Chinatown drawn by Syd Mead
I have finished editing the Los Angeles 2019 scene and started creating CGI for Chinatown.
CGI will be a complete recreation of Syd Mead’s production sketch for Chinatown for the film “Blade Runner”.
Mead drew the very attractive Chinatown scene. It’s shame that Mead’s Chinatown was not recreated in the film.
In the film, you can see the street in front of Badbury Building in stead of Chinatown street. if you don’t look closely, you won’t figure out that it is the street in front of the Bradbury Building.
Also, Chew’s eye factory was built in Ridleyville, across the street from the Noodle Bar.
Chinatown drawn by Syd Mead , What is the original location?
Now, I am planning to replacing this scene to the CGI based on the Mead’s Chinatown.
First, I will create the CGI of Chinatown.
In creating it, I will try out to figure out the original location of the Chinatown as drawn by Mead.
I know that Mead drew up the production sketches based on the premise that the sets will be build for the film on the outdoor studios at Warner Brothers Studios in Los Angeles.
For example, the original location of downtown Los Angeles 2019 drawn by Mead is Warner Bros. New York Street.
In light of this example, I can assume that the original location of the Chinatown production sketch is also within Warner Bros. studios.
First, I drew Mead’s sketch of a plan view of Chinatown.
Next, I tried to find a location similar to this plan view within Warner Brothers Studios in Google Maps.
Then I came across a location similar to the plan view just off of New York Street.
Compare Mead’s sketch with Street View.
The location of the stairs to the basement is slightly different, but the shape and layout of the building is pretty identical.
In Blade Runner White Dragon Cut 5, I will create a CGI Chinatown layout based on the Google map of this location.
Next time, I will finally start to create the CGI.