This secluded clubhouse is plucked from every teenage boy's wildest dream. Built over seven days in June 2012, this backwoods shack was the centerpiece for the indie film The Kings of Summer in which three teenage boys run away from home to live off the land like men. In the movie, the boys use found objects such as a broken basketball hoop pulled from the side of the road to haphazardly piece together a dream home. Hover over the yellow dots to read behind-the-scenes details about how crew members crafted the ultimate fort on a private residential lot in North Royalton.
Prop Culture
Gold Standard: In the second installment of The Hunger Games franchise, Peeta gives a golden locket to Katniss as a gift. Created by Canton jewelry designer Dana Schneider, it holds pictures of Katniss' mother, sister and friend Gale. Schneider, who created the iconic Mockingjay pin as well, wanted the piece to look masculine, like a dog tag. So the hinges lie completely flat when open, and the picture windows slide outward. The producers and costume designer instantly loved her cardboard prototype. They spent nearly two months tweaking the design — including adding the industrial-style engraving reminiscent of the Capitol city in the films — to create the final product. "Nothing like it existed already," says Schneider.
A Pair to Remember: For Kelleigh Miller, Akron-based prop master for the upcoming indie comedy Jenny's Wedding, the challenge was not the cake. Northfield bakery Sweetheart USA created two delicate, tiered cakes — one for the opening credits and one for the wedding — draped in white fondant and dotted with small white balls of frosting. The cake toppers, however, were another story. Miller needed to find two 1940s-esque brides to grace the cake for Jenny and Kitty's wedding. The figures are identical except for the hair: blonde for Jenny (Katherine Heigl), brunette for Kitty (Alexis Bledel). "Most pairs come with a bride and a groom," Miller says. "So I had to find two brides that looked good together."
