“In creating Rock Vegas, we wanted to expand beyond the Flintstones world of stone, bone and lava. We wanted to introduce new elements and vary the palette. Make every surface reflective, and utilize crystalline formations and giant shells and fish scales and have the streets running with veins of gold,” says Levant.
“One of the most fun things for me is being able to translate every item into ‘Flintstonian’ terms. We had hundreds of people in a 40,000 square foot warehouse making molds, and manufacturing cups, glasses, silverware and clothing. Everything you can imagine under the prehistoric sun,” he adds with a smile.
The art department, headed by production designer Burian-Mohr, created more than 400 sketches to be used in designing the sets. And instead of color chips, the walls of the art department were filled with pictures of natural formations, rocks and plants. Or as he says, “Nature does it best.”
“It’s wonderful working for Brian because he loves the sets, the vehicles and the props. He wants to get everything on film. We know if we make it, he’ll shoot it. But, there was a standard theme that ran throughout the design – the scale was over-sized, and everything was overly heavy and overly awkward. Plus, Brian insists that everything be kind of a joke or have something funny about it,” he adds.
For Rock Vegas, the art department originally designed dozens of casinos, but Levant wanted something totally different that would set this Rock Vegas apart from the real Las Vegas.
“This time, we used different materials – a lot of fiber glass so we can do translucent crystal and 55 gallon drums filled with glitter that we coated things with,” says Burian-Mohr.
“There was some homage to the Vegas of the ’60s with the inclusion of the Dunes Hotel, and we did pattern the Tardust after Caesar’s Palace, especially the porte-cochere. But everything was shiny with crystal and turquoise and amber-colored walls.”