself. I was never so motivated to bring a vision to life with such care. Nothing could have prepared me for this journey other than my endless curiosity to learn and deliver an authentic world. My utter fear of misrepresentation kept me open-minded and energized. But in the end, I wouldn't trade a minute of it. It was an adventure, a high dive into a world I had never known, and I emerged with a deeper understanding and respect for the cultures and the people whose stories we were telling. ADG H. GOTO'S PACHINKO PARLOR, OSAKA 1950. PRODUCTION STILL. I. NEW PACHINKO PARLOR, OSAKA 1989. PRODUCTION STILL. Ruth Ammon, Production Designer Larr y Spittle, Eric Jeon, Ally Edwards, Bokyung Shin (Korea), Super vising Art Directors Michaela Cheyne, Mayuko Udea, Itsuko Kurono, Neal Hall, Minjeong Chai, Hyunjeong Jin, Jooyoung Yu, Art Directors Jiwon Jeon, Jaehui Jang, Jayoon Kim, Erika Williams, Sean Stewart, Assistant Art Directors Sean McLoughlin, Dan Norton, Sarah Silva, Monica Navarrete, Rudy Braun, Julia Callon, Jinhwa Sun, Eunyoung Kim, Set Designers Chris Penna, Mark Bai, Concept Illustrators Alicia Remigio, Jonathan Hunter, Rohan Facet, Mira Gim, Sungmi Park, Thanh Do, Kay Kim, Graphic Designers Ann Smart, Hyo-Young Jeong, Nayeon Lee, Set Decorators E F G H I