from Monsters and Critics.com / by April MacIntyre
CBS and Warner Bros. invited Monsters to tour the sets of their new vampire thriller series, “Moonlight,” that stars Alex O’Loughlin, Sophia Myles, Shannyn Sossamon and Jason Dohring last week.
The production of the series is well underway. We were there the day they were shooting episode 6, “Black Crystal,” where Mick St. John (O’Loughlin) and Beth (Myles) were hot on the trail of an ancient vampire poisoning people with a new club drug.
The five participating journalists, including the publicists from Warner Bros. and CBS, met at the WB Studios in the cavernous, historic Stage 14 for a tour of the standing interior sets: Mick’s chic and minimalist loft, his special freezer and office where he works on his computer as well as Beth’s office, the Buzzwire newsroom set.
Dohring, who plays “Josef,” Mick’s wry, sybaritic vampire friend, was our tour guide.
He pointed out the excellent work of the entire art department, which includes art director Michael Atwell, production designer Alfred Sole and set decorator Chris Marsteller, aided by a small army of painters, carpenters, dressers, lead men, and other creative construction personnel.
Mick’s pad was decorated perfectly for his character, the lighting and details representing an old soul trapped in a forever 30 body.
Leather, books, textures on the walls, Objet d’art and masculine, clean lines in a mixed palette of cool and warm tones made an inviting room inside the plywood walls constructing this otherworld for filming, propped up by secured 2×4’s, wires and other interior set making magic.
Next stop was the remote “Morgue location” near the Boyle Heights part of Los Angeles, where we were promised an opportunity to taste the “blood” used in the production.
This part of the tour was to have us watch a live scene being filmed. We were given some down time, an opportunity to take in the infamous Linda Vista Hospital in the rough Hollenbeck part of Los Angeles – long abandoned as a medical facility.
This is an old building for the City of Angels. A closer look exposed the broken and boarded up broken windows, cracked exterior walls and peeling paint with the original light fixtures and exterior architectural touches.
Many production companies use this privately owned film set as a location. The film, “Pearl Harbor,” shot some interior scenes here too.
When first dropped off by the Warner Bros. shuttle van, we immediately saw giant “Star Waggons,” (giant RV’s made into dressing rooms) Warner Bros. generator trucks and the enormous full-service catering wagon.
Mick St. John’s sweet, mid-sixties Mercedes classic green convertible was parked next to the food wagon as people were prepping lunch.
Chris Garwood, the assistant prop master took us inside his amazingly organized truck of personal effects for the cast members and specific production accessories.
He was our blood-tasting sommelier, and lined up the faux claret used in the production