Habitat Set - Set design - Behind the Scenes

A thousand feet beneath the ocean surface in the middle of the Pacific, something has been discovered.
Its origin, its structure, its malevolent energy are baffling.
But whatever it is, it can reach into your mind. It knows your worst fears.
And now it's starting to make those fears come true...
As the team tries to unravel the meaning and function of the Sphere, they become cut off from surface contact 
and their world is limited to the claustrophobic high-tech deepwater Habitat.
Academy Award-winning director Barry Levinson directs the terrifyingly suspenseful sci-fi thriller 'Sphere', 
based on the best-seller by Michael Crichton ('Congo').
Michael Crichton: 'One of the classic requirements for suspense is isolation'.
The very ingenious Production Designer Norman Reynolds and his team of art directors, set designers, builders and 
artisans were responsible for the terrific Habitat set, built in a huge warehouse of the 
the abandoned Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, California.
All the actors and the crew had to go in the water and into the Habitat set, which was built in sections as 
complete 'practical' pieces.
This meant that the claustrophobic interior of the Habitat would be truly claustrophobic, not only for the actors, 
but also for DOP Adam Greenberg and his camera crew.
The Art dep. was also involved with the design and construction of the underwater tanks, and particularly the huge 
Habitat exterior sets built inside of them, including the 'moon pool' that leads in and out of the facility and 
many other puzzle pieces.
'We had to build sets that were tolerant of the type of water in the tanks', explains Art Director Mark Mansbridge, 
'which was somewhat corrosive to aluminum. We used fiberglass, some vacuum form, metal and paint, which we had to 
seal carefully to keep the water as clean and clear as possible.'
But before the Players and Makers jump into the water tanks they all had to become certified divers.
The Cast & Crew was charged with becoming expert divers under the tutelage of dive master Kris Newman and his partner, 
Jean Pierce, overseen by Stunt Coordinator Ronnie Rondell.

Dustin Hoffman and Samuel L. Jackson in the 'Dive School'.
'We took the cast first through scuba and then helmet training', recalls Kris Newman (dive operations manager).
Kris managed SPHERE's Dive Unit and served as the film's Safety Coordinator. 
Jean Pierce was Assistant Manager with primary duties on the dive decks, managing safety divers and equipment.
Kris Newman also trained (in both scuba and helmet diving) the principal actors 
(Dustin Hoffman, Samuel L. Jackson, Sharon Stone, Queen Latifah,...), stunt doubles and safety divers.

Samuel L.Jackson is ready for the helmet training.
The entire underwater suit, with the weighted boots, specially designed backpacks for the oxygen and 
helmet (which in itself weighed 35 pounds each) came in at a staggering 175 pounds, a burden which had 
to be shouldered by each of the film's stars until relieved by the effect of being in the water.
The new helmets and underwater suits were designed by Gloria Gresham and Bev Morgan for 'Sphere'.
Jackson was a champion swimmer in college and was a fish in the water.
He, like all others, enjoyed the exciting training.
Director Barry Levinson in conversation with his superb cast inside a section of the Habitat Set. 
Are you ready to dive?
Certainly, the tight surroundings in the Habitat affected everyone's performance, and how
Levinson worked with the actors.
'It was very claustrophobic and difficult', says the filmmaker.
'You do get a little nuts, but that containment was essential to the story we were telling.'
Barry Levinson talks with Sharon Stone ('Beth').
What a stage!
One of the indoor water tanks built on the Mare Island Naval Shipyard.
You can see sections of the Habitat Set in the water.
Five enormous water tanks, made of steel or concrete and ranging in depth from 19 to 26 feet, 
were constructed in Mare Island's cavernous Building 599 for 'Sphere'.
This is a steel water tank, you can clearly see the individual plates, which houses a small section of the Habitat.
This upper part of a Habitat set piece was used for the scene where they find the dead body of Edmunds (Marga Gómez),
pulverized by the giant squid.
Due to budget restraints we never actually see the monster which has a major role in the book.
One of the many small problems and unanswered questions of the film, which I am willing to overlook as a fan.
But too many were confused, the movie died a quiet death at the box-office.
The overall production design, the miniature work, visual effects ...etc...etc... for the film still hold up quite well!
You should try 'Sphere' again ... on blu-ray!
In a concrete water tank they built the lower part of the 'moon pool' section of the underwater Habitat 
with some rocks and deep sea corals.
The Set Design is awesome!
The 'moon pool' in action. Looks like a test run with many safety divers.
On the way to the unknown spaceship and its sinister cargo, the Sphere.
Great view of the 'moon pool' set and its immediate surroundings.
Not all camera positions are possible here, the cameraman can quickly float behind the scenes with his machine 
and destroy the illusion.
A 'moon pool' ring hangs from the ceiling and dives only a few inches into the water of the tank.
And we see one foot of the exterior Habitat set. That's all.
The visual effects boys had to add set extensions to almost all of the tank shots.
Visual effects Supervisor Jeffrey A.Okun ('Die Hard 2') and VFX producer Tom Boland were charged to create 'virtual sets'.
Grant McCune Design handled the visual FX miniatures and photography that would be used in particular to extend 
the live-action sets. 
But what is this ... Shark! Shark! ... A big White one found a way through the pipes.
Queen Latifah with last preparations for her terrifying scene with the bitchy 'outer space' jellyfish.
'Sphere' is filled with underwater creatures that were created by the visual effects team with a combination of 
CGI and 'rubbertronics'.
Teeny (Queen Latifah) is killed by a strange swarm of jellyfish.
The jellyfish puppets were built by the freaks of XFX (Steve Johnson), digital replicas were created by Cinesite.
A cameraman is filming a scene with an XFX jellyfish. His cam is protected by a HydroFlex deepwater camera housing.
The jellyfish attack is a perfect composite shot of real jellyfish filmed at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, XFX puppets 
and numerous digital replicas designed by Cinesite.
Filming the jellyfish scene in the live-action water tank set.
Look there on the left - The XFX puppet jellyfish are a bit tricky to 'train'. Headstrong animals.
The jellyfish are tired of filming ... and have dived down.
'Teeny' Fletcher (Queen Latifah): 'They're stingin' me through my suit!'
The XFX puppets with their silicone tentacles and the special 'mini plastic bag pump drive' navigated via monofilament wires.
The nice realistic jellyfish movement is based on an old 'Species' creature effect (pulsating chrysalis FX).
The underwater scenes were all perfectly prepared and intensively discussed, but still challenging for all.
Cameramen and lighting technicians did their best to create the atmosphere that Levinson/Crichton had in mind.
The steel tank with an upper part Habitat section piece. 
Somewhere above I showed you the dry tank with the set in construction.
They are filming the scene where they find the dead body of Edmunds (Marga Gómez) on the upper exterior of the Habitat. 
The problematic illumination is very well done in the film.
A lot of divers in the water, tons of oxygen bottles, you can compare the filming work with a big expedition.
'Moon pool' set - Filming the sea snake attack, 1997.
XFX designed different snakes including one with cable-operated head functions.
The devilish snake was puppeteerd from above via a single rod.
The snake was fabricated out of very moldable translucent silicone and was able to open its jaw extremely wide.
Several helping hands were needed to control this deep-sea vampire and navigate it in a perfect position in 
front of the HydroFlex Deepwater camera housing.
XFX On-Set supervisor Chris Nelson was the 'coach' of the snakes.
Arrrrghhhh... what the hell is this?
I hope all divers were vaccinated against rabies.
It takes a while before the remaining crew members recognize that contact with the alien sphere is somehow 
responsible for the horrifying manifestations that are killing them one by one.
Awesome pic.
Filming the scenes with Dustin Hoffman (plus stunt double) outside of the Habitat ...in the cold water, helpless and full of panic.
These 35mm slides look better than the finished scenes in the movie.
Another tank. Another Set. Almost unconscious he reaches the rescuing 'moon pool'.
This 'Hoffman in trouble' tank is significantly deeper. The 'moon pool' entry is much wider.
All photos (35mm slides) are from the moon-city-garbage archive. 
Supplementary information found in the official production brochure and Cinefex #74.
Do you still have air for another dive?
Then I would like to recommend this 'radiant' spot to you: The Abyss.

www.moon-city-garbage.agency