Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1541514
The chapel scene reveals what Lockjaw has been carrying: a portable DNA testing device. We researched real field-testing tools capable of instant readings and designed our own version. I sketched the concept of the machine and test results—a watercolor of tension, which Chris Cortner modeled. Property master Robbie Duncan, working with ISS, fabricated a fully functioning unit from custom-molded components. Executing it practically allowed the actors to play the tension in real time, with live on-screen results. The Desert - Anza-Borrego and Beyond The desert finale was one of our most complex undertakings. Supervising location manager Michael Glaser introduced us to Anza-Borrego and Ocotillo Wells, when he found the 1776 camp near the California-Arizona border, separated by the Colorado River—the film's only water element. I studied the road architecture closely, working with Paul and director of photography Michael Bauman on time of day and direction. Scouting from Blythe on Highway 78 to Borrego Springs, we discovered what we called "the river of hills"—a ribbon of undulating dips that felt mythic and like a gift. The "Texas Dip," two hours away, became the finale's punctuation mark—a vast, open horizon where father and daughter reunite under the desert sun. Reflection Inspired by each location and F. SISTERS OF THE BRAVE BEAVER SIGN. GRAPHIC LAYOUT. G. SISTERS OF THE BRAVE BEAVER ENTRANCE. ILLUSTRATION BY JOANNA BUSH. H. RIVER OF HILLS HIGHWAY. SET PHOTO. Florencia Martin, Production Designer Andrew Max Cahn, Super vising Art Director AJ Cisneros, May Mitchell, Art Directors Olivia Ferguson, Assistant Art Director Chris Cortner, Set Designer Joanna Bush, Illustrator Kerr y Hyatt, Hilar y Ament, Graphic Artists Anthony Carlino, Set Decorator story we uncovered, One Battle After Another was built and designed through discovery. I am deeply grateful to Paul Thomas Anderson for developing the film in this method—entrusting collaboration, exploration, and process guided by his extraordinary script and cast. The community not only informed us but also became part of the film itself: the high school vice principal, students, ex-military, store owners, church workers, "weed sisters," crew and locals—many of whom appeared on screen or helped in the world-building of each chapter. We built each world piece by piece, weaving real people and places into a singular tapestry that ultimately reflects the one around us and grounds these characters. Building this alongside an extraordinary team and watching it grow into something deeply human remains one of the most meaningful experiences of my career. It was an honor to help create a world that holds both the beauty and the grit of the one we live in today. ADG F G H