Kevin Kavanaugh Production Designer off the record OC Gazette Magazine February 2010

Amy Hood: First of all, a few details from your past. You grew up in Newport- where did you go to high school?

Kevin Kavanaugh: I went to Corona del Mar High School, graduated in 1985, and yeah, I pretty much grew up right around Corona del Mar and the Newport area, south Newport.

AH: Cool! So how did you spend your youth—were you a beach bum?

KK: Yeah, I had a lot of different kinds of friends—some of them were surfers, some of them were baseball players, some of them were students, and what made me different than a lot of people is I had friends in each little category. One day I’d be hanging out with the surfers, next day playing baseball with the other guys. So that’s what kind of led me to film—I was able to branch out and meet new people and do new things. I wasn’t stuck in one category.

AH: Kids don't usually just say “I want to be an art director when I grow up.” How did you get into this?

KK: Well, I liked going to the movies as much as anybody else, and then when I was in college I took a couple courses on film history and third-world cinema. One class led to another class, and next thing you know, I was majoring in Film. I had some really great teachers—people who really taught me there’s more than what’s in the Cineplex. This whole world opened up to me; I was kind of like “wow, there’s a whole other world out there,”—of art, really is what it is. That’s what really got me interested in film. One day I said, “I’m tired of working in restaurants and book stores and record shops and stuff. I’m gonna try to get a job at a film company.” So I went up to Francis Coppola’s company and said “Hey, I’m here to work.” I was able to meet one of the assistants there and he said “well, we need somebody to read scripts and just give us some feedback on ‘em.” So I’d take the projects home with me, and I’d write up a little three page essay or critique of them. That’s kind of how it started. [Coppola] was developing Godfather III at the time, and I was kind of in the right place at the right time. He was in a three-week rehearsal period where he brought all the actors up to his house in Napa Valley. He needed help getting that organized-picking up people at the airport or whatever I could do. That was my first full-time introduction to the whole Francis Coppola world.

AH: Were you star-struck the first time you had to pick up a big actor?

KK: Yeah, I had to pick up Robert Deniro at the airport in my little Nissan Sentra. I could barely keep it running at the time. They were going up to audition for Godfather III, so I’m sure they were just as nervous as I was. At the time it was like “wow.” But thinking back, they probably didn’t care what car I was driving. I ended up working on Godfather III for a year and a half, and then straight after that I worked on Dracula. On that one, it was really the time that I was like, “OK, I’m going to make a career in the Art Department.” I started working with the Production Designer who did Dracula, Tom Sanders. He was kind of my mentor, I ended up doing like 8 movies with Tom. Tom taught me everything I know.

AH: How did you get from there to doing Saving Private Ryan?

KK: Tom was the Production Designer on Saving Private Ryan. I was Tom’s Art Director for a long time. We were a team. The Art Department consists of the Production Designer, who’s in charge of the look of the movie—all the sets, all the set furnishings, the location, anything to do with the movie-and he or she has the Art Director and the Set Decorator. Those three people run the whole thing. You’re only as good as the people you surround yourself with. I started doing my own thing a couple years back as a Production Designer, and I’m continuing in that same vein.

AH: Recently you’ve been working on Salt?

KK: Salt was just kind of a short-term thing. They wanted to re-do the ending or something like that, so they asked me to scout Puerto Rico, so I was in Puerto Rico for two weeks.

AH: That’s nice! The perks of the job, huh?

KK: Yeah, I know right? That’s probably the best thing about this job - location scouting. And that’s what I really enjoy. Just going to these places and trying to find okay, “where is this movie going to be made”, and how the movie is going to come together. That’s probably the most important thing is when you first start a project, when you first get hired on to a film is to scout it. It’s something people might not think about.

AH: Do you grab a local to help show you around? What’s the secret?

KK: Yeah, what it really comes down to is just spending a lot of time in the car driving from place to place- trying to find a house, or a building, or even a valley, or a beach, like in Saving Private Ryan. When we did that we looked all over England and Ireland and we drove every single beach all around the coast of Ireland till we found the perfect beach.

AH: Like an endless road trip - cabin fever on the road - fights break out…that sort of thing?

KK: Yeah, exactly. You get to know people very well; what their habits are, what they like to eat and drink. But that’s part of the fun of it. Sometimes, you go off by yourself and look for places. Because on some movies there’s up to 90 sets, 90 locations. So in a matter of a month and a half you need to find 90 locations. Which can be pretty daunting.

AH: What’s been the proudest moment of your career in your point of view thus far?

KK: In my point of view? Well, career-wise, huh? I would say there’s a couple films that really stand out in my mind that weren’t necessarily blockbuster films but were great memories. A movie called The Prestige- it was a Chris Nolan movie that I did here in LA. We made L.A. look like Victorian England, which was kind of the biggest challenge. We got nominated for an award for that, and we won a couple of awards for that.

AH: Yeah is it because you had to go from L.A. to something like Victorian England? Was it the challenge?

KK: Yeah, well you gotta scout these locations, and say “ok, how am I going to make this L.A. deco building look like Victorian England?” So you need to come up with creative ways to make that happen, which is always a challenge. And I think period films in general are a challenge. Whether it be a western or Victorian drama or whatever. Those seem to be the most challenging and to me, the most fun. I love it.

AH: Who are your favorite directors to work with?

KK: Well, Christopher Nolan- I’ve done two movies with him and he’s fabulous. So, he’d be the top of the game there.

AH: Are there any directors you hope to work with in the future?

KK: There’s the guy who just did Up In the Air, Jason Reitman. He seems like a young guy…I’d like to get introduced to some of the younger, up-and-coming guys, just because they seem to be willing to stretch it out a bit, and go for it.

AH: Is there a bit more creative license there?

KK: Yeah, not necessarily a big budget or all this other stuff, but they’re willing to take some creative challenges and make their film look interesting because they don’t have the resources or the money to create a crazy world. But they’re willing to say alright well let’s make something look weird and interesting—how can we do that, that challenge.

AH: Right on. So, do you get to interact much with the actors while you’re doing your job?

KK: I’m the first guy on the film, after the director. I do all my work before the actors show up. Then when the actors show up and they’re like wow, here’s my house, and my bedroom, and my whatever. Then you’re there to present it to them, like “this is how I see your character” or “how I see what kind of person you are.”  And, there’s a little interaction before that; you kind of get to know them a little bit to see what are you thinking, as far as what kind of character they are- whether it be a teacher or a crazy scientist, or a serial killer or something- you need to find out what they’re thinking. You kind of have to…there is a bit of interaction with them. But then, you really get to know them after you’ve presented your world to them, and that’s probably the most interaction you have with them. And then the director- the thing is the director is really in charge of the actors. Some directors, like Chris Nolan, he doesn’t want anybody talking to his actors, unless it’s work related. He doesn’t want anybody hanging out with the actors. He likes to keep his actors in a tight mode- get ‘em in character, which is great, which I love. You know, I think it keeps everybody focused. Keeps the train running. That’s the hardest thing about making a movie is keeping everybody in line, keeping the train in the right direction, because you usually get derailed.

AH: Yeah? So, were there any moments when you were younger when you had to present your art direction to an actor and you were like “oh my gosh, it’s so-and-so,” or do you just get over it quick because you’re doing your job and their doing their job?

KK: Yeah, we’re all kind of doing our own jobs together. I think one of the first times I had to do that was with Tom Cruise, actually, and he wanted to do a plane crash on the side of a mountain, and I just knew the producers and everybody were thinking “Kevin, I don’t know how you’re going to do this, but you have to go up to him and sell him this idea of a plane crash that we’re going to build on the side of a mountain,” and I was like ok, and I had five minutes to come up with some ideas on how to sell the idea to Tom Cruise. So, I just went on the internet quickly and did some research, you know, plane crash research. That was the first time I got introduced and kind of shoved in front of an actor of that caliber and had to perform. That was a bit nerve-racking. But, you know, people like Tom Cruise, he looks at you and thinks “how is this guy going to make my vision happen?” because he’s really involved in his movies, you know. He comes up with an idea and he presents it to the director, just as much as the director presents things, so. So yeah, you get kind of thrown in there when you’re not expecting it, that’s part of it.

AH: But you always came out with flying colors?

KK: [laughs] I don’t know about that.

AH: Well, you’re still doing great things.

KK: Still working I guess. [laughs]

AH: Who inspires you in your field?

KK: A guy by the name of Jack Fisk- he does Terrence Malick films. He has some really great stuff. He did the movie There Will Be Blood, and I think he’s doing a couple of other movies. He’s been around a long time, and he’s a great designer. And, Tom of course, Tom Sanders (Mission Impossible II, Braveheart). Nathan Crowley (Batman Begins) is another one. I’ve worked with him several times; he did Public Enemies.

AH: Is it pretty cool when you visualize something and then see it on the screen, the final product?

KK: Yeah, you’re pretty curious to how it’s going to play in the overall scope of the movie. So, it is kind of exciting to see you know, what you build or come up with and see how it interacts with- like I said sometimes there’s 90 sets, and in a movie, they all play right after one another, but when you’re doing them they’re all individual, so it’s fun to see them all blend together and how the set, the first part of the movie ties in with the end of the movie. That’s really what you have to concentrate on when you’re making a movie is how is each component going to blend in the final product.

AH: Any movies out right now that you recommend?

KK: I don’t see that many movies, so….

AH: Really? You don’t see many movies?

KK: Well, when you get older, you’re kind of like “ahh, I don’t really have time to go see a movie.” I’ve got a family and kids, so I really gotta spend time with them.

AH: So, did you go see The Princess and The Frog or anything?

KK: [laughs] No, I didn’t see that one. I saw Avatar last weekend with my daughter and son.

AH: Oh really? Was it good?

KK: Yeah, it was good. It was a good e-ticket ride.

AH: So, the perks to your job- you said one thing was traveling, is there anything else you want to add?

KK: Yeah, traveling is probably the best thing- like I was in New York last fall, summer. I’ve been to New York a couple times, but more of a tourist visit. The great thing about my job is you can go to a place, like New York, or it could be in the middle of nowhere, in the Midwest somewhere, a small town, and you really get kind of dug into what’s going on around there. You get to know the people, the local restaurants, you really feel what it’s like to live in New York City, which I did just recently. I ended up bringing my family there, and we really got to experience that aspect which is different than Southern California, so it’s great to kind of go back and forth.

AH: You get the benefits of all those different places. So what are the downsides to your job?

KK: Well, that’s probably the same thing. I’m away from my family a little too much. Sometimes I wish there were more movies in L.A. being made that I could work on. The kids are getting older so they can’t travel as much.

AH: So McG he’s from Orange County too.

KK: Yeah I went to high school with McG.

AH: Do you guys ever bond over being transplants?

KK: I see him every once in a while because he’s in the film industry and we have a couple mutual friends. It’s always good to see him. He’s doing really well. He’s out there making it happen. He’s a good guy.

AH: What are you listening to these days?

KK: I listen to a lot of different stuff. A lot of Wilco. Joe Strummer. Some band I’ve never heard of will come on KCRW and I’ll have to scramble for a pencil to write down the name of the band and try to find it on iTunes later. Even my 13-year-old daughter gives me stuff.

AH: Do your kids ever ask you to introduce them to actors your working with?

KK: No… they don’t care about that stuff. You’d think so. I did Transformers and Shia LaBeouf was the hot thing at the time. And my daughter was like, “Oh you’re working with the guy from Holes?” I said, “Yeah. You wanna come on the set?” She said, “No, that’s alright Dad.”  I was like, “Alright. Whatever.” [laughs]

AH: What are some of your favorite Orange County spots?

KK: I used to hang out at The Stag. And I remember coming down here a lot to Crystal Cove, and stopping on the way home by Gallos and getting a sandwich. It’s a great sandwich place in Corona Del Mar.

AH: Best local surf spot?

KK: Yeah I used to body surf down at El Moro down there. That’s a great little break down there.

AH: Do you miss it here ever?

KK: Yeah, especially around this time of year. The winters down here are the most beautiful.

AH: What don’t you miss about living in Orange County?

KK: When I grew up down here it was a little more upper to middle class. Now with all this Newport Coast stuff, it’s really gotten to be, in my eyes, a kind of a privileged place to be. When I grew up here you had a lot of different people here. Different brackets and ethnic groups. That’s one thing I miss about it. That diversity. 

{ INTERVIEW BY AMY HOOD • PHOTOS BY BLYTHE HILL }

OTHER ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE...

What would The Dark Knight be without Gotham City? What would Whip It be without the grungy warehouse/roller rink? What would The Prestige be without the gritty old streets and taverns of London Town? You’ll never have to wonder because Kevin Kavanaugh’s got you covered. He’s the L.A. production designer/art director/magician behind these films and so many more. Turning an L.A. street into 1800’s London is all in a days work. I met up with the Newport Beach native at The Beachcomber in Crystal Cove to talk about the magic of movies, what’s on his iPod and his favorite O.C. haunts.

YOU CAN SEE KEVIN’S HANDIWORK IN THE UPCOMING FILMS...

Salt with Angelina Jolie

(view trailer below)

Whip It

with Drew Barrymore and Ellen Page

Going The Distance

with Drew Barrymore and Justin Long

YOU CAN SEE KEVIN’S RECENT WORK IN...

The Dark Knight

with Christian Bale and Heath Ledger

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