"Saturday Night" Inside the begining of SNL with Designer Jess Gonchor

Nov 19, 2024

Jess Gonchor, a talented production designer known for his work on Capote and The Devil Wears Prada, shares his insights on recreating the electrifying night of Saturday Night Live's debut. He discusses the meticulous process of designing a fully immersive set at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, including the challenges of building on a single stage. Jess also reflects on his early connections to theater and the importance of collaboration in production design. He shares anecdotes about past encounters with stars and highlights upcoming projects, revealing a passionate commitment to visual storytelling.

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Intro

00:00 • 2min

Designing Emotion: Upcoming Shows and Films

02:13 • 5min

Exploring Television Excellence in Design and Storytelling

07:31 • 3min

Behind the Scenes of Saturday Night Live's Iconic Debut

10:08 • 3min

The Art of Production Design

12:43 • 12min

From New York Dreams to Atlanta Realities

25:11 • 16min

Crafting Set Design: The Heart of Production

41:36 • 16min

The Significance of Model-Making in Set Design

57:45 • 4min

In this episode, I’m thrilled to give you a behind-the-scenes look at one of television’s most iconic moments. In 1975, a young producer named Lorne Michaels was about to debut a show that would become a cultural phenomenon: *Saturday Night Live.* The new film *Saturday Night* takes us back to that electrifying night when the first episode aired. Production Designer Jess Gonchor masterfully recreated the vibe of 30 Rockefeller Plaza in the 1970s with impeccable attention to detail. Jess designed a fully immersive 360-degree set, replicating the original stage layout and showcasing every element of the show’s creation— from the makeup room and wardrobe to the control room and writers' offices. We dive into the challenges of building it all on one stage, the extensive research process, and how Jess brought this pivotal night to life on the big screen.

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