#productiondesign joepickett spectrumoriginals paramountTV albertafilm yyc calgary artdepartment artdirection setdesign

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2021 was the year I was fortunate enough to develop a whole new show & visual universe from the ground floor: Joe Pickett. Joe (played by Michael Dorman) is a fictional Wyoming game warden from the best selling mind of novelist CJ Box. The TV series, brought to Alberta by Spectrum, Charter, & Paramount, is a taut and twisting tale of a good man forever getting his ethical nose into the wrong corrupt places throughout the mysterious small town of Saddlestring, WY. Shot in Calgary, High River, Millarville, around Jumpingpound Creek, on Three Point Creek, & the majestic Elbow River valley (you’ll see a trout theme), I was lucky to collaborate with the show running Dowdle Brothers (John & Drew) to build this new dramatic & wild arena, right from the ground up — factoring in every beam of sunlight, weasel hole, & gun shot we needed. Standing knee-deep in February snow, we faithfully plotted out the property to best settle into the land, nearby creek bed, & showcase its humble unadorned naturalism — as much an idea from the mind of Marybeth as an actual location. The Pickett property was the cornerstone to the series, their fortress from the wilderness, source of Joe’s pride/modest dreams, & family’s fresh unstable roots. Our amazing team of designers & scenic craftsfolk battled the wintery elements, & always time/schedule, to unveil a sleepy verdant property to stage the season’s narrative needs & quiet beauty. Matching location to stage, & praying the readership would imagine the same house my brain did— it was another wondrous & terrifying “movie magic” moment of storytelling and dogged interpretation.