Sadly there are many past TV props I created in my younger days that only exist in my memory. For one reason or another, numerous projects I was proud of were never photographed. Digital cameras make it so easy and cheap now, there's no excuse not to document your work.
A seven foot tall robot I created as set dressing for SCI FI Buzz on the SyFy Channel back in the early '90s was just such a case. I affectionately named him the Sci Fi Buzz-bot. Over the years I've often thought of him and regret not taking pictures of. There's an epic, but funny, tale to tell of his journey from idea to being on set that I will share one day.
Thanks to YouTube'er Nanoforge, I now have screen grabs of the Buzz-bot via a posted clip from the show. Although the segment was about Oliver Stones' 1993 mini-series Wild Palms, he's seen in host Mike Jerrick's wraparounds and really showcased at the end.
Here's the entire clip.
A bit of trivia for those who follow this blog... remember the Captain Hook prop I made several year's ago? Well, the dummy arm Mike Jerrick holds during the beginning of the clip is the one I used to create it with. It was a prop often kept handy (pun intended) on set for silly impromptu moments that it might work for.
Yep, my stash of collected junk I often make stuff from is that old and another reason why the fiancee has the TV show Hoarders phone number written down.
Here's another tale from my Sci Fi Channel set design days in the 90's. Star Trek: Voyager was soon to premiere. Dick Crew Productions needed a simple set for a promotional making of special called " The Launch of Star Trek Voyager hosted by Majel Barrett Roddenberry ".
I'll bet even the most die hard Trekkie doesn't know the special was a do-over. It was originally hosted by Marina Sirtis.
Because of some giant corporate franchise legal stuff that I was not privy to, Ms. Sirtis' segments went unused and was re-shot with Mrs. Roddenberry.
Like all the Sci Fi Channel sets I did, it was another fun project for a fanboy. I loved original Trek and was a real Next Generation junkie. I 'll admit it... I also had a trekkie crush on Deanna Troy.
I designed the set from the start to be simple for aesthetics and the usual tiny budget. It was far from the most original of ideas and was actually the biggest visual cliche' of all possible Star Trek environments... outer space.
I won't bore you with how the set was created. I think my TV design inexperience at the time is obvious. Painted dodgeballs for planets and cobbled together set pieces borrowed from other sets are stories told often on this blog.
One interesting memory was during a segment using props. She held up ordinary Star Trek action figures and books talking about the merchandising of the franchise. After the take she made a immediate beeline for me and gave them back as if they were burning her hands. I thought it was a little quirky but didn't give it much thought then. I did hear a story just last year which might explain it.
Back when the show was in production, Paramount learned of the huge and lucrative collector's market for any and all original Star Trek props. They were seeing the most insignificant of things, even trashed items, being sold at auction. In fear of internal theft, the prop people became more like security guards. The actors made of habit of handing back props to them quickly so none went missing, even in brief moments between takes. True story? I don't know?
I'll post pictures of the Roddenberry version once I dig up the tape. Sorry that the pictures above are just screen grabs, but I was lucky to get them. I never had a copy of the Sirtis version and camera man Piers Bath was kind enough to e-mail me these just recently.
With the new X Files movie opening this weekend, I thought it a good time to invite you back to 1995 with me. X files was at the peek of it's success. The producers of Sci Fi Buzz asked me to design a set for the "wrap around" segments on a episode of Masters of Fantasy about the X File creators. It was hosted by actor Mitch Pileggi.
Once again this was a project I forgot to take pictures of until it was torn down and packed up. All the images are pictures I took of the TV playing a VHS copy. I've done my best to make them presentable.
Like much of my work from those days, I cringe looking at the set now wishing It could be re done. I give myself some slack on this one because it was probably the lowest budgeted set I ever created for the Sci Fi Channel. With the exception of 2 cheap metal shelf units, a hallow core door and a couple of model kits... everything was recycled, borrowed or brought from home (even the paint). I recall this having to come together really fast in only a couple of days. I also believe we put the whole set up, painted, dressed and lit it in a afternoon and taped the segments that evening.
I attempted a moody X files like FBI office. One side Mulder themed and the other Scully themed. In the center was the office door with the phrase "the truth is out there" stenciled on it, but backwards because you're in the office (I thought that was so clever then).
The walls were a combination of a few repainted ones from the Sci Fi Buzz set and re purposing ones from a recently canceled show called Hollywood Insider which the production company had produced. I raided the studio's offices for stuff... desks, chairs, file cabinets...and a coffee maker.
I was desperate for wall space filler in Mulder's area, I really wanted a copy of the now classic "I Believe" poster but there was little time to gather stuff. Oh, where was photoshop and a personal color printer in those dark ages? Along with clippings and copies from a UFO book, I used every inch of the box and instructions to a UFO model kit. I also included a framed picture I snapped in 1986 while on the Universal Studios tour of an old airplane just sitting in some wooded area. It still decorates my home studio today. Useless personal fact: it's been part of 3 creative chapters in my life. I took the picture while a student at RISD for a photography class. I framed it while working as a framer at Aaron Brothers Art Mart and it then became set dressing when I grew into a set designer.
Along with all the books and papers in Mulder's cubicle, much of the stuff in Scully's area I took from home, including a Mac Classic (not pictured) and my drawing table light. Things from my own Halloween stash and Sci Fi Buzz props were creepy relics on the shelves. My carpenter Greg Holliman wanted to kill me when I asked him to make the rotted, boarded up, window wall from the horror area of the Sci Fi set look new (as seen here). He did it and it looked great but I stayed clear of him as he cursed me out having to re do it when the next Sci Fi Buzz show taped.
Mitch Pileggi was professional, easy going and just plain cool. One of the highlights for me was going outside for a cigarette during a break in filming. He came outside as well to cool off, the studio was very small and got hot very fast under the lights. I asked him...
"This has to be the cheapest, low budget set you've ever been on?"
He smiled and said
"This is a billion dollar set compared to some of the stuff I've worked on when I started out."
I became a little star struck being a big fan of the X Files when it sunk in I was making small talk with FBI Director Skinner. There was some awkward silence especially when I remembered I was also talking to serial killer Horace Pinker from the Wes Craven movie Shocker and standing in a dark parking lot.
The skull he holds at one point was the other model kit put together for the show and aged up. He signed it for me after we wrapped, even adding the name Skinner in quotations. I kept it for years but it was glued together in haste as a quick prop, not posterity. It's long gone having been beat up and broken often during the many moves in my life.
The best memory though was working with my brother Ted who helped set dress. It's nice to see our names scroll up the screen back to back in the credits. Mine came first of course, I'm the older brother.
This is part 2 about my 3 set designs for the Sci Fi Channel series: SCI FI BUZZ. I wrote about the first version here.
After one season, Sci Fi Buzz had gained an audience and was renewed for 1993. Having been filmed in the production company's office, it was often hoped to move to a real studio space one day. Piers Bath, the show's cameraman and lighting designer pitched the idea to the "powers that be" that it could be filmed in a often unused space at the "camera for hire" company he worked for. Things fell into place and a new set was born.
The new space was small, but not hard to work in being equal in size to the original office space (if not a little bigger). The best part was designing from scratch and not having to reassemble a working office after filming.
I loosely came up with an idea that would use the cubicle layout already established but upgraded to look like an orbiting Sci Fi news space station. As slick and impressive as anything Kirk or Picard ever commanded.
Click on sketches to enlarge.
I threw that idea out the window. Who was I kidding? I was still a set design rookie. I knew so little then although I had past TV experience and just started working on ABC's Home Show in the art department. Having designed the first Sci Fi Buzz set gave me confidence but I knew my limitations in those days. I wasn't afraid to challenge myself but I revised the concept to be a homage of 1950's b-movies with cheap sets and props. I hoped the Ed Wood feel would maximize the budget and reinforce the fun of the show. The irony is... It took all the money, sweat and time just to make it look as it did, far less by intentional design.
Counter clockwise: host Mike Jerrick's desk/space wall transitioned into sci fi, comic book, fantasy and horror themed areas...
Horror area as seen sitting in the comic book area.
As silly and cheesy as the set was, it's one of my favorites with great memories. We just dove in creating stuff. The "powers that be" were happy to have a new set and never micro managed, trusting us. Of course, I can look back now and know how I could of done this or that better. There was great discovery making this set. One of the few projects I've done were I could just play with ideas. It also showed me the joy of transforming found objects into stuff. Which is still a creative passion for me. I could use most of this blog's memory writing about all the small decor details. Each has a story behind it. I can't say that about many of the sets I've designed since. Carpenter Greg Holliman built the walls and columns by himself in his garage. As they were finished, he delivered to my backyard for painting so he had room to make more. Thankfully we lived close to each other and this process seemed normal to us then.
My sister Megan needed extra work in those days so I hired her to help paint while I shopped for set dressing and custom made stuff. Now she's a big success with her own company.
This photo documents the last time I was able to order her around...
A small epilogue: The new place we taped the show at was once known as BPS: Broadcast Production Services. Years since, they expanded into the building next door with 2 sound stages for rent. They are now known as BPS: Burbank Production Studios. Carpenter Greg was hired to help design and build the first sound stage when they expanded. I'd like to think Sci FI Buzz helped in BPS's evolution.
There were 3 incarnations of the SCI FI BUZZ set I designed in the years it was on the air. . This is part 1.
In 1992, my first real TV job (beyond being a production assistant) was as the production coordinator for the last season of Nickelodeon's original WILD AND CRAZY KIDS. I was basically the head production assistant and responsible for all the other P.A.'s on staff. We were needed to make real and practical all the games the producer's came up with. Looking back, I was actually the art director and all the P.A.'s were prop people but I didn't know any better then. We should of been payed art dept. wages...but TV work was fairly new to me and I had no thoughts of a career in it.
I should of saw the future when I wanted filming to wait on a game till all 10 red balloons filled with whip cream where the same size.
That season's director Dave Garrison called me a few weeks after it was over. He was producing and directing for a unknown cable network called SCI FI Channel. He wondered if I wanted to design the set for a weekly "entertainment tonight" styled show about all things science fiction.
Of course I said yes. I then talked with executive producer, Dick Crew about details and dove head first into the project. I soon realized with no set design experience...I had no idea of what I was doing.
Thankfully, I had become good friends with, Gregg Holliman, a P.A. from Wild and Crazy kids. Greg was the "go to" guy for any building or carpentry on that show. He had experience working in many scenic shops around town. Greg said to me...
"Designing a set is no different than drawing a picture of a room or someplace from your imagination. You just have to build it and I can build anything you think up "
Hearing those words opened a new world for me. SCI FI BUZZ became the first TV set I ever designed.
The first SCI FI BUZZ season was to be filmed in the Dick Crew production office. It was hoped to look like a busy office full of people in cubicles focused on all things sci fi . We would film 4 episodes on a Saturday or Sunday once a month. Staff members were to be on camera as extras.
I had to transform a boring production office, that looked drab...into a cool space that seemed to be a "sci fi headquarters". The real challenge was not completely re-designing the office as people had to work there on Monday. It had to be something easy to set up, strike and store quickly once a month. Adding sci fi posters and props to the cubicles was obvious but it needed more.
The solution was creating a home base for host Mike Jerrick as the sci fi buzz team leader (and not just a talking head). I came up with a design that used 3 pre existing black shelf units in the office, pushed together, bookended by two internally lit pieces built by Greg.
I added a large Sci Fi channel "Saturn" logo made from foam core. The other stuff was furniture around the office. I'm proud of the design, it was fun and sold the show's theme. It was just "over the top" and still worked in the overall office space.
I loved working on this show! Not only as a Sci Fi fan but as a wonderful way to begin a future history in TV art direction. It spoiled me. Each month I'd have to make some fun props based on one or two of the show's segments. How many people get a call asking...
"Can you make the monolith from 2001: a Space Odyssey for next week?"
Here's a clip from season one I found online about DARK SHADOWS (note that the whole office became the set...even the company office tape storage.)
If you looked quick there was a Indiana Jones tribute. A bullwhip, leather jacket and fedora was on the wall. I'd add things like that from time to time as fun details.
Sci Fi Buzz was a great show because it treated fans with respect. It was the only show about all things in the genre without snide commentary or aside remarks. It was full of self effacing humor, but the words... dork, geek and nerd... were never used. As in this clip I also found online (first season director and producer Dave Garrison is the correspondent).
Mike Jerrick and the crew never made fun of the subject matter either when filming on the set. Everyone was a nostaligic sci fi genre lover at heart. I remember all standing around going..."ooohaahhh" when beloved collector Bob Burns brought the original King Kong to the set one day for a segment about it. The executive producer had to be the bad guy and demand all to focus and get back to filming the show.
Everyone working on SCI FI BUZZ made a show they wanted to watch as fans.
Greg Holliman taught me a designer is nothing without a good team or carpenter. They are often the one's forgotten as someone else gets the credit. Greg made many a crazy idea I had real and practical for years after. Life happens and we've drifted apart. We see each other now and again around town and catch up. I always run into him at some hardware store. Ironic, as the places we spent the most time when working together.
The SCI FI BUZZ set grew bigger in time over the next few seasons. For part 2, click here.
A set I designed and made for a 1 hour promotional special on the SCI FI Channel in 1995. The making of BATMAN FOREVER .
Like many previous sets I did in the mid 90's, I went with foam core painted scenery (I was foam core addicted then). The SCI FI channel set budgets were extremely low. I mean really, really low. I was offered a non negotiable amount of money to create that included my own fee. The bigger my vision the less I got paid. As cheap as it looked, it could of been a lot worse had I actually wanted to pay a bill that week. As a matter of fact, the Christmas light night sky background walls and rooftop edge were parts from another set I designed for the same production company.
The producers were great though, not demanding much or micro managing the design knowing the budget so tight. There are other production companies I've worked for that locked me into the same deal and milked it till I made zero profit. Oh, I've got stories of to tell one day.
I wanted the set to look like a panel from a comic book... graphic, hand drawn, using bright and saturated colors. The wonky feeling was intentional. The clouds were spray painted on. The bat signal was a back lit, tracing paper skinned hole in the wall with a foam core emblem glued on. I made each building randomly, loosely thinking about size and scale to each other. It's hard to see in these pictures but it was lit in washes of color like the film was and helped the comic feel.
Even though, like all my old set design, I would love to go back in time for another crack at it, I think the set looked good. We had smoke drifting from chimney pipes, creating a nice atmosphere. The bright colors really transitioned well to clips from the movie. HostMike Jerrick and his tongue in cheek humor held sell the cartoon feel. Looking back, my only want... I should of made the cityscape in better perspective.
Back in those days, money and time was always against me. I'd dive head first into creating the set as I designed it. It was a really great learning experience and trial and error period. Sad thing is, I've learned...even with a bigger budget and more time, nothing changes.
Before Lucas and Spielberg, there was Pal. I devoured George Pal films as a kid in the mid 70's. Sci Fi entertainment then was... comic books, Star Trek reruns, Famous Monsters magazine and old movies on TV. Before Star Wars arrived and the genre exploded with new life, seeing an old George Pal film come on after Saturday morning cartoons was a perfect weekend.
In 1995 Dick Crew Productions produced an episode about him for the SCI FI Channel "Masters of Fantasy" TV series which showcased icons in the genre. It was going to be hosted by director John Landis on a set I was asked to design.I was thrilled.
It had to have elements from all of George Pal's body of work, as a fan my head spun with ideas, but they also wanted to it to be installed and ready to shoot on in 5 days.
With time against me, I drew a quick set sketch that would be a large collage of well known and iconic images from Pal's films.
I imagined I would take old photos, get enlarged, printed, pasted on foamcore, cut out and artistically arrange on set. One day was spent researching the photos to use and making numerous calls to print shops. No one could make happen within the deadline I had at the scale I wanted. Day two was spent at Kinko's experimenting with enlarging images via the self serve copy machine and splicing together, it was too complex a task in the time allowed. Let alone the pasting on stiffer board and coloring.
Then it hit me, maybe the set could feel like an old illustrated 50's poster...thinking I could paint the images faster in the rough, quick style. I called the producers and they liked the idea. This is when I really screwed myself. I bought large foam core sheets, paint, fresh x-acto blades and a giant can of coffee to brew. 48 hours later with no sleep, it was done...
On the install day, the popular MTV show at the time "Singled Out" was filming on another stage. The audience line was in the hall outside our studio door. Everyone in the wannabe hipster crowd waiting to see Jenny McCarthy (when they came into eye line of our stage) had some "arm chair" art direction comment...it was a long day.
Set pieces were still wet as the film/lighting crew arrived and began setting up. The backdrop was hung in some haste but we pulled it tight looking good for the camera frame and ignored the corners beyond it. John Landis arrived on set and quickly pointed out the wrinkles in the corners. I was not going to argue. I jumped up to fix only because I could then add "worked for John Landis" on my resume.
Now, before the next part of the story, I must explain that for some reason almost every production I work on there is another person named Dave on it. People with like names are distinguished on set by their the name followed by the job, like "Dave Director" but I'm always just "Dave Lowe". Even in High School when others are called by last names in Gym, I was always...Dave Lowe.
At the end of the day John Landis liked the dragon I painted from Pal's "Wonderful World of the Brother's Grimm". He told the director he was taking it home. The director told him to ask "Dave Lowe", as I made it. I'll never forget seeing John Landis spinning around asking...
"Dave Lowe? Paging Dave Lowe! Dave Lowe? Who's Dave Lowe?"
I said "me" and he asked if he could have the dragon. I was beyond complimented and stunned. I stood silent for a second or two. Here was the director of Animal House and Blues Brothers asking if he could have something I made.
He noted my pause but took it as reluctant to give the dragon away. He said he knew I made it and worth more than just giving it away. He offered a picture of me and him in exchange for the dragon.
In the end the show aired without my set or John Landis hosting. I don't know why. I 'm happy though. Now that I've got years of set design experience under my belt, I cringe looking at the pictures. The set looked no better than a cheap knockoff of the lowest budget grammar school play in history. I'll give myself credit for the effort. I tried.
