Peter Pan Shield

Some designs don't make the cut. As Peter Pan attraction guests leave the loading area of the Shanghai Disneyland version, they fly through a gate designed to block the view of the first scene. A simple shield with the attraction title was used as a placeholder during the design phase, and the team leadership complained every time they saw it. Every time they complained, we (at Studio Z) explained that it was a placeholder and that a design incorporating the characters was still to come. This design was intended to reflect the early Fantasyland attraction's character murals. With the new design complete, we spent time with the mechanical engineers to figure out how the gate would split open and not cut Pan and Tinker Bell down the centerline. They would remain on the same side as the Neverland pirate crew, symbolizing the difference between the fantasy world and the children's reality.

Sadly, the design did not make the final cut, and I suspect it was a budget concern, although we were told they didn't like the design. Additionally, they claimed that all characters would have to be redrawn by an approved Disney character artist. Things changed between the 1990s, when I worked on Paris Disneyland, and 2013, when China Disneyland was under design.

For Paris Disneyland, in addition to art directing and designing the three dark rides (Snow White, Pinocchio, and Peter Pan), I also drew all of the character murals, tapestries, and stained glass windows for the land. These included those found in the Cinderella restaurant and Sleeping Beauty castle--not to mention the dark rides.

The shield shape remained with a nondescript pattern. It was a missed opportunity since these are the only gates that guests often stop and stare at before beginning the adventure. Nevertheless, I'm happy to share what might have been.

Heading to the Hollywood Collector's Show

I'll be heading out to the Hollywood Collector's Show on October 8 and 9.  I'll be there selling and signing my book, "Lost in Space Design: No Place To Hide."  If you'd like to meet me this is place to be. If you'd like to meet celebrities you couldn't find a better place to be.  There will be a cast reunion from "Batman," "The Waltons" and more.  Check out the Hollywood Collector's Show website for all of the latest information.

The illustration shown here is not actually of me traveling to the show.  This is a SketchUp rendering used in my book.  The Gemini 12 was created in SketchUp, based upon the 12 inch miniature used for filming long shot flying sequences.  I've placed the model in front of a backdrop (actually a screen grab from the Lost in Space series) of Earth.  At this point the spaceship would be hitting maximum dynamic pressure.  If you want to know how I know this come see me at the show.

Lost in Space Design:Excerpt

Here's a sneak peek at my new book Lost in Space Design: No Place To Hide.  The book explores the design of classic sci-fi/fantasy television show by looking at both the production and the science behind the fiction.  

This page illustrates that point with a look at one of the production ideas that did not make the final cut for the unaired pilot.  In this case a meteor hole was supposed to be seen near the back of the Gemini 12 spaceship.  Not only do I illustrate some of the proposed camera angles, I also point out that destruction of this sort would have meant the end of the Space Family Robinson.

The book contains more than 100 images and illustrations.  I created most of them were created in SketchUp.  If you're interested in learning more about the design of the original Lost in Space pilot please use the link to find the book on Amazon.com.

Oh, and by the way, notice the post date of this blog entry: June 12.  That's Irwin Allen's birthday.  That's where the name of the pilot spaceship comes from too.  "Gemini" is Irwin's zodiac sign and 12 is the day of his birth.  At that time in the mid 60s there was already a NASA space program called "Gemini" and the final rocket launches were already planned (they would not continue up to 12).  It was felt that there would be some confusion with the science-fiction family's space program and the real thing, so the spaceship's name became the Jupiter 2 for the series.

But Irwin wasn't done plugging his birthday.  In Land of the Giants that is the date that the little people found themselves sidetracked on a routine trip to London.  He makes it hard for his fans to forget his birthday.

Lost in Space Design

It's here.  I've written a book on Lost in Space Design, hopefully the first in a series.  The book focuses on the designs for the unaired Lost in Space pilot episode "No Place To Hide."  This is what Lost in Space was like before there was a Dr. Smith or a robot.  The book looks at the design of the pilot from a production and scientific point-of-view.  

The 80-page softbound book is fully illustrated with over 100 images.  I created all of the original art for the book using SketchUp.  Thanks to this wonderful 3-D modeling tool readers will be able to look at the spaceship and other sets from angles that vintage photos have never shown.

Publisher, Jack Hagerty, has helped to add some very interesting scientific depth to the book with an analysis of the realities of space travel.  Hagerty actually is a rocket scientist with a number of interesting books on the subject.  If you enjoy space travel be sure to look into his other works too.

Lost in Space Design: No Place To Hide is currently available on Amazon.com and from the Publisher.  Click on the links to order yours today. 

Yes, We're Open

Yes, We're Open!  I'm sorry that it has been so long since I've posted anything new.  But many thanks to the thousands (yes, it has been thousands) of visitors that have come to see what I have to offer.  

My blog has helped to lead me to a new theme park project.  Like all theme park projects it is top secret and I can't report on it until there are official public announcements, or the park opens to the public, whichever comes first.  The project is keeping me unusually busy so my postings will not be daily, but I will make them as often as I can.

My last posting was a SketchUp drawing of a shop from the film, "Pleasantville."  Well this is the same shop now open for business.  And what a wonderful business this is -- it's filled with my most popular work.  Leading the way by a long shot is the map from Neverland that I created for the Paris Disneyland version of the Peter Pan attraction.  "The Munsters" house is another popular favorite, along with a plastic house of a very different sort -- the Monsanto House of the Future.  And for some reason the Tomorrowland signpost seems to attract a lot of attention.  

Please keep checking back, there will be more to see.

Gone Fishing

Vacations are a time to take a break from the routine for some new, diverting, enjoyment.  Well it's that time for me.  Of course, for me enjoyment is my work.  I'm starting a new project and for a time I won't be able to make my usual postings.  As soon as I'm back online I'll have more to share.  (No, I won't be able to share anything from my new project.  They are always secret until they open.)

In the meantime, please don't be shy.  Take a look around the blog.  There are 139 postings here and I'll bet that you haven't seen them all.  Choose a topic that you like from the labels on the right.  Or, better yet, head down (on the lower right) to the Blog Archive.  Start at the bottom and check out an entry a day.  I'll be back before you know it.

The attached image is from my Pleasantville model.  Like so much of my work this SketchUp model allows me to explore it from any angle.  I've chosen a storefront and added a sign in the window.  Then I did have to add some blinds to make sure that the place looks closed.  But the sign certainly indicates the promise of return -- probably with big fish and big fish stories.

The Munsters - Bat's-Eye-View

Well, here is my last post for The Munsters house before Halloween.  It's a bat's-eye-view of the house, flying high above.  The lot is a recreation of the original Colonial Street location.  The Los Angeles River was actually directly behind the house, separating the property from the nearby golf course adjoining Universal Studios. This large property was over 100 feet wide and around 50 feet to the front door.  That's a lot of crabgrass.

The roof may look a little unfinished from this view.  That's because the house is based upon the backlot facade.  There was no reason to finish anything that would not be seen by the camera.

This Halloween, if you happen to be flying past The Munsters house, don't forget to swoop in and say Trick-or-Treat.

Munsters Details - Screened Porch

Here is a hidden detail not often seen on The Munsters house.  It is the screened porch on the far right side. In the Universal Studio feature file So Goes My Love the local fire department thinks that inventor Maxim's house is burning down.  Don Ameche (as Maxim) comes out of the screened porch to explain that it's just one of his inventions smoking.  Of course the irritated fire department ends up turning the hose on the inventor.

In The Munster there is tag at the end of an episode (forgive me for not looking it up) where Herman and Eddie are playing baseball on the side yard.  Lily comes out of the screened porch to remind Herman that he will be late for work.  One pitch from Eddie and Herman hits the ball that ricochets off the wall knocking Herman out cold.  Lily's not worried the car pool from the parlor will be by to pick him up soon.

Munsters Details - Front Window

As the Halloween month continues to build to a frighteningly fun conclusion I have just a few more images from The Munsters house to post.  The Munsters seems to be an audience favorite and that's why I've posted so many images of the house.  But my audience of Internet viewers is hard to understand.

My posting of The Munsters Revisited (I'll not link to it here) has had 298 hits as of this morning.  My next closest posting is the Tomorrowland Signpost at 56 hits.  Clearly the audience is looking for images from The Munsters, right?  Well, it turns out that if you use Yahoo images to search almost any variation of The Munsters my image The Munsters Revisited comes up on the first page of images.  Viewers come to the site look at the image and then go.

Some viewers stick around and look to see what else is available.  Few seem to have figured out that, like many blogs, I use labels to help viewers find what they are looking for.  At the bottom of each posting are labels that one may click on to find similarly labeled images.  If you want to find my other television images just click on the label below.  There is also a long list of labels on the right.  Click on Disneyland, or Seuss Landing to find a different assortment of my work.

Finally, don't forget to click on Older Post at the bottom of the page to view (you guessed it) Older Posts.  There are over 135 posts on this blog.

I try to give my audience what they want -- please don't be too shy to look around.  It's open house here every day.

Munsters Details - Side Window

The Munsters house was original built on a Universal Studios sound stage for the feature film So Goes My Love.  The house was called the Maxim house, after the lead character.  This side of the house had not been finished for the film since it was not seen.  When the house was moved to the backlot this side of the house needed some attention.  The beautiful window, seen here, also came from the film So Goes My Love.  It also came from the Maxim house, but it was built for Maxim's 2nd house.  The Munsters seemed to like their garden on the over grown side, so this window was mostly covered in shrubs.

Munsters Details - Kitchen Door

Here's another detail image from The Munsters house.  It's the kitchen door near the garage.  The door and the garage were added onto the house for the Universal Studios feature film The Brass Bottle.  Prior to that there was a window where the door and porch are that matched the lower window on the left.

Munsters Details - Bat-Vane

Keeping up a blog of one person's art is not easy.  In fact, if it weren't for SketchUp it would be impossible.  To celebrate Halloween I've been posting images of haunted houses.  Well, mostly The Munsters, but this month I also have a number of images from the Bewitched house.  Once a structure is created in SketchUp there are an infinite number of views that can be explored.  This is a view of the bat-vane weather vane.  This view also shows off the interesting roof line, finials and even the television antenna.

Munsters Details - Tower Balcony

Throughout the Halloween season I've been posting appropriate images from my SketchUp models.  This week has included an assortment of details from The Munsters house.  The latest is a close-up view of the tower balcony.

This entire top of the tower was added to the existing Maxim house backlot set just for The Munsters television series.  It is supposed to lead to Herman and Lily's bedroom.  A duplicate of this area was built on a sound stage along with the interior of the bedroom.  The balcony was used in the pilot episode "My Fair Munster," and again in the episode "Rock-A-Bye Munster."  The real interior of the backlot tower was difficult to reach and it was far too small to accommodate the bedroom.

Munsters Details - Balcony Window

The balcony window at 1313 Mockingbird Lane is often thought of as Marilyn's room.  In fact, when one carefully reviews episodes of The Munsters, one will realize that this is the window for Grandpa's room.  Following the architecture of the house, the stair rises from the front to the back of the house, in the center hall.  At the top of the stair and to the left are two doors, one to the back of the house (or on the right) and one to the front of the house (or on the left).  The door to Grandpa's room is always portrayed on the left (or to the front).  This door is also used as the door to the guest room in the episodes "Family Portrait" and "Lily's Star Boarder."

In the episode "Love Comes To Mockingbird Heights," a boy tries to elope with Marilyn by climbing into this window, only to discover that Herman is sleeping in Marilyn's bed.  And in the episode "A Man For Marilyn" the balcony seen here at the front of the house is where Marilyn is rescued.  In both episodes Marilyn's door is shown as the door to the right (or towards the back of the house).

Munsters Details - Window

Here is a detail image of the second floor window from The Munsters house.  The face above the window was no coincidence, it was supposed to add to the personality of the house.  In fact, this is why we love the Munsters house so much.  The house was as much of a character as Herman, Lily and Grandpa.  I created the image, like all of the other images of the Munsters house on this blog, in SketchUp.

Lift-Off Day

Happy Lift-Off Day!  According to the fiction of Lost in Space, October 16, 1997 is the day that the Jupiter 2 blasted off for a five-year journey to Alpha Centauri.  Of course, we all know that the journey did not proceed exactly as planned, thanks to that reluctant stowaway, Dr. Smith.  Also, according to the fiction, the Jupiter 2 was packed with just enough supplies to last the space family for ten-years.  Well, it's been 13-years since the fictional lift-off day.  Let's all hope that the family is still surviving (at least in reruns).

This is another one of my SketchUp models.  It includes the Jupiter 2 and the launch pad.

The Munsters Front Gate

The front gate of The Munsters house is always swinging in the wind.  But for some of us, the house at 1313 Mockingbird Lane still seems inviting.  This close-up on the gate is another view of my SketchUp model of the creepy old mansion.  In order to create the gate I imported a photo of the gate into SketchUp and then traced over it.  I then sized the gate to fit the opening and extruded the flat image into one-inch thick wrought iron.  The gate was one of the most difficult elements to create, but without it the house just wouldn't be the same.

The Munsters House At Midnight

I don't know what inspired me to call this SketchUp illustration The Munsters House at Midnight.  Maybe it's the fact that I used a midnight blue sky?  I also deepened the shadows and darkened the overall color to give the house a nighttime look.  It's just one more Halloween look at The Munsters.

The Munsters Driveway

Here is a view of the home at 1313 Mockingbird Lane that wasn't actually seen on the television show The Munsters.  It's a view up the driveway to the garage.  The stone fence makes a change at the corner pier.  The mostly wrought iron side fence was originally designed for Maxim's second home from the Universal picture So Goes My Love.  This is the same film that the Maxim house was designed for, and (in case you haven't been reading all of my blogs) the Maxim house was later redesigned as the Munsters house.

The garage was added next to the house for the feature film The Brass Bottle.  There are some nice close-up shots of the four-camel garage in that film.

The Munsters In Black And White

I don't know if this works or not.  This is one of the SketchUp styles that will make any 3D model look like a vintage computer screen image.  For The Munsters house it makes it look kinda like the black and white television version.  Is it spooky enough?  Is it too hard to read?  Does it bring The Munsters into the wrong (1970s - 1980s) era?  Or is it the best version of the house that you've ever seen?