Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1535796
8 0 P E R S P E C T I V E M AY / J U N E 2 0 2 5 move out of the way. We then were able to drop in another wall and change the carpet and the set dressing. The jury boxes were on casters and could be wheeled out of position and switched if needed. Since this story was based in Los Angeles, the production was able to recreate some iconic spaces, including the restaurant Spago and a suite at the Chateau Marmont. Spago would be a practical location, and The Chateau suite was to be built on stage. Supervising Art Director Helen Harwell and I were able to access one of the larger suites in the actual Chateau Marmont to survey and get an overall feel for what we would build on stage. We meticulously recreated the structure of the suite exactly, from the casement doors and windows to the wrap- around balcony overlooking the Sunset Strip. The furnishings were a mix of Spanish Revival and Deco with a mix of Biedermeier furniture, which had a resurgence in the 1980s. In the sitting room, I used a bold blue-and-gold wallpaper of ginkgo leaves on one wall. With Spago, I really wanted to use the restaurant's original location. It sat just above the Sunset Strip with its big windows looking over what would have been Tower Records and the Carolco Building back in the day. Fortunately, the location team was able to secure the original site, but it looked very different than it did in its heyday. The space now serves as a barber shop and a commercial production house, but it still has a few of its original architectural details. The crew ended up painting the walls and custom building the long bar with the lattice half wall on one end. Set decorator Melissa Licht recreated the same oversized floral arrangements and was able to source the white wire metal chairs and add the mauve vinyl seat cushions. We brought in bright '80s artwork that hung on the white walls. Art Director Craig Kellar and Graphic Designer Camellia Cox worked together to recreate the original menus, the monogrammed ashtrays and even printed matchbooks. All these details help create an authentic-looking set and add so much to the story being told. The Spago set was a logistically challenging location to prep and shoot in, but it helped give a sense of authenticity and history to the scene. When the actors and director walked on the set that morning—everyone was transformed back to 1989 Spago. It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to recreate two iconic locations in Los Angeles. We felt the responsibility to make them exact. A. CHATEAU MARMONT LIVING ROOM. BUILT SET, SUNSET GOWER STAGES. SET PHOTO. B. CHATEAU MARMONT SUITE. SET PHOTO. C. CHATEAU MARMONT DINING ROOM. PRODUCTION STILL D. CHATEAU MARMONT LIVING ROOM. PRODUCTION STILL. E. CHATEAU MARMONT DINING ROOM. SET PHOTO. F. CHATEAU MARMONT TERRACE. SET PHOTO. G. SPAGO LOGO. GRAPHIC LAYOUT. BY CAMELLIA COX. H. SPAGO INTERIOR. PRODUCTION STILL. PRODUCTION STILLS, COURTESY OF NETFLIX. B D A C