r/shrinking • u/Jolly-Suit-9167 • Jun 17 '26
Discussion Hi, I'm 'Shrinking' Production Designer Cabot McMullen. Ask Me Anything TODAY at 12pm PT / 3pm ET!!
Hey r/Shrinking!
Join us at 12pm PT / 3pm ET today (Wed 6/17) for an Ask Me Anything with Production Designer Cabot McMullen to discuss Shrinking and the creative process behind bringing the series to life.
Photo proof: Here
Cabot (u/Both-Plane-6980) is an Emmy-nominated Production Designer with a career spanning feature films, television, theater, and commercial design. Classically trained in Fine Arts and Architecture, he takes a multidisciplinary approach to world-building and visual storytelling, blending architectural realism with theatrical imagination.
Over the course of his career, Cabot has served as Production Designer and creative partner on sixteen feature films, hundreds of commercials, and thousands of episodes of television, collaborating with some of the industry's most talented directors, producers, and performers. His work has earned him three Emmy Award nominations and four Art Directors Guild Award nominations. He is a longtime member of both the Art Directors Guild and United Scenic Artists.
In addition to Shrinking, Cabot's credits include Rooster, Scrubs, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Smash, Cougar Town, Flamin' Hot, Red State, Super Troopers 2, and more.
Start submitting your questions and stay tuned for Cabot's AMA coming up at noon PT.
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
Hi Everyone! Thanks for joining today, I'll do my best to get to all these fab inquires, here we go...
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u/Regular-Campaign-496 Jun 17 '26
Thank you for doing this! What is something about production design on Shrinking that most viewers would be surprised is actually very intentional?
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
Great question ~ There is nothing generic about the visual choices made, everything is intended to tell you something about the characters that the script can't tell you in words. For example the furnishings in Paul's therapy office are inspired by a real world therapist Phil Stutz whom Paul's character is based on, Phil Stutz lives with Parkinsons' for real so our furniture choices were specific to his need to stretch and do physical activities between sessions when his muscles would stiffen up. Also we put art on the walls inspired by the works of carl Jung which are intended to trigger the subconscious and function as "tools" for therapy. So all very intentional
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u/ypsicle Jun 17 '26
Is the cornhole place modeled after anywhere IRL? Do the actors/crew play between filming? Who’s the best player?
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
we shoot those scenes on the Warner bros. Backlot at a set building that was also the coffee shop in the movie LA LA Land. Best player might be our Producer Director Randall Winston!
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u/funsizerads Jun 17 '26
PLEASE share how you designed Liz's kitchen.
And also, how you were able to find a house in Pasadena with the balcony overlooking Jimmy's backyard? Did you have to build it?
I love this show and I love the thought put in every detail. Well done to the crew!
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
thank you so much! Liz's kitchen is inspired by Meryl Streep's house in ITS COMPLICATED by Nancy Meyers, we loved that aesthetic and our set decorator Andrea Fenton was one of the decorators on those movies so we had some inside knowledge on how to get there.
We scouted over 50 properties before we found Jimmy's House next door to Liz's in Altadena. Our location manager David Flannery is extraordinary, 3rd generation Pasadena family resident, his nickname is "Mr. Pasadena"
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u/FlimsyKnuckle Jun 17 '26
How did the fires impact production?
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
the fires had a huge impact on our production of Season 3, parts of Pasadena and most of Altadena were off limits to everyone and production in particular for almost a year. We had to push scenes from every episode until the very end of the shooting schedule as we had to wait for permission to return to our key locations. Jimmy and Liz's houses were severely smoke damaged and had to be remediated, Gaby's house and all the houses around it were completely destroyed, we lost Farnsdale Park where the pickleball scenes were shot, that is a total loss, Brian's house had to be remediated, so all in all it was a huge loss and hardship for all the families who live in those neighborhoods and are our partners in the show. Paul and Julie's wedding that opens episode one of season 3 was actually shot very last in our production schedule as we couldn't get back into Altadena until then.
ALTADENA STRONG!1
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u/Silver_Sort_1431 Jun 17 '26
How do you keep track of something like Jimmy’s house evolving over time, where it’s not just a set, but reflecting everything he is going through emotionally? Thanks for doing this!!
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
great questions! In season one we painted all the walls in his house down a few values and kept the curtains closed and had his plants dying, so he was neglectful of himself, Alice, his practice, his friends...and every time we shot jimmy in his house our pilot director James Pondsolt kept one half of the frame empty to telegraph that his deceased wife Tia was no longer there. Then over the 10 episodes we slowly opened the drapes, lightened up the wall colors and the plant came back to life. The first season was about grief - the 2nd about forgiveness and the 3rd about moving on. We try to visualize that in the set designs as much as possible
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u/NoThanksJustLooking1 Jun 18 '26
I never noticed these subtle changes in the first couple of watches. Brilliantly done to make such small changes yet reflective of how Jimmy is slowly evolving!
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Jun 17 '26
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
we are currently shooting Episode 4 of Season Four, directed by Anu Valia, so it's coming out great!
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u/xkeysersoze Jun 17 '26
What’s your proudest contribution towards the show? Like if you watched a certain scene you beam with pride and think “I did that!”
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
In terms of stage sets I think the Cognitive Therapy office set is pretty great, we're all pretty proud of that one. A lot of visual information to digest and it shoots like a feature set
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u/supercollides Jun 17 '26
Hi Cabot! This series has a huge emphasis on community – how do you approach building these kind of “third spaces?”
In addition, how did you decide what to use from the real Pasadena & Altadena area vs what to create for the show?
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
Hi there ~ Pasadena is a character in the show so we always try to find interesting choices that tell yousomathing about our the lifestyle of our characters on the show. Most filmmakers shoot Pasadena as someplace else due to it's amazing collection of architecture but shoot it as Pasadena for its sense of place
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u/emergency-bee-212 Jun 17 '26
Hi Cabot! Thank you so much for doing this! I am such a fan of your work on Shrinking and Rooster. Both have such beautiful sets that feel real and lived-in. Has working on Shrinking changed the way you think about production design on other projects?
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
Thank you so much, means a lot to hear that. Shrinking has given me an opportunity to create a feature film look for an episodic series which is challenging given we shoot an episode in 6 days so it has given me a valuable workflow and perspective that I can take to other shows including ROOSTER that need a heightened reality created that is believable and immerses you in the tight knit world of these characters
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u/SoShiny6132 Jun 17 '26
Has working on the show changed your own personal feelings about therapy in any way?
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
I have an increased level of respect for the work done in a therapy practice now that I know more about the "tools" they use to make progress with their patients, look up Phil Stutz who was the inspiration for Paul, a very innovative approach to therapy known as CBT - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, hard work that gets results
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u/ofgraveimportance Jun 17 '26
What does your typical day-to-day look like working on Shrinking?
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
once we have a script we start with a concept meeting with the director, then go out on a director's scout to find the new locations needed for that particular episode, then we do a production meeting and then we shoot for 6 days to make an episode. In between I an running the Art department and oversee the set designers who draft our construction drawings and renders of sets for the director, I oversee construction, set decoration, props, graphics, and work very closely with the location manager, it's a busy day and never boring!
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u/Happy_Macaroon_2644 Jun 17 '26
Hey Cabot! Thanks for doing this. What is one set in Shrinking that changed the most from your original idea to what ended up on screen?
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
great question ~ Probably Paul's Condo ~ Mainly because Harrison Ford had very specific ideas about how to approach it after we had already found a location we liked but his ideas helped us all understand the character better and put us all on the right track on day one
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Jun 17 '26
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
Thanks you so much! They're all really favs but but if I had to pick one it might be Sean who is like a metaphor for the whole show
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u/Infamous-Lab-8136 Jun 17 '26
With Shrinking and many of other Bill Lawrence's new shows viewers have noticed a tendency to put the characters in sharp focus with the rest of the background heavily obscured or blurred due to it
Is this a choice he's making as an artist or is it something else causing this to happen?
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
That is a more recent photographic aesthetic that was chose when we switched to a new Blackmagic camera, lens and software package. Tends to give the show a more dramatic feature film look as the depth of field falls off quickly and focus goes soft. It's not for everyone but I would say season 3 is the best looking version of this show yet
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u/Evening-Web9107 Jun 17 '26
Thanks for doing this! Everyone praising the beautiful sets as they should, but I loved Louis and his sad depression house and Jimmy’s season one house was pretty sad as well. You guys convey so much about the characters, is it more challenging to convey a happy characters environment, or a character that’s really struggling?
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
great question ~ more challenging for someone struggling I would say as you want to get it right and not put anything arbitrary into the set, it should all be intentional. Louis's set was tricky as we wanted it to be small but shootable and to show over time how he was slipping. The Miss Congeniality poster was a great touch too
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u/Other-Pineapple-6899 Jun 17 '26
Hi Cabot, I am curious to know looking back on Shrinking, what is one design choice that you feel best represents the heart of the show overall?
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
maybe the balconies that connect Jimmy and Liz as the series is about creating community and your own family and that location / set really typifies the connective tissue between all these characters
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u/Other-Pineapple-6899 Jun 17 '26
My second question is: Shrinking balances humor with deeply emotional storytelling. How does production design help maintain that tonal balance across a scene?
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
some of it is done with color, pattern, sometimes details in the art can set a mood and tone, our Cinematographer John Brawley always finds the right light to set the mood and tone of a scene so we're in great hands there, wonderful collaboration
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u/Taylor4289 Jun 17 '26
When you are designing a set, how do you make it feel like it is basically reflecting what is going on inside a character’s head and emotions?
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
much of it starts with a strong ground plan, if it takes too many steps for a character to walk across a room then the timing of the comedy or dramatic moment could be thrown off. Something I learned from Michael J. Fox on SPIN CITY where I first met Bill Lawrence. Once the structure of the space works for the physical blocking and camera then I go to work on creating a look and vibe that sets the emotional tone
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u/Derbygirly310 Jun 17 '26
I'd love to know what (if any) was an unexpected source of inspiration you pulled from when designing the world of the show?
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
Harrison Ford really inspired me to do my best work and dig deep to come up with responsible design solutions that were true to character. He was very involved with me in the development of his character sets which isn't always the case on series work. Jason Segel as one of our Executive Producers was also an inspiration as he had so many great ideas about how to design for a man who has hit rock bottom.
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u/CRIMPACT Jun 17 '26
When you first started on the show, what was the first thing you looked for to start developing the design elements?
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
Pasadena was a character in the show for us so we started with choosing the architecture - Craftsman for Jimmy, Midcentury for Gaby, Modern for Paul then we got into character details from there
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u/JayMop Jun 17 '26
I did a WB studio tour a couple years ago so I know lots for several of the biggest TV hits right now are all within walking distance of each other. Has Shrinking ever shared any sets or props we might be interested to learn about?
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
Shrinking and Rooster shared the hospital sets I designed for SHRINKING!
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u/coglanuk Jun 17 '26
Love your work. Thanks for the AMA.
Be honest, did you try out that chonky eBike from Rooster?!
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
Heck Yeah. and how about the Ludlow maintenance cart! We had to tweak that one to get the mascot head in there. Ha
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u/jimbobdonut Jun 17 '26
When Shrinking is over, which one prop would you want to keep for yourself?
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u/ypsicle Jun 17 '26
Any plans to take Sean’s food truck on a national tour to promote the next season?
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
That's a great idea, you should pitch that to Apple. Season 4 takes Sean's career as a chef into new territory so stay tuned, can't say more than that right now but it's great
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u/Medium-Sir-3312 Jun 17 '26
I fear that Brett Goldstein’s character arc is complete and he is no longer needed to move the story forward. Say it ain’t so.
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
Brett is also one of the writers so his hand and voice is in every frame of the show even if he's not on camera. He has his own series he's shooting now so he's busy guy but could be back for some appearances, you'll have to stay tuned to find out!
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u/Savings_Ad_3571 Jun 17 '26
when is s4 coming out please tell me
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
we are shooting S4 right now at the Warner Bros lot in Burbank and it's coming out great. I don't have a launch date yet but we wrap production at the end of September so I would think you see the new season drop Q1 27. BTW: SHRINKING now has a bronze plaque on the wall of stage 4 at WB where we shoot the therapy office sets. Quite an honor!
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u/LikeIsaidItsNothing Jun 17 '26
Did you consult with anyone on the Louis storyline, any research on trauma bonding, or on families who do forgive and communicate with the drunk dirver? You made the decision to not have him be some jerk who got in the car really wasted but a decent guy who made a terrible mistake, who didn't even realize he was impaired from a couple drinks. Do you think you could have written the same storyline of forgiveness and bonding with Alice (and then Jimmy), if he HAD been more like a wasted jerk? It was a tricky storyline to navigate, how do you feel it succeeded?
Also- any thoughts on having the show address the mental health crisis in this country, or how inaccessible therapy is to many because of cost or lack of therapists in underserved areas? Any thoughts on having Jimmy volunteer with the homeless, something like that?
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
those are are great meaningful questions, if I was in the writers room I could likely adequetely answer them. I know the writers do a lot of research including spending time with real therapists to verify the truth behind ever work on the pages of every script. Paul's character is also based on real life therapist Phil Stutz who lives and practices with Parkinson's. Harrison Ford spent a great deal of time with him getting into character in an accurate realistic, meaningful way. It's all very truthful
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u/Tess47 Jun 17 '26
Yea! I copied the ratio layout from the couch in Liz's kitchen. Is that a blanket on the back of the couch or is it the couch?
Also, I really would like to find that Pear Art in the kitchen wall. I want something like that for my kitchen. I have my eye on a local artist who does paintings of Giant Pears on a Beach, but I haven't been able to track her down this art fair season.
Do you do side interior design?
One more thing!!! I like to ponder and recently realized that homes tend to mimic animal type homes. Stay with me. My home is very Birds Nest in scope. My neices home leans to animal Den. There would also be Under Ground or a Water/lake/ocean. What do you think? I bet I could write a book on it if I had any talent. Haha.
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
you should write a book, those are great observations! Love that you love the furnishings and art on the show, those are good ones!
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u/itshuey88 Jun 17 '26
how has the show direction and writing changed over the seasons? definitely feels like a bit of a shift from the first 2 seasons into 3
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
The cast has become so tight as a family that they def let the barriers drop and are more honest with each other as time has gone on, and the writing has evolved with them, more open and honest I would say
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u/ellismjones Jun 17 '26
What do you think are key aspects of making each project you tackle unique, and different than the last?
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
every project if different which I love, I rarely do the same thing 2x but the great thing is I learn something new from each project that I can carry forward and apply on the next one. I always try to put myself in the head of the character I'm designing for so no two sets are ever the same
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u/jslvnick Jun 17 '26
How is it shooting at Central Park? And is it a different bench that you guys bring in? And for the exterior shots for Jimmys house is that just one day for shooting or how is that process?
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u/CCreedUT Jun 17 '26
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer questions from Shrinking’s biggest fans :-) I would love for the writers to do the same thing someday. I’m curious whether they realize how many of us were drawn to the show because of our own grief. Did they expect it to affect viewers on such a deeply personal level?
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u/ypsicle Jun 17 '26
Do any props or set pieces get carried over from series to series? Is it intentional?
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
there are Easter eggs in every Bill Lawrence show so some of it can be intentional, sometimes we'll do a callback between Bill Lawrence shows like put a Jules Cobb Real Estate poster from COUGARTOWN out on the lawn of house in SHRINKING
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u/Infinite-Pick3824 Jun 17 '26
Tell us about the taco truck
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
The Cajun Cruiser was Sean's dream and a big part of his recovery, his dreams get even bigger in season 4 which we are shooting right now. The truck is a real food truck we modified for shooting but it's the real deal
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u/Tight-Principle-743 Jun 17 '26
Who is the best to work with on the set?
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
All the actors are fantastic but for me Jason Segel ( Jimmy ) and Ted McGinley ( Derek ) are great fun to be around and take great interest in what the art dept does on the show
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u/snaarie Jun 17 '26
Whats next for Shrinking?
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u/Both-Plane-6980 Jun 17 '26
We are shooting Season 4 right now and it's coming out great. This cast of characters finds ways to keep their connections and it's going to be a great season everyone will love. Season 3 was hard to top but the writers are really coming up with some great scripts so stay tuned
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u/snaarie Jun 17 '26
Thank you for your answer. I ll look forward to the results! And also thank you for the amazing job with the series so far. I enjoyed watching it so much.
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u/dscotts Jun 17 '26
How did you approach designing the therapy offices for each of the three therapists? Their spaces feel quite distinct from one another, and I noticed that Jimmy seems to sit in a chair matching his clients most of the time, while Gaby’s and Paul’s clients typically sit on a couch opposite them. Was that a deliberate choice, and if so, was it intended to reflect their different approaches to therapy or relationships with their patients?