Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/974985
6 8 P E R S P E C T I V E | M A Y / J U N E 2 0 1 8 fireball in a hallway, then rushing into a burning classroom and rescuing a teacher. In the next episode, the firefighters return to do an arson inspection, so the set would need to be repainted for an aftermath scene. The design and layout was straightforward, a T-shaped hallway with a classroom on one side. In order to save some time and money, I designed one long classroom with two hallway doors. Half the room would be dressed as a regular classroom and the firefighters would enter and rescue a burning student from there. Once the shooting crew moved back into the hallway, the wall would hinge open, the classroom would be redressed as a chemistry lab, and the actors would then enter the revised space from the far door. This quick changeover involved bringing in full metal chemistry tables with stone tops and running fire supply pipes to several Bunsen Burners on the tables that would emit fire. All this was done while the crew filmed in the adjoining hall. The set would be full metal stud and drywall. Most of the dressing was metal. We even produced printed metal textbooks and Nomex coats and backpacks to litter the hallway with and light on fire. I wanted a glazed tile finish in the hallway, so once again the plasterers and painters came to my rescue and put in a marvelous fireproof finish. When the time for the aftermath changeover occurred, the painters used a special corn starch paint finish that they have refined over the years to give a realistic after-fire look. We have a 36-year veteran firefighter, Steve Chikerotis, as our technical consultant on this show. I always ask him to come in and look at an aftermath set first and ask him how authentic it looks. His approval means everything to me. A. INTERIOR HIGH SCHOOL FLOOR PLAN DRAWN IN AUTOCAD BY SET DESIGNER LISA KORPAN. B. SKETCHUP PRE- VISUALIZATION OF CHEMISTRY LAB SET BY CRAIG JACKSON RENDERED IN PODIUM AND PHOTOSHOP. C. PHOTO OF THE CHEMISTRY LAB SET REDRESSED FOR SCENES INVOLVING A FIRE INVESTIGATION. A C B