Hiatus...???

Some of you have asked what happens to the sets when we go on hiatus? What does wrap mean for our department?  Wrap this time around was a combo of settling up the end of the current season with prepping for the next.  Here's the quick run down...

1) We make sure every rental is returned that should be returned.  Since we know we're back for more episodes now we don't need to take everything back, just return rentals that aren't for permanent sets.

2) It's crucial that we make sure we have good pictures of every single area from every single episode.   Everything is accounted for with both a good reference picture and a well organized paper trail.  When we need to re-create sets or refer to a look from a previous episode next season it will be right at our fingertips.  Also, I'm just a organizational freak like that.

3) We start to prep ourselves for next season by deciding what items, if any, could be replaced or which area might get a little makeover when we come back.  After all, nobody's home or office stays EXACTLY the same year after year does it?  Plan now so it can be the first thing everyone hits upon return.  ...Before any new sets hit our desks.

4) Certainly not the most fun part, but we have to finalize all of our rental paperwork with our vendors.  Lots of people to contact.  Lots of pieces of paper are on my desk right now people....lots...and lots.

5) Protecting the goods.  Everything gets covered up and protected from dust, locked up, sealed up...it's Fort Knox around here.  

It looks so lonely in there doesn't it?  The sharp, mysterious and magical OPA office feels kinda broke down and busted, out of business right now.  No?  Ok...I couldn't resist, but it sure seems like the building landlord is fumigating or painting or something.  Just sayin'. 

Now, the part that's probably the most fun - we spend a lot of time trying to be fortune tellers.  Everyone is busy guessing what might be coming from Shonda and those writers upstairs for next season.   That brings on a lot of dreaming about a new set for this character.  Or it makes us decide we need to keep all the pieces for that character just in case our premonitions come true.  If there's one thing you've learned along with us this season - it's you never know what happens next in Shondaland and nothing is as it seems!  Hhmm...that's 2 things.  Anyway...

That's all the big stuff.  I'm sure there are some little details I'm leaving out - like cleaning the fridge in our office or something like that.  Blocked that out.  Whatev's.  (That's me channeling my 15 yr old)  Hey, the most important part - we're all set to hop on the coaster for another ride in Season 3!

So go forth my little decorating Rice Krispie treats and have a little summer free time with us.  If you get the time to Pope your place out over break tweet at me!  But rest your brain.  Cause when we come back - the coaster runs again.  Pull your safety bars down and hands up in the air everybody.

PS - Look for some good BTS stuff, a look at the OPA offices, the Oval and more on the blog and the Twitter over the summer (after vacay)...I'll try to keep you in the loop once we start back up.

It's A Wrap!

Well...Season 2 is in the can as they say and we are ready for some vacation time!

Oops did I say that out loud....????

Hhmmm....well what we've also been thinking is that it's been an absolutely AMAZING season with our Gladiator Decorators and I am personally grateful to have been able to be the one from our department to interact with you all on Twitter each lucky day I'm here.  Such great fans.  Truly an amazing group you are!

This is a tight knit family here so it's sad to see everyone leaving.  Although we're Gladiators first, we all still have families, summer adventures, vacations or just plain old R & R on a couch calling us.  So off everyone goes.

Sort of.

A handful of us will be here wrapping the season up neatly in a bow for the next couple of weeks.  And so...you'll still see me happily reporting from The Twitterverse as if I'm hanging onto a street lamp giving you details of an oncoming hurricane.  (A nod to one of James' lines).   So let's start with day one...

Walked the sets with the Lead Man today to see where we are on everything.

Ah, even the old umbrella stand in OPA has been cleared out and labeled.  Have you ever noticed the umbrellas by the door?  Which characters do you think might carry these two fun umbrellas?

Blue tape on everything.  Blue painters tape is our friend.  A very, very high tech way to quickly label things when they're going out.  (wink)  The crew can easily see what prop house everything is from.  This same high tech method is used to label all of the rental pieces as they come off a set we've finished shooting each episode.  Easy, quick, efficient.

Construction has gotten everything bundled up and inside the stages for now.  Everything waits at the ready for whatever the next adventure may be.    

Whatever that is it'll be just as amazing as this was right?  Just imagine if you were one of those walls or one of those ladders....the things you would have seen and experienced this season on Scandal!

No, no, wrapping the season hasn't made me coo-coo banana crackers...pretending I'm a ladder...it's just a thought people.  A light hearted thought on a heavy hearted afternoon.

Ok that's enough chatter for today.   Remember - Don't stray too far from your interweb connection...I'm sure I'll have more to share with you in the next couple weeks!  Stay tuned.