Many iconic images have become associated with Golf Channel’s Big Break reality series since the show’s 2003 launch. “Most people know about the glass break challenge and many recognize the flop wall,” said Chip Mena, art director with Marty Rich Inc., the company that handles the design and construction of the show’s props.
“But wherever we take the show – Scotland, Mexico, Hawaii, Ireland -- absolutely everybody knows The Rock.”
“The Rock” Chip refers to is of course Big Break’s signature element – a monolithic carving of the show’s logo in simulated stone that travels with the show and has become synonymous with the brand worldwide.
When The Big Break Invitational (BBI) was announced, it was quickly decided that a new version of The Rock should be crafted to reflect the evolution of the franchise. The crew at Marty Rich, in conjunction with the marketing teams at Golf Channel and Reynolds Lake Oconee, went to work designing a brand new icon of colossal proportions: “The BBI Rock.”
Chip and his partner Ernie Stone shared a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the The BBI Rock, how it was constructed, and the unique features that make it truly one of a kind.
Standing nine feet tall and more than 13 feet wide, The BBI Rock tips the scales at more than 500 pounds when installed. Combining the traditional Big Break logo in gray stone with a colorful “Invitational” ribbon in blue, The BBI Rock sits atop a stage-like platform designating Reynolds Lake Oconee as the tournament’s host location.
Chip drew upon his years of experience with movie and television set design to hand-paint a faux stone finish that fools the eye, even at close range. The BBI Rock was fabricated in Orlando, FL under the direction of production coordinator Holly Hurst and designer David Kahler. Over the years, Holly, David, Chip and Ernie have built props and thematic architecture for the likes of Disney, Universal, Nickelodeon and a host of on-camera productions.
The BBI Rock was then disassembled into its major components, loaded on a 24-foot panel truck and transported eight hours north to Lake Oconee, GA. Upon arrival, Chip, Ernie and a team of eight from Reynolds Lake Oconee cautiously removed the components and began the four-hour installation process.
“People are surprised to find out that the rock portion of the sign is not as heavy as they think,” said Stone. “It’s hand-carved from low-density EPS foam,” explains Stone. “So that piece is actually relatively light, but extremely awkward to handle; so it takes a large team.”
The vast majority of the weight is concealed in the base, which contains a hidden access panel just large enough for Chip to climb inside the prop and position dozens of sandbags to provide ballast. “Sometimes it pays to be small,” jokes Chip.
Once complete, Chip and Ernie painted the final touch-ups necessary to make The BBI Rock picture-perfect and the Reynolds Lake Oconee landscape team went to work garnishing the monument with ornamental plantings, pine straw and mulch.
“I knew we got it right as soon as we first had all of the major pieces together and everyone started taking pictures before we were even really done,” said Chip. “It gives the area a focal point and a ‘Disney’ sense of arrival, and that’s what everyone was going for.”
The BBI Rock will be on display at the Great WatersGreat Waters golf course and available for tournament spectators to pose with for photographs through October 3rd for the Big Break Invitational at Reynolds Lake Oconee.
