Larka Colliding
Production Design, Fabrication
Task
Larka Colliding is a short film about an aimless young woman in a motel the day before an alien planet is predicted to collide with the Earth. As the production designer, I oversaw the visuals and managed every location on this short film. This included on-site work at a motel and two built sets - lobby and room - on a sound stage.
The design was timeless and surreal, meant to complement the film's absurdist, comedic style and reflect the scattered mental state of the protagonist.
Pre-Visualization
Detailed 3D models and renders were made before any construction or set work began. Modeling was done in Rhino 8 and rendering in Unreal Engine 5.
Pre-Visualization
Detailed 3D models and renders were made before any construction or set work began. Modeling was done in Rhino 8 and rendering in Unreal Engine 5.
Design
Several custom-built pieces were designed and fabricated for the sets, including a wooden entryway, a window frame, a reception desk, and a shelving unit. I was responsible for all design and construction drawings.
Production
I worked with my construction coordinator to budget, source materials, and schedule shop time. We built scenery in the workshop while simultaneously standing and installing pieces on the sound stage. Fabricated items were integrated into the set and complemented sourced furniture and decoration cohesively.
Production
I worked with my construction coordinator to budget, source materials, and schedule shop time. We built scenery in the workshop while simultaneously standing and installing pieces on the sound stage. Fabricated items were integrated into the set and complemented sourced furniture and decoration cohesively.
Motel Lobby
The lobby was the largest of the sets; it included both a reception and seating area, an entryway leading to a back hallway, floor-to-ceiling windows, a ceiling-mounted TV and several display areas.
The set was designed to have a timeless and surreal look. It drew on design styles of the 1970s with some elements updated to look like the 1990s and 2000s. This gave off the impression that the motel was past its era of glory and had been haphazardly updated since.
Motel Room
Although only one room was built, it was redressed to be shot as two different rooms. The paint and decoration teams both worked to make the room look dingy and undermaintained. For a scene featuring the room of an eccentric character, furniture pieces were stacked into a "mountain" and secured with hardware for actor safety.
Motel Room
Although only one room was built, it was redressed to be shot as two different rooms. The paint and decoration teams both worked to make the room look dingy and undermaintained. For a scene featuring the room of an eccentric character, furniture pieces were stacked into a "mountain" and secured with hardware for actor safety.
Motel Exterior
My team and I worked with a real motel location to create the fictional Eden Motel. The main feature of the outdoor set was the phone booth, which was a real antique booth that was transported, cleaned, and restored with glass replacement. The top was opened up so that LED lights could be set up inside.
