I ate at Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant at Disney's Hollywood Studios last week for the first time in a long time. It was funny to see it also set up like a set, with false walls. Reminded me a lot of Louie's and Finnegans. Even the Tattoine Traders is setup that way when you're exiting Star Tours, with false walls and exposed studio lighting on the ceiling.
I miss the Production Tram Tour at Universal Studios Florida. It was interesting to travel backstage, and see some of the sound stages in use. And then go from backstage to the New York backlot. You got to see the full transition from unthemed sound stages to New York. On the tour they'd explain that the facades are constructed using Styrofoam that's later sprayed with concrete to appear like real brick, but can easily be dismantled later for different productions. They explained how the bricks on the road are actually created using a rubber mold on wet concrete to give the illusion on individual bricks. A technique that was used recently for Fallon's courtyard in front of the store.
New York street fake bricks, note the seem:
Fallon fake bricks:
I think my point is, the backlot areas are purposely constructed to show off how Hollywood makes movies. Buildings like Macy's and now 30 Rock don't actually go up many stories, they stop at around two or three stories. You have to fill in the rest with your imagination... and productions would use matte paintings (or digital set extensions nowadays,) to add in the remaining stories in post-production. They even teach you how that's done in front of the Pantages theater.
Live Matte Painting:
The "theming" of the New York and Hollywood backlots actually taught me a lot about filmmaking. The things I learned in the early nineties made me want to pick up a camera and make movies. Which I've had the pleasure of doing
once or twice in my life. I guess without the production tour, or someone to explain why things are the way they are, it isn't as educational. I understand that theme parks are moving towards a more immersive experience. The once unthemed sound stage for Murder She Wrote Mystery Theater is now a (barely) themed gray NEST facility for Transformers.
The rules are changing. But I still see nothing wrong with seeing a little show building behind a facade in a theme park. Just yesterday I noticed the white unthemed show building behind Haunted Mansion. Never noticed it before, but it's always been there, easily visible above the exit doors, huge and looming in the background. Never noticed it because I was too busy gawking at the impressive mansion facade I guess.
I think we can all agree Fallon is a step above Twister.
Just like Minions was a step above Jimmy Neutron which was a step above Hanna Barbara. Universal's getting there. Baby steps.