Behind the Scenes: Creating the Eerie Ritualistic Set for 'Birthday at Friendly's' on 'Saturday Night Live
The eerie ritualistic scenes in the "Birthday at Friendly's" sketch on "Saturday Night Live" were inspired by Steven Spielberg's 1984 film "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom." The sketch featured Lady Gaga as one of the creepy wait staff, along with other cast members. The set required special props and collaboration between different departments to bring the scene to life.
The production designer, Keith Raywood, along with his colleagues, Akira "Leo" Yoshimura and N. Joseph DeTullio, worked on creating the elaborate set for the sketch. They divided responsibilities among themselves to ensure everything came together seamlessly. The art department made custom props, signage, and wall art to recreate the atmosphere of a Friendly's restaurant.
For the "Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Special," the team had more time to plan and execute the sets. They worked on creating different scenes that paid homage to New York City, as suggested by Colin Jost. The challenge was accommodating the extra seats in the studio and moving scenery around efficiently. The use of rotating pieces and a video wall helped transition between scenes smoothly.
Despite the chaos of the special, the team managed to bring all the actors together on home base for a memorable celebration of New York City. The signature look of "SNL" was maintained throughout the special, showcasing the team's dedication to creating a visually stunning and cohesive production.