Monroe (NC) - location. For recreate the town of St. John we found a small town in North. Carolina, Monroe perfect for our story.
Art concept of the town of St, John in the 40s. Here we can see (comparing the picture before) which modifications and set dressing needs for the transform it in the town of the 40s.
The town was thought in two different season , winter and summer (4th July), with its relativity different ornaments and mood.
St. John's town set. Here other renderings of our 40s town. Double view actual town (picture above), and St. John's town (picture below).
Another double view: actual town (picture above), town as St. John's (picture below).
Main street St. John's town set with renderings and double view actual (picture above) and set dressed (picture below).
The location for the Train Station sequences was found in a small town, Spencer, in North Carolina.
Art concept Ext. Train Station set. Here the concept in how will be transformed the Station in the 40s. The worked steamy train was found nearby in a Museum (Transportation Museum).
Still location int.Train Station set, in Spencer, NC.
Here the art concept of the interior Train Station, based of Spencer Station location, NC.
Art concept Ext. Train Station set. The location is the same of the exterior Train station in Spencer, but changed the set dressing, with signs of and cars of 40s.
Art concept - Prisoner's corral nearby the Train Station. Here was built the corral where the Prisoners are gathered for the inspection before moved to the POW's camp.
Plan Becker's Farm complex set: the House, the Barn, the Windmill, some sheds. All is conceived as an accessible and exterior/interior set for shooting.
Art concept Ext. Becker's Farm set complex. The site chosen where build the complex was across the street of a location we used as Schmidt's farm.
Art concept Ext. Barn and the silos set, part of Becker's Farm complex.
The art concept illustrates the back of Becker's house. On the background the windmill, the shed, and the very high big piles of straw and stacks of hay, typical from the farmers at that time.
Art concept Ext. Becker's House set. Here is the early version of Becker's house. More inspired from the typical colonial house style.
Here the definitive version of the Becker's house with one floor and the low beams garret. More smaller and spaces to live for one person.
Art concept Becker's house/ Kitchen set. We decided to keep all the interiors of the house very abandoned, old, totally neglected look.
Art concept Becker's house/Entrance/Stairs set. The stairs leads to the small bedroom. The main idea was to have the house like a place that the character kept everything inside without any order, amassing it for years and years.
Art concept Int. Becker's Barn set.
Art concept Schmidt's farm/ Kitchen set. In general idea the house has completely an opposite look respect Becker's house. The Schmidt Farm is set in a real location house and barn in the opposite side where the Becker's Farm complex was built.. The interiors are of course restyled and set dressed properly like an house of the 20s or 30s.
Art concept Int. Schmidt's Farm - Dining room set.
Art concept Int. Schmidt's Farm -Living room set.
Art concept ext. Hospital. The building of the Hospital is in reality a complex of church and school, with classrooms. All interiors are modified and restyled as a 40s little town hospital.
Art concept Int. Hospital, reception. The reception hall is recreated, with little modifications, inside the main hall of Church/School complex (real location).
Art concept of one of the hospital's room. The interiors of the Hospital was recreated inside the School level as well as for the corridors.
Art concept Int. Hospital, Morgue. The Morgue set was made in the basements of the Church complex. Was also considered as a deposit/warehouse of the Hospital.
Plan POW's camp. The Prisoners of War camp is entirely built (with exterior and interior use), in an big meadow area near the Becker and Schmidt's Farm location in NC. It's in a space with all tree that give us a good natural background.
Art concept POW-camp/ guards turret. Here we can see the whole POW camp site.
Art concept POW-camp/ Entrance set. In early conversation with the Director, the camp was envisioned as not really a 'prison' camp, with many layers of wires, walls, guards turrets etc. but as an ex abandoned airfield adapted quickly as a POW's camp. So we kept it in mind as we start designed the camp and all the sections of it.
Art concept POW's camp/ Head Quarter set. All the building is built for the exterior /interior shooting.
Art concept POW's camp/ Colonel's office. The office is part of the Head-Quarters set. Is connected thru corridors with other rooms. For accomodate some shots we built big windows overviewing the whole camp.
Art concept POW-camp/old hangar. The main idea of an ex-airfield given us the inspiration to use an old hangar as warehouse of the Army as well as for gather the prisoners.
Art concept POW's camp-Int. Old Hangar. The interior is conceived in two spaces, one is the warehouse of the military machines and the other half is used with a stage for the reunions.
Art concept POW's camp-Barrack's gate. In the background, with the big chimney, the kitchen and mess hall building.
Art concept POW's camp/ Int. kitchens set.
Art concept POW's camp/ Mess Hall. Naturally, like the whole concept of the camp, is built for exterior/ interior use and shooting.
Art concept POW's camp/ Barracks. Here the main street of the camp. The barracks are built thinking of something that the soldiers could mount and dismount quickly, with modular elements, attached by some junctions and easy to remove and package it.
Art concept POW's camp- int. barracks. The prisoners are arranged on rows of bunks.
Art concept Ext. Elementary School. For the set was found an abandoned building close the POW's camp site. As abandoned, we restyled it for our proposes, adding a more school look in the 40s.
Art concept Int. Elementary School set. Also here was built the School as an exterior/interior set.
Art concept Int. Post Office. It was recreated in a room (used also the corridor connected) inside the Court Building in Monroe, NC.
Art concept Ext. Old House. The house we found is around our main set. It's in reality very abandoned, like 40 years ago or more, so was absolutely perfect for shoot it, but of course we push more its ruined look, with rusted and 'lived' pieces, big hen houses.