How'd They Do That? EMHE

How’d They Do That?
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Special
The Ali Family
Recap By J.G. Bird
November 1st

Promising to show those things that they never show, (I’ve notated items bold when I think they’re truly newly revealed); Ty runs us through a slightly different perspective on EMHE. The footage is again focusing on the exuberant Ali family. It’s really close to a replay of Sunday’s episode but with additional footage. Within the first segment, the answer: Yes, it really is done in seven days.

Only on Day 1 are we shown design team members at the makeup trailers. Conrad Ricketts, Senior Producer and Tom Forman, Executive Producer are shown welcoming and giving a pep talk to the crew. The EMHE bus makes its way through the streets of Jamaica, Queens, NY. The designers comment on how the production takes over a whole street, maybe for blocks. The moment the family is alerted is like a SWAT maneuver, Ty asserts. Ty clarifies and notes how emotionally intense it is watching Lucy Ali drop to her knees. Preston agrees, “There are moments that are priceless… honest.” The design team members also give extended commentary to their personal reactions to the interior of the disastrous Ali house. Michael says, “When I looked in that house, I got angry.”

Demolition & Construction. Here’s more information than the family may want revealed, but to underscore the extent of equipment brought on-site, Ty shows the production trucks at Gotham and 128 in Queens. This includes, storage bins (we’re talking the size that you carry on a flatbed or train, not your mother’s Rubbermaid), equipment, vans; Other necessities: Work permit, members of the police dept., and of course, your friendly neighborhood contractor (Tommy Viola, Sal Ferro). The fellowship on-site underscores that this construction crew is devoted. “Not one member, is here for a paycheck,” as Paul DiMeo puts it.

During the demolition there’s construction and TV production crew members carrying around expensive equipment. A special camera, JIB Cam, camera on a crane is used for those all-around shots especially for the demolition and construction. So much is accomplished in the first few hours and days on this house. A new structural beam put in place, the porch added in 3 hours, siding goes up quickly/ much of the construction is accomplished with air tools. (Likely, all this serious framing doesn’t get into the final show due to sound issues.) For getting shots, you can expect some framing already happening upstairs while demolition still happening down.

This build even endures a few hours of summer rain. I’ll bet the downpour is a typical NY August. Preston is caught in the downpour while downtown. Says his sign, “will design for food” got him nothing. (He spent his lunch money on a chair in an antique shop, poor baby!)

Secrets of Ty’s secret room. “Locking myself in that window until it’s done,” scene is replayed. Other designers confirm: The room Ty picks is all Ty’s to design & work. Lucy Ali’s room is a “serious, elegant room,” so they add, they’re a little worried. Ty notes, “She likes modern, I like modern (not stark), but textured.” Walnut tongue and groove paneling on wall and the headboard achieved with free-hand routing to create sand or wave look is shown being worked. Finding out all this detail is my favorite moment in the special. I had a reader ask, Monday morning in an email, did I know who the artist was for those lily prints that are decorating Lucy Ali’s room? I didn’t, but now I do: Ty took those pictures. The best images – (he probably used a macro lens) loaded it to his computer, and with a few Photoshop actions; digital image is sent to a printer to get the poster size we see. Now I have better appreciation for that bathroom - Tongue and groove stained natural in a Pistachio shade continued that polished look he achieved in the bedroom.

Paul and the Theater room – 15 years set building on and off-Broadway. A marquee sign proclaiming, “starring Paul Ali,” is an idea the designer had to scrap. Paul DiMeo indulged a little time on stage when he visited the New Amsterdam Theater, and further, revealed the desire to sleep (not necessarily indulged) as a main component of their builds.

Above and Beyond: Sal is documented phoning his crew and speaking with the personnel at Alure Construction to get an unanimous endorsement for the scholarships revealed to the Ali boys on Sunday’s show.

Then to the detail not given in the edited show: Sal pushes for one more detail not previously in the plan – tackling the uninhabitable basement. He is determined to fix it up, irregardless of cost from his pocket. The design team members speak over and over about their profound respect for this sweet contractor. Michael, Constance and Paige think up a secret club/jam room theme. Jeanette Stone, Design Producer is shown on the phone last minute (2 hours to family arrival) pulling together the music studio. Keyboard, drum set, guitars, game tables are dropped off twenty minutes to deadline and quickly assembled by any available hands. Sal is excited and relates it is only right, and within the spirit of the show, to provide a finished basement.

We get to see the director in the production van not only getting the shots at reveal, but showing his own jubilation at how great the response is. The designers get the word on the reaction by being tuned into their producer’s walkie-talkie. The basement being fixed is a shock to the mom and her boys and so pleasing when it results in singing, drumming and ad-lib guitar-playing. If you taped it, cherish lots of candids of Ty, more reaction shots and actual relaxed shots of the family members. The producers should take note, I thought seeing a designer’s pleasure at how the room is reacted to is priceless – it should be added regularly.