We decided to do our first workshop (saturday) in our new studio. The place is far from finished but it will give the participants much more room and interesting shooting options than the meeting room we were going to use first. Our contractors worked very hard to make the main studio space ready for use. We’ll make sure it’s clean, heated and fun to shoot by Saturday. Time to update you guys on the progress of the construction works:

Things are starting to change in what’s to become my new studio and LIME’s headquarters. A lot of time was spent (and still is dedicated to) planning, changing my mind and making sure these plans still fit more or less in the budget (that’s the hardest part). A lot of work has been done already but it’s not always that visible. Time to take you on a short tour to see where we are today.

We started with the sanitary unit. The goal: 2-3 toilets and a washing table. Budget: as cheap as possible but still give visitors an enjoyable bathroom experience

First thing: demolish the wall in the middle and fill up the gap in the floor.

Then it was time to construct the interior walls.

Today all the walls are finished, electricity is done, joints are filled, …
Still to do: doors (handy in a toilet), floor, water, heating, connecting the toilets to the sewer and finishing. So it’s not finished yet but don’t worry, we have a completely functioning bathroom.

Most of the work was done by one man, but not a normal guy. Let me present you to Sven aka ‘Ponette’.

He’s a contractor, handyman, hunter, fisherman and above all the godfather of my youngest daughter and one of my best friends for many years.

Let’s take a look at the main studio area than. This is how it looked at the beginning of the week. It was compartimented into 3 spaces. Because I’d rather have one big space, we decided to knock all the interior walls down.

I’m not after a classic studio space. I want a kind of ‘real location’. And it can always be turned into a classic studio setup within minutes. It’s about 110 square meters.
This is how it looks without the interior walls.

Opposite side:

And this is how it looks from the second floor:

We will have this space empty and ready for the workshop on Saturday.

Downstairs there’s also going to be a kitchen:

And this room is going to be closed off and converted into an office.

This is the second floor. There’s going to be a new roof with skylights. The left part is going to be the workshop space/setting area/lounge and the lowest of the two ’stages’ is probably going to be part of it too. The highest ’stage’ will be closed off as a second office.

On the picture above, you can see a door on the right. This leads to what’s going to be the make-up room.

Behind the door in the make-up room, there’s the future dressing room.

I really need to end this post by thanking everyone who make this happen. Ponette is working his ass off and performs miracles with the small budget. I don’t always agree with my dad but the truth is that I could never do this without all the planning, following up, researching, … he puts in it. My wife and kids have been true hero’s putting up with me being a bit stressed out too often. And then there are all my friends who lend a hand here and there. Thanks guys, once it’s finished we are going to have a crazy party in the studio.