Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1541514
tunnel found in Stockton, leading to the meeting space built on stage at LA North Studios. Scenic Artists at Trio hand-painted a diorama mural of the American West, adapted from Joanna Bush's illustration. After multiple samples, we found the right mix of muted color, texture, and patina to evoke a sense of dank age and claustrophobia. Small Christmas details were incorporated, a custom-carved wooden Saint Nick is hidden in the keystone of the arch, and Christmas porcelain cups sourced by Anthony. Chris Cortner grounded the design in practical architecture, referencing a Midwestern basement- renovation company to inform vents, moldings and the ceiling recess, giving realistic, utilitarian details. Anthony layered the diorama with his favorite dressing, taxidermy and furniture replicated from a Pullman car chair, creating a repetitive, institutional rhythm. The Sisters of the Brave Beaver In the fictional Chupacabra Hills, Willa is taken to the Sisters of the Brave Beaver—a revolutionary sanctuary-turned-hemp farm, inspired by the real "weed-growing nuns," the Sisters of the Valley. We scouted several missions along the Camino Real trail after Paul shared a painting of a weathered mission in the hills. Most were too well-restored; La Purisima Mission in Lompoc had the stripped-back realism we needed. We imagined the Sisters as a group adapting out of necessity, shifting from offering shelter to cultivating hemp to survive. May and Anthony worked closely with the Sisters of the Valley and a local hemp producer to add authenticity—grow rooms, drying racks, and processing equipment—much of which was pared back in the final cut but informed the design and space for the actors. A. CAC BUNKER. SET SKETCH. B. CAC BUNKER. ILLUSTRATION BY JOANNA BUSH. C. CAC BUNKER. SET PHOTO. D. PORTABLE DNA TEST DEVICE. SKETCH BY FLORENCIA MARTIN. E. PORTABLE DNA DEVICE. ILLUSTRATION. RENDERED MODEL BY CHRIS CORTNER. SCREEN SKETCH BY FLORENCIA MARTIN. C A B D E