To create a dramatic arrivals area, impressive stage and intimate dinner setting for the world’s leading actors who are gathering on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013, the SAG Awards® staff must transform the Shrine Auditorium entrance and the adjoining Exposition Center. The Shrine complex is a Los Angeles landmark built in 1920 in Spanish Colonial Revival style with Moorish detailing. It’s grandiose and beautiful on the outside, but the inner space of the Shrine’s Exposition Center, with its 34,000 square foot wooden floor, paint-trimmed overhangs and bare columns, has to be redefined for each event.
This year’s SAG Awards stage and décor is a contemporary interpretation of the streamline moderne style that emerged during the 1930s that pays homage to old movies palaces of that era. Architectural details such as paneled molding are highlighted by a color scheme of black, white and silver, which will be transformed by the application of colored lighting appropriate to each segment of the show. Among the design elements are a broken proscenium arch that is echoed by the broken frame surrounding the oversized screen set against a field of fiber-optic stars upstage, on which the nominated performances and tributes will be projected. On either side, vertical steel tubing echoes the organ pipes so often found in vintage movie theaters and 10-foot tall Actor® statues sit on platinum pedestals in front of them. Actor® recipients will move from the showroom floor to the stage via steps edged in aluminum and silver, while presenters will make their entrances and exits through oversized airy metal gates A black and white checkerboard floor complements the entire look.
FOR THE STAR-STUDDED ARRIVALS AND TO TRANSFORM THE SHOWROOM the SAG Awards will:
- Lay 15,872 square feet of red carpet in the arrivals area, edged by 585 lineal feet of hedges
- Accommodate 300 fans in three-row six-foot high bleachers placed along an 180’ section of the red carpet arrivals area
- In the event of rain, protect the red carpet from the elements by 23,530 square feet of tenting
- Post five 10’ Actor® statues along the red carpet and onstage
- Lay 11,800 square feet of black carpet in the interior Shrine entrance and the showroom
- Drape the interior Shrine entrance with 4,575 square feet of charcoal/silver shimmer fabric
- Post three 10’ Actor® statues along the red carpet
- Cover the showroom walls with 15,000 square feet of black drape to create a neutral background and block sunlight
- On the stage, install 600 feet of silver aluminum pipe connecting two monumental 16-foot high gates on which a ziggurat evolves to a sunburst design. Each is capped by 10-foot fiberglass staff detail, which is repeated at the base. The gates are surrounded by 100 feet of over-scaled custom-cut case moldings, which are repeated downstage with another 75 feet of custom molding to create a broken proscenium arch.
- Float a 20’ wide “silver screen” framed by 100 feet of custom crown molding in front of 200 running feet of 30’ high fiber-optic star cloth
- Line the stage floor with 300 4’x4’ sheets of black and white checkerboard Formica
- Above the stage hang a 5-foot crystal empire chandelier that will be echoed by four chandeliers hung from the Expo Hall’s ornate ceiling
TO SET THE DINNER TABLES, the SAG Awards will:
- Create custom table coverings from 1,306 linear yards of gunmetal crinkled organza, complemented by 1,200 silver satin matte lined napkins
- Place over 3,600 Optique champagne, wine and water glasses, 2,400 pieces of Montecito silver flatware and 1,200 square white china dinner plates, on 86 rectangular dinner tables and more than 2,400 glasses at two 16’ beverage bars and two wine tasting bars
- Soften more than 1,200 Silver “Fanfare” Chameleon Chairs with more than 1,200 silver seat cushions
- Create a stunning visual setting through the use of florals. This year’s inspiration is a modern approach to “Classic Hollywood” created with the use of a series of metallic silver containers highlighted by white floral and accentuated with a variety of rich textured foliage. The compositions incorporated the textures of thousands of various foliage stems. The use of looped bear grass, magnolia leaves, green dianthus, various sized ti leaves, ribbon foliage and dramatic calathea leaves create the foundation for the arrangements. Over 3,000 stems of white miniature calla lilies and white roses compliment thousands of stems of orchids, both dendrobium and phalaenopsis. Adding to the dramatic look is the addition of hundreds of stems of arabicum lilies. The look and layers of textures create a whirlwind of motion.
THE DINNER MENU
Guests will dine on antipasto plates conceived by James Beard Award-winning chef Suzanne Goin, deliciously prepared and artfully arranged by Lucques Catering, consisting of:
MAIN PLATE:
- Roasted beets and blood oranges with feta and black olives
- Slow-roasted salmon with green rice, labneh, capers and nasturiums
- Beef tenderloin with fingerlings, arugula and horseradish cream
VEGAN PLATE:
- Roasted beets and blood oranges with mint and black olives
- Cauliflower couscous with pomegranate salsa
- Farro with kale, young broccoli, currants and pine nuts
To prepare this menu, Lucques’ order for the SAG Awards® from their select group of purveyors includes:
| Arugula | 115 bunches | Flora Bella Farms |
| Beef Tenderloin | 260 lbs. | Niman Ranch |
| Beets | 468 bunches | Tamai Farms |
| Black olives | 30 lbs. | Provvista |
| Black pepper | 12 cups | Michael Phung |
| Broccoli | 236 lbs. | Rutiz Farms |
| Capers | 26 cups | Provvista |
| Cauliflower | 230 lbs. | Tamai Farms |
| Chili de Arbol | 12 cups | Windrose Farms |
| Chives | 14 cups | Maggie’s Farm |
| Chicken Stock | 32 chickens | Pitman Family Farms |
| Cilantro | 10 cups | Maggie’s Farm |
| Couscous | 16 cups | Provvista |
| Crème Fraiche | 26 cups | Strauss Family Creamery |
| Currants | 25 cups | Provvista |
| Dandelion | 115 bunches | McGrath Farms |
| Farro | 12 cups | Provvista |
| Fennel | 14 cups | Rutiz Farms |
| Fennel Seed | 12 cups | Provvista |
| Feta | 22 lbs. | Forever Cheese |
| Fingerling Potatoes | 470 lbs. | Weiser Farms |
| Fleur de sel | 5 cups | Forever Cheese |
| Garlic | 7 heads | Schaner Farms |
| Horseradish | 10 cups | Yee Her Farms |
| Kale | 10 bunches | Rutiz Farms |
| Lemon | 175 | Schaner Farms |
| Mint | 16 cups | Maggie’s Farm |
| Nasturtiums | 32 cups | Coleman Farms |
| Olive oil | 12 gallons | Provvista |
| Onions | 16 lbs. | Weiser Farms |
| Parsley | 175 bunches | Rutiz Farms |
| Pine nuts | 25 cups | Provvista |
| Pomegranates | 12 | Schaner Farms |
| Pomegranate molasses | 12 cups | Provvista |
| Red wine vinegar | 1.2 gallons | Provvista |
| Rice, Basmati | 14 gallons | Provvista |
| Salmon | 120 lbs. | Ocean Jewels |
| Salt, kosher | 4 cups | Sysco |
| Shallots | 40 | Schaner Farms |
| Yogurt, Greek | 20 quarts | Fagé |
Some interesting facts from Lucques Catering Director Jessica Goin about the purveyors chosen by Chef Suzanne Goin:
- Provvista (provvista.com) is a great specialty food company started by Joe Guth, a close friend who cooked with Suzanne at Chez Panisse!
- Barbara and Bill Spencer own Windrose Farm (windrosefarm.org), a small family farm. They’re really amazing people who grow incredible chiles, heirloom apples, tomatoes, beans, etc. They even came to Suzanne’s wedding.
- Another great family farm is Rutiz Farms (rutizfarms.com), owned by Jerry Rutiz. Suzanne describes his carrots in her cookbook, “This exotic spiced snapper dish evolved from the most mundane ingredient in the mix: the everyday carrot. But the carrots that inspired it, grown by local farmer Jerry Rutiz, are by no means ordinary. His funky-shaped, dirt-encrusted carrots are the sweetest and most delicious of any I’ve tasted.”
- Alex Weiser, of Weiser Farms (weiserfamilyfarms.com) is another favorite. He grows the most beautiful Romanesco and fingerling potatoes we’ve ever seen.
- Bill Coleman farms Coleman Farms with his (I think) SIX grown children. Romeo Coleman is so handsome we call him the Antonio Banderas of Carpinteria (but not to his face because he’s very shy).
- Peter Schaner of Shaner Farms is probably one of our favorite people in the whole world. We even held his brother’s wedding at Lucques. We get our suckling pigs from another brother. Peter has incredible citrus, avocados, pomegranates, child raising tips….
- Ocean Jewels is owned by Julie Harman, whom we call — what else — Ocean Julie. She does amazing work finding great sustainably fished product. It seems like she and Suzanne drive themselves crazy hunting for the most delicious fish that has the smallest impact on the environment (i.e., are you better off with a local fish that isn’t fished as sustainably or a fish that is more sustainable but has to be flown in?).
- Flora Bella Farm (florabellafarm.com) is owned by James Birch. Here’s how Suzanne described him in her cookbook: “If you leaned against your sink, closed your eyes, and focused on conjuring up the quintessential organic farmer, James Birch would appear in your kitchen. He looks like a cross between a grizzly bear and an overgrown Little Prince.”
THE BEVERAGES
Two multi-generational family owned companies are the official SAG Awards vintners. Champagne Taittinger is providing champagne for the SAG Awards for the 13th consecutive year. New in 2013 is Gallo Signature Series, which is providing still wine for the SAG Awards. Taittinger, Gallo and second-year still water sponsor, FIJI® Water, are also generous supporters of the SAG Foundation.
Champagne Taittinger is serving:
- Fun fact: Each magnum contains 500 million bubbles!
- 1 Magnum of Champagne Taittinger Brut La Française for the Champagne Taittinger toast that opens the SAG Awards Red Carpet
- 160 Magnums of Champagne Taittinger Brut La Française at the SAG Awards dinner
- 155 750 ml bottles of Champagne Taittinger Brut La Française at the showroom bars
- 288 750 ml bottles of Champagne Taittinger Brut La Française at the SAG Awards Gala
- Champagne Taittinger is also providing Two Methuselah (6 Liter) bottles of Champagne Taittinger Brut La Française to be signed by Actor® recipients for the SAG Awards auction benefiting the SAG Foundation
Gallo Signature Series is serving:
- 240 bottles each of Gallo Signature Series Napa Valley Chardonnay and Gallo Signature Series Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir at the SAG Awards dinner
- 36 bottles each of Bridlewood Estate Winery Blend 175, Edna Valley Vineyard Chardonnay, Edna Valley Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc and William Hill Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at the showroom tasting bars
- 24 bottles each of William Hill Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Gallo Signature Series Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and three cases of William Hill Estate Napa Valley Chardonnay in the Green Room
FIJI® Water is serving:
- 3,264 liters of FIJI’s natural artesian water served in the showroom and at the SAG Awards Gala
- Another 12,600 third-liters served to staff, crew and the more than 800 media and 300 fans in the bleachers as well as placed in the Gala gift bags.
IT TAKES MORE THAN A VILLAGE!
By Sunday, January 27, more than 700 staff and crew will be hard at work to make the SAG Awards a reality.
Sources:
Marybeth Bentwood, Director of Public Relations Kobrand Corporation
Nate Collier, Associate Marketing Manager, E&J Gallo Winery
Benn Fleishman, SAG Awards Executive in Charge of Production
Suzanne Goin, Chef & Jessica Goin, Catering Director, Lucques Catering
Keith Greco, Keith Greco Designs, SAG Awards Art Director
Chris Matsumoto, CJ Matsumoto & Sons, Florist
Mickey Moscynski, SAG Awards Arrivals Art Director
Lauren Murray, FIJI Water Public Relations Manager
Andrea Wyn Schall, A Wynning Event, SAG Awards Event Supervisor
John Shaffner & Joe Stewart, SAG Awards Production Designers
The 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, one of the awards season’s premier events, will be simulcast live coast-to-coast on TNT and TBS on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013, at 8 p.m. (ET)/5 p.m. (PT) from the Shrine Exposition Center in Los Angeles. An encore primetime telecast will begin immediately following on TNT at 10 p.m. (ET)/7 p.m. (PT). The ceremony will also be telecast internationally, as well as to U.S. military installations overseas through the American Forces Network Broadcast Center.
Recipients of the honors for Outstanding Action Performances by Film and Television Stunt Ensembles announced at 6:15 p.m. (ET)/3:15 p.m. (PT) during the red carpet pre-show webcast on tntdrama.com, tbs.com and People.com which begins at 6 p.m. (ET)/3 p.m. (PT)
The 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards presented by SAG-AFTRA will be produced by Jeff Margolis Productions in association with Screen Actors Guild Awards®, LLC. For more information about the SAG Awards, SAG-AFTRA, TNT and TBS, visit sagawards.org/about, “like” us at facebook.com/sagawardsofficialpage, follow us at twitter.com/sagawards, follow us SAG Awards on Google+ at google.com/+SAGawards, on Instagram by following @sagawards, and on Tumblr at sagawards.tumblr.com.