The sinking box - Dark Matter Episode 5
Working alongside rigging key grip John Robertson, I designed this superstructure for the rolling bridles to dunk our set with actors inside into a 36’ diameter, 12’ deep water tank. My schematic design was passed to SGPS/Showrig for structural engineering revisions.
Key considerations for this design included lines of sight from inside the sinking set, removable walls for camera and safety divers, crew access points and working space on the elevated platform, and clearance to the overhead stage trusses.
My design was just an initial layout, later ShowTruss engineers would revise it to add more structural members as required, but my set design was to establish the lines of sight through the door of the box, and decide how deep of a water tank we needed, etc.
Actually being immersed in real water in a fully built set is much more convincing than a greenscreen bathtub, in my opinion. There had to be room for several safety divers for the actors and camera, so the set was designed with modular walls that were put in or taken out depending on the angle of the shot. The set had to be strong to withstand lifting in and out of the water tank, with drainage, so a custom welded steel frame was crafted with my design.
