INTERVIEW WITH PRODUCTION DESIGNER NICOLE LeBLANC

I have the immense pleasure today of welcoming a very special guest, production designer Nicole LeBlanc, to CINEMATIC REVELATIONS for an interview. Nicole has been a production designer for several movies such as THE NTH WARD, ROE V. WADE [my review of the film can be found here] INDIA SWEETS AND SPICES, and THE THING THAT KEEPS YOU. Nicole has also been responsible for the art direction of motion pictures DEATH TOLL, PREMATURE, and LIZZIE, to name a few examples. In addition, Nicole has also been set decorator for HUSK, JULIA X, +1, KILL THE MESSENGER, THE DUFF, and THE VAULT, for just a few titles. Nicole today will be discussing her role as production designer for ROE V. WADE, being an art director and set decorator, and which movie has been most influential on her work. 

Welcome to CINEMATIC REVELATIONS Nicole!

Athan: When did you first realize that you wanted to be a production designer?

Nicole: I was a kid when I realized I wanted to make movies but it wasn’t until my late 20s after working in art departments on features that I realized I wanted to production design.

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Athan: Where did you study the art of production design?

Nicole: I have a bachelors degree in Film Production from the University of New Orleans focusing on Production Design.

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Athan: Your production design for ROE V. WADE was excellent, strongly evoking the movie’s 1970s setting with subtlety, and authenticity. There are various examples of this which stand out. Dr Nathanson’s family home, and apartment, the courtrooms where much of the action occurs, with their rich red drapes, the family homes of the judges, small touches such as vintage television sets, all convince of the 1970s. What is it that drew you to participating in the movie?

Nicole: I love working on period pieces. Roe V. Wade is an iconic court case in the US and when the opportunity presented itself, I couldn’t pass it up.

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Athan: What did you find most exciting about the experience of making ROE V. WADE?

Nicole: Researching the period and my team that helped me achieve the look of the film.

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Athan: For you, what was the most demanding, but emotionally satisfying segment of filming ROE V. WADE?

Nicole: The whole film actually. Believe it or not, as a woman in the US who is a liberal, making a conservative film about Roe V. Wade was very challenging. However, I did not let that get in the way of being a professional. At the end of the day, I’m a storyteller. 

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Athan: Do you keep in contact with any cast members and crew from ROE V. WADE?

Nicole: I’ve never been good at keeping in contact with people I work with.  

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Athan: ROE V. WADE was co-directed by Nick Loeb and Cathy Allyn in their directorial debut. What was the experience of working with Mr Loeb, and Miss Allyn on the movie?

Nicole: I found them to be very friendly people to work with.

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Athan: Have you done any prior acting work, or studied acting?

Nicole: No I have not.

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Athan: You have been a production designer, art director, and set decorator across a wide variety of projects, from movies, television, photo shoots, commercials, live events, to corporate event parties. Was there a project which you felt was the most challenging, but which, in the end, the most personally rewarding in terms of the completed result?

Nicole: My favorite project I have ever worked on was the feature film Kill The Messenger starring Jeremy Renner. It is another period film based on a true story.  I developed relationships with the family of the man who the movie is about, Gary Webb. I am still friends with his family today and that was a decade ago.

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Athan: Out of each era of cinema emerged very individual concepts of production design, such as METROPOLIS, CITIZEN KANE, TAXI DRIVER, and THE GODFATHER being prime examples. Is there an era of motion pictures, or a certain film, which has been most influential on you?

Nicole: Actually, Film Noir is genre of film that I studied at university.  Metropolis happens to be one of my favorite films of all time.  When I was in Germany, I went to the Sony Film Museum and there is an exhibit on Metropolis that is fantastic. 

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Athan: Do you have any upcoming projects of which you would like to tell readers?

Nicole: With the current SAG-AFTRA & WGA strikes, that has put an indefinite hold on any projects I had coming up. 

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Thank you so much today for your time Nicole, and for the insight you have provided into ROE V. WADE, production design, art direction, set decoration, and cinema. It has been wonderful having you on CINEMATIC REVELATIONS. You are welcome to return whenever you wish.

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Nicole LeBlanc links

+Nicole LeBlanc Official website 

+Nicole LeBlanc IMDb Production Designer Page

+ROE V. WADE movie IMDb page

INTERVIEW WITH ART DIRECTOR LARRY WIEMER

Today I have the immense pleasure of welcoming a very special guest, art director Larry Wiemer, to CINEMATIC REVELATIONS for an interview. Larry was responsible for the production design of motion picture SKATETOWN U.S.A. [my review of the film can be found here] and in charge of art direction on a multitude of television programs such as Archie Bunker’s Place, Solid Gold, Mama’s Family, Major Dad, and more recently, The Real Housewives of Orange County, Pawnography, and Dave Chappelle: The Closer. In this interview Larry will be discussing his role as production designer of SKATETOWN U.S.A., and his television art direction accomplishments.

Welcome to CINEMATIC REVELATIONS Larry!

Athan: When did you first realize that you wanted to be an art director?

Larry: My first realization that I wanted to be an art director was after graduating from college and going on interviews for acting jobs and hating the process.

I decided to go back to college and study to be a scenic designer.

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Athan: Where did you study the craft of art direction and production design?

Larry: I went to UCLA to get an MFA in Theatre. At UCLA there were teachers who had been in the entertainment business and knew what a student needed to learn to get ahead. I enjoyed my time there as a student and teaching assistant.

We learned all aspects of the backstage crafts including lighting, sound, scenic design, set construction, technical direction.

After graduating I went to work in the television studio scenic shops CBS, NBC, ABC and actually built scenery that would go on prime time tv.

I would take the blueprints of the sets home and study them to see how the real professionals did their designs.

When the Art Directors would come through the scenic shop to check on the sets, I would introduce myself and ask for an interview to become an assistant art director.

As luck would have it I began to get work drafting sets and set decorating.

The rest is 50 years of working as a Production Designer, Art Director and Set Decorator in the entertainment industry.

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Athan: Your production design of SKATETOWN U.S.A. was beautiful and highly imaginative, making a roller disco skating venue come alive with color, pizazz, and style.  What is it that drew you to participating in the movie?

Larry: In television there is a hiatus period in the spring when all the shows go down for a couple of months. It was during this hiatus period that I learned about the Production Designer position on Skatetown USA from another production designer who could not take the job. He recommended me for the job and I began work right away.

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Athan: What did you find most exciting about the experience of making SKATETOWN U.S.A.?

Larry: The most exciting thing about working on Skatetown was getting out of the studio and working at the Hollywood Palladium. This was the main location for the movie.

The Hollywood Palladium is a world-famous night club and music venue so it played right into the script. Its circular hardwood floor certainly made it work for SKATETOWN U.S.A.

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Athan: For you, what was the most demanding, but emotionally satisfying segment of filming SKATETOWN U.S.A.?

Larry: The most demanding part of the experience was getting used to working with a film crew as opposed to a TV production crew.

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Athan: Have you kept in contact with any cast members and crew from SKATETOWN U.S.A.?

Larry: After the film production was completed I went back to designing television shows, half hour sitcoms mostly, and have not kept in touch with anyone from Skatetown USA.

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Athan: SKATETOWN U.S.A. was directed by William A. Levey, who also helmed BLACKENSTEIN, SLUMBER PARTY ’57, THE HAPPY HOOKER GOES TO WASHINGTON, HELLGATE, and COMMITTED. What was the experience of working with Mr Levey on the movie?

Larry: I really didn’t have much interplay with the director during the production other than looking at a setup and where he was placing the camera.

He was a pleasant guy is all I can remember.

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Athan: You have worked mostly in television, providing art direction for the afore-mentioned programs, and many specials such as The 40th NAACP Image Awards, Adam Ferrera: Funny as Hell, Hal Sparks: Charmageddon, and the 30th Annual GLAAD Media Awards New York, to name but a few. What is it that you like most about being an integral part of these specials?

Larry: I enjoy creating a visual environment that works for all aspects of the show.

You can’t just draw something that looks great you need to think about all the technical aspects of how the cameras, performers, audience, stage space, lighting and equipment will work together to make a great production.

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Athan: Do you have any upcoming projects of which you would like to tell readers?

Larry: Keep an eye out for the National Spelling Bee and the AFI Life Achievement Awards.

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Thank you so much today for your time Larry, and for the insight you have provided into SKATETOWN U.S.A., film and television production design, and art direction. It has been wonderful having you on CINEMATIC REVELATIONS. You are welcome to return whenever you wish.

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Larry Wiemer links

+Larry Wiemer IMDb Art Director/Production Designer Page

+SKATETOWN U.S.A. movie IMDb page