An entire town was constructed in Galisteo, New Mexico, to serve as a fictional location for the film, Thor (2011).
According to producer Kevin Feige, the Bifrost bridge is the films's most interesting set: "In the comics, it's literally a rainbow that extends out from Asgard and pops down on Earth. We're not necessarily doing that; we're not having the big hard solid lines of colors. We're saying it's some sort of energy, almost a solid quartz bridge that as the light catches it and flows through it, you get some of that rainbow-esque quality to it."
In Twilight (2008), when Edward and Bella are standing in the doorway of the Cullens' kitchen, there is a chess set on the dining room table behind them with red and white pieces, like the cover of 'Breaking Dawn', the final novel in Stephenie Meyer's 'Twilight' saga.
In Black Swan (2010), the letters that were written on the mirror, in the scene where Nina calls her mother to tell her that she has been accepted for the role, were written by Natalie Portman herself.
The scene in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) where Joel and Clementine watch the circus go through the streets was made up on the spot, as the film crew and cast happened to be working nearby and Michel Gondry decided it could work well in the film. The part where Clementine disappears suddenly is one of Gondry's favorite moments of the film, as Jim Carrey didn't know Kate Winslet was going to disappear and Gondry likes it because Carrey's face appears so saddened. When the sound blanks out in the final film, Carrey is actually saying "Kate?"
Flats are the basic building blocks of set construction. They can be assembled quickly and easily and are very economic. Flats can be put together in a variety of combinations to form rooms of various sizes and functions, as well as partial exteriors. Flats can also be used to alter the appearance of a location without altering the location.
Materials needed for building flats:
- 1 - 4’ x 8’ sheet of luan
- 4 - 2x4’s; 8 feet in length
- 3“ wood screws
- finishing nails
- wood glue
1. Build a frame with the 2x4’s. Use two pieces for the long sides.
2. Cut one 2x4 down into three smaller pieces. Use two pieces for the short sides of the frame. Use two more smaller pieces for additional stabilization in the middle of the frame, about 30” from either short end.
3. Assemble the frame using the wood screws.
4. After assembling the frame, apply a thin line of wood glue on the frame where the luan will be attached.
5.Lay the sheet of luan on the frame and attach using either a staple gun or finishing nails.
6. Use another 2x4 to build a stand for your flat. Cut one long piece to attach to the flat and cut one short piece to go on the bottom. Brace that with a smaller piece cut an angle to be attached between the two previous pieces. This enables the flat to stand on its own.
7. Now you are ready to texture and/or paint your flat. When using more than one flat to form a wall or an entire room, be sure to bolt the flats together for stabilization.
Here's a little YouTube example of building a flat. These flats are for a theatre stage, but the principle is the same for film sets.
In John Carpenter's The Thing (1982) to give the illusion of icy Antarctic conditions, interior sets on the Los Angeles sound stages were refrigerated down to 40 F while it was well over 100 F outside.
In the close up shot of the United States National Science Institute Station 4 sign, a 'Smokey the Bear' sign can be seen.
Great article on the production design of The King's Speech. I like how production designer Eve Stewart liked the existing texture on the walls of one location so much, that she had it recreated on the remaining walls of that room.
In the film, The Help (2011), the book store Avent & Clark Booksellers, was named after Avent Clark, a production assistant on the film from Greenwood, MS.
Remember that magical feeling when you watched Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) for the first time? As a child, I remember desperately wanting to be one of those lucky kids...especially in the 'everything you see, you can eat!' room. As an adult, I still want to go there and eat everything in sight. The sets in this film are so magical and fantastic, just like Roald Dahl's story.
What is your favorite set from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory? Do you feel like the Tim Burton remake was as good as the original, in terms of set design?
During rehearsals for The Godfather (1972), a false horse's head was used for the bedroom scene. For the actual shot, a real horse's head was used, acquired from a dog-food factory. According to John Marley, his scream of horror was real as he was not informed that a real head was going to be used.
Marie Antoinette (2006) is one of my favorites, not only because of the eye candy that fills up every inch of the screen, but also for the killer soundtrack. I love how so many of the sets are full of girlish extravagance: flowers, feathers, candies, jewels and precious metals, plush cushions, and beautiful architectural elements. It really shows the opulence of that particular time and ruling party. The pastel color scheme is very feminine and sweet, much like all the tasty treats that Marie and her friends are always munching on.
Hello! My name is Melanie, and I will be running this little blog about production design. My goal is for Once Upon a Set to become a useful resource for those interested in or already working in the world of production design. I am new to this world myself, so I'm hoping this will become a useful learning tool for me as well.
This is a new and exciting venture for me. Please feel free to share any suggestions for ways to make Once Upon a Set better. Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks for stopping by. My goal for this blog is to create a one-stop shop for all things production design related. I want Once Upon a Set to be a collection point for useful links to resources, budgeting information, tricks of the trade, behind the scenes videos, interviews, product reviews, and much, much more.
I hope you enjoy Once Upon a Set. If you have any suggestions, or would like a certain topic covered, please email Melanie at onceuponaset@gmail.com.
