Back to the ’70s
As a lifelong fan of Saturday Night Live, I was absolutely thrilled to witness the painstaking recreation of the iconic Studio 8H set for the upcoming film, Back to the ’70s. From sourcing vintage Mole-Richardson lights to finding one of the two remaining Chapman cranes, every detail has been meticulously preserved to transport us back in time. It’s a labor of love that only a true SNL enthusiast could appreciate.
Over in the distant corner, there’s the elevator tower as depicted in the movie, situated near the stage where Billy Preston and his band gave their lively performances. Large lighting rigs were employed to construct a ceiling for the two-story studio setup, and these vintage Mole-Richardson lights, now obsolete due to not being LED, had to be sourced from various parts of the country.
Ticking Clock
In the movie I’m referring to, it falls upon me as Gabriel LaBelle, portraying Lorne Michaels, to make a last-minute decision that adds authenticity to the set – using real bricks and concrete for a genuine New York street corner ambiance. However, this spontaneous choice was made just 90 minutes before the live broadcast. This situation serves as a narrative tool, where the mounting bricks symbolize the dwindling time left before airtime. The brick predicament (which could be a fictional event) underscores the cast’s camaraderie: When it becomes evident that we won’t finish laying the bricks on time, everyone pitches in to help. As Gonchor puts it, “It brought everyone together and ensured everyone was aligned.
“It’s So Archaic, But So Amazing”
In the main photo, we can see a close-up of the red Mole-Richardson light that Gonchor describes. There is a camera and a camera crane. Fun fact: There are only two of these Chapman cranes, developed between 1953 and 1954, that exist today, and the Saturday Night team found one of the two still available in the U.S. The tech is so analog, lead weights are needed to balance out the cranes. “These are so old, you really only use them now for period movies like this. But they still work!” says Gonchor. For the camera that’s on it, they reworked the housing “to throw it back in time.” In this still, Ella Hunt (who plays Gilda Radner in the film) takes a ride on the archaic crane.
Re-creating the Magic
Here’s another interesting tidbit: For the 1975 version of the set, designers used seats originally intended for Yankee Stadium, as it was undergoing renovation. Gonchor procured similar seating units for this adaptation. Beneath the construction scaffolding, they built an entire universe, consisting of a prop department, quick-change department, paint department, and sound department. The primary set that is now synonymous with SNL, as seen in the image below, originates from the iconic “Wolverines” sketch’s first performance.
Bird’s-eye View
Initially, Gonchor sketched a detailed plan for the stage layout. Working together, Gonchor and his model-making son brought this design to life by crafting a scaled-down cardboard prototype using a 3D software and a 3D printer. This process took approximately three weeks. Once the blueprint was ready, the complete set was marked out on the soundstage prior to construction. The entire project, from brainstorming the idea to the actual building, spanned over 12 weeks – an “expedited” build period.
Here’s an intriguing tale I stumbled upon, initially published in a special November issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. If you’d like to get your hands on similar captivating stories, consider subscribing to their magazine by clicking here. Happy gaming!
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2024-11-19 22:25