Making a Tex-Mex Joint an Art Deco Bar

When I was the Production Designer* on a silly web series "Put it On the Table" and one of the challenges we were given was to transform a contemporary Tex-Mex restaurant into an Art Deco vibe.

I'm proud of finding that sconce lamp and think it really made this shot. 

Now I love Art Deco period design. like LOVE. As in, I'm a member of the LA and NYC Art Deco Societies, go to the annual Jazz Age Lawn Party, (so in other words I'm a little nuts) and my dream is to work on a period piece film or TV series set in the era. 

Considering this, it was both a fun challenge and a frustrating experience to work with a micro-budget to capture the essence of the Art Deco aesthetic (the era in which Monopoly was designed) on a set that wasn't suppose to be a faithful and historic Art Deco interior but rather a surrealistic and disjointed fever dream suggestion of the Art Deco aesthetic. 

Additionally, the location they found for us to use for these shots was a Tex-Mex restaurant and we would have 20-30 min to dress the set in between other scenes shot there. 

Considering this, I think we got the job done for under $30:

*I mean I was Production Designer, Set Decorator, Set Dresser, Props, and On-Set....you know for these small things you are basically the whole Art Department.  In this case it was my talented friend Eimi Imanashi and I who were the Art Department for the whole shoot. 

Control Center War Room

I was the Production Designer* for a silly web series called "Put it On the Table" and one of the scenes was a Control Center/War Room for a guy to sabotage his ex-girlfriend's date with another guy.

It was fun to take a common visual idea seen in serious war or detective dramas and put a juvenile and light-hearted spin on it thinking from the perspective from a young guy still pining for his ex-girlfriend. You can see all the reference photos I used here. 

*I mean I was Production Designer, Set Decorator, Set Dresser, Props, and On-Set....you know for these small things you are basically the whole Art Department.  In this case it was my talented friend Eimi Imanashi and I who were the Art Department for the whole shoot.