Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1533577
craftsmanship. James Brockett, in collaboration with Warner Bros. and Omega, delivered the rich, voluminous elegance that the spaces demanded. The enormous fireplace in the State Dining Room was particularly challenging, as it required custom-sculpted corbels and engravings. This room featured some of the most intricate molding on the set, with crown molding spanning four feet, much of it custom sculpted. This weight was key to adding verticality, drawing the eye upward, and giving the space an imposing presence. To accommodate a pivotal State Dinner at the heart of the mystery, the prop team, led by the incomparable Trish Gallaher Glenn, worked with Art Decal Enterprises in Montebello to create two hundred place settings of custom White House china, each piece trimmed in gold, ensuring the table scenes felt authentic and opulent. An intriguing challenge arose when the production set out to replicate the stone patio off the South Portico. Given the unpredictable rainy season and the need to install, shoot and strike the set in a parking lot over several weeks, traditional lath and plaster quickly proved unfeasible. Real stone, though authentic, was too cumbersome to cut for the curved contours of the portico. The breakthrough came in the form of custom foam rubber matting. The legendary Dave Cohen led this process, formulating the right chemistry to accommodate the needs of curing speed, quality and durability. While the upfront material costs were considerable, the installation was remarkably efficient, making the process an overall savings. The mats became an even greater asset when rebuilding the South Portico for a second time, providing further savings and making the entire endeavor far more cost-effective. An often overlooked but essential element is the scale of the greens requirements, and for this series, the demand was immense. The South Portico alone A. STATE DINING ROOM FIREPLACE, DRAWN BY JAMES ADDINK. A MIXTURE OF STAFF MOULDING AND HAND-SCULPTED PIECES. B. STATE DINING ROOM MOULDING BUILD UP SHOWING THE MANY ELEMENTS NEEDED, FROM WOOD TO CAST BITS, TO FOAM CARVING, ETC. C. STATE DINING ROOM CROWN MOLDING COMPLETED. SET PHOTO. D. STATE DINING ROOM, STAGE 12. DRAWN BY JAMES ADDINK. SET PHOTO. E. MOULD FOR SOUTH PORTICO SLATE BY DAVE COHEN. F. SOUTH PORTICO, RALEIGH PARKING LOT. KATRINA SAINZ ADJUSTING AN EMBEDDED STAR. G. ECUADOR TREE HOUSE MODEL AS SET IN RALEIGH PARKING LOT. MODEL CONSTRUCTED BY ART DEPARTMENT. H. STATE DINNER PLACE SETTING. CUSTOM PLATES BY SET DEC AND PROPS. SET PHOTO. I. FINISHED ECUADOR TREE HOUSE SET IN RALEIGH PARKING LOT. SET PHOTO. A B C D