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See THE THING 2011 Prequel Ending You Never Saw in Rob McCallum Storyboards

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Check out The Thing (2011) storyboards by Rob McCallum!

The 2011 prequel to John Carpenter's 1982 film The Thing, had major reshoots.

Matthijs van Heijningen, Jr. claimed that the reshoots of the film included an entirely different ending. He called the original cut as the "Pilot Version" and the new cut the "Tetris Version".

Find out why it was changed and what the original ending looked like in storyboards by Rob McCallum.

McCallum is a professional storyboard and concept artist who's worked on Hollywood films like Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004), 16 Blocks (2006) and Total Recall (2012)
Check out the rest of the pictures after the jump (click to enlarge).

Here's a description of the scene by the director from his Facebook page,

"In the Pilot version Kate walks in this room and sees a dead Pilot hanging. He was the last Pilot alive and Kate sees that he killed himself because his air pipe was cut (basically Colin in space).

"The back story was that this Alien Pilot race collected specimen from different planets and The Thing was one of them, broke free and killed all the Alien species in the ship (pod room). The Pilot kills himself and crashes the ship on purpose, hoping that it would kill the Thing.

"Of course it doesn’t, it climbs out and freezes himself. So back to Kate. She sees the dead Pilot and [that] Sander, [who] now has taken the form of the Pilot (he has the genetics because of his spaceship slaughter fest 100.000 years before), has started up the ship.

"Sander attacks Kate in Pilot form and corners Kate, who pulls her last grenade and threatens to blow them both up. That moment Carter runs in and sees what she is doing and blows up the Sander Thing just to convince Kate that he is human (He basically has no choice because he if fries Kate with his flamethrower everybody would blow up).

"[A] little complicated but we filmed this. What you see on the picture [below] is Pilot Sander Thing being burned by Carter (ref for CGI). Studio didn’t like this (too complicated and till some degree they were right) so we had to lose the backstory and replaced the Pilot with the Tetris.

"They thought that the Pilot wasn’t scary enough, so we created the Sander Thing the last minute (which shows unfortunately).”




See more of Rob McCallum's work at http://www.mccallumart.com

Click on the links if you want to see more of Rob McCallum's work and The Thing on my blog.

What do you think of the storyboards?Did you like the remake?

Official Thing Synopsis
"Antarctica: an extraordinary continent of awesome beauty. It is also home to an isolated outpost where a discovery full of scientific possibility becomes a mission of survival when an alien is unearthed by a crew of international scientists. The shape-shifting creature, accidentally unleashed at this marooned colony, has the ability to turn itself into a perfect replica of any living being. It can look just like you or me, but inside, it remains inhuman. In the thriller THE THING, paranoia spreads like an epidemic among a group of researchers as they’re infected, one by one, by a mystery from another planet. Paleontologist Kate Lloyd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) has traveled to the desolate region for the expedition of her lifetime. Joining a Norwegian scientific team that has stumbled across an extraterrestrial ship buried in the ice, she discovers an organism that seems to have died in the crash eons ago. But it is about to wake up. When a simple experiment frees the alien from its frozen prison, Kate must join the crew’s pilot, Carter (Joel Edgerton), to keep it from killing them off one at a time. And in this vast, intense land, a parasite that can mimic anything it touches will pit human against human as it tries to survive and flourish."
Directed by Matthijs van Heijningen
Starring: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Joel Edgerton, Ulrich Thomsen, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Eric Christian Olsen
Cinematography by Michel Abramowicz
Production Design by Sean Haworth

Official Site: http://www.thethingmovie.net/

Release date: October 14, 2011

@ Copyright 2011 Strike Entertainment, Morgan Creek Productions, Universal Pictures. All rights reserved

IRON MAN 3 Concept Art by Andy Park, Rodney Fuentabella and Josh Nizzi

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Iron Man 3 concept art by Andy Park, Rodney Fuentabella and Josh Nizzi!

Having made over $400 million domestically and more than $1.2 billion internationally, Disney's Iron Man 3 is close to being 2013's most successful film. A few of the artists that have helped design the film are Andy Park, Rodney Fuentabella and Josh Nizzi. I thought I'd share some of their best work on the film.

Check out the rest of the pictures after the jump (click to enlarge).
Josh Nizzi
 









Andy Park


 Rodney Fuentabella







See more of Josh Nizzi's work at http://joshnizzi.com, Rodney Fuentabella's portfolio at http://www.rodneyimages.com and Andy Park's illustrations at http://www.andyparkart.com.

Click on the links if you want to see more of Josh Nizzi's, Rodney Fuentabella and Andy Park's concept art and Iron Man 3 concept art on my blog.

What do you think of the concept art?Did you enjoy Iron Man 3?

Official Synopsis
Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy's hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale with Jon Favreau and Ben Kingsley, Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” is directed by Shane Black from a screenplay by Drew Pearce & Shane Black and is based on Marvel’s iconic Super Hero Iron Man, who first appeared on the pages of “Tales of Suspense” (#39) in 1963 and had his solo comic book debut with “The Invincible Iron Man” (#1) in May of 1968.

“Iron Man 3” is presented by Marvel Studios in association with Paramount Pictures and DMG Entertainment. Marvel Studios’ President Kevin Feige is producing and Jon Favreau, Louis D’Esposito, Charles Newirth, Victoria Alonso, Stephen Broussard, Alan Fine, Stan Lee and Dan Mintz are executive producers. The film releases May 3, 2013, and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Directed by: Shane Black
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale with Jon Favreau and Ben Kingsley

Official website: http://marvel.com/ironman3 
Like IRON MAN 3 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ironman
Tweet the Official Hashtag: #IronMan3
Follow IRON MAN 3 on Twitter:@Iron_Man

© Copyright 2013 Marvel Studios, DMG Entertainment, Walt Disney Studios, Paramount Pictures. All rights reserved

Ralph McQuarrie Inspires Upcoming STAR WARS REBELS Animated Show

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I don't normally cover animated movies or television, but I broke that rule once before with Star Wars: The Clone Wars so I figure it's safe to do it again. This is mainly because the concept art for Clone Wars and Rebels are based on the art of the late concept illustrator master Ralph McQuarrie.


"For me I wanted to develop a style different from Clone Wars," said Star Wars Rebels Executive Producer Dave Filoni. "This show is going to be different from Clone Wars; it's intentionally going to look different. We're not proceeding with the same style. We wanted to give it its own look and feel. For me, that always goes back to Ralph McQuarrie, and that's a name you're going to hear over and over again. Star Wars owes so much to Ralph, and I'm very dedicated to the history of Star Wars and of Lucasfilm. We need to maintain and respect that history but also do what made it great it always leapt forward."

The show will be animated and is set in the 19-year gap between the Star Wars films Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith and the original 1977 film, Episode IV: A New Hope. It will air in autumn 2014 on the Disney channel before moving to a regular slot on Disney XD.


Find out more about the upcoming show and see more images after the jump (click to enlarge).


Lucasfilm described the show this way:
Star Wars Rebels Executive Producer Dave Filoni pulled back the curtain on Lucasfilm's highly anticipated animated series for Star Wars Celebration Europe attendees today, discussing the huge influence of original Star Wars concept artist Ralph McQuarrie on the look and feel of the show, and revealing the series' unique logo and select designs.

Filoni talked at length about the use of McQuarrie art as a springboard for the series, showcasing many works from the original trilogy, including landscapes and characters, and detailing how they inform the visual identity of Star Wars Rebels.

For Star Wars Rebels, fans were given their first look at the Ghost, which will be the main character's ship and play a big part in the series, as well as a computer rendering of a very McQuarrie-esque Stormtrooper, the interior of a Star Destroyer, and more. The show's logo, a minimalist yet powerful design, is notable for its orange and black color scheme, which recalls the flight suit colors of Rebel pilots in the original Star Wars trilogy.

While unable to attend in person, Executive Producers Simon Kinberg and Greg Weisman shared their excitement for the series in a video message recorded specifically for Celebration attendees.
The series is set between the events of Episode III and IV -- an era spanning almost two decades never-before explored on-screen. It takes place in a time where the Empire is securing its grip on the galaxy and hunting down the last of the Jedi Knights as a fledgling rebellion against the Empire is taking shape.
Star Wars Rebels will be produced by Lucasfilm Animation, featuring many of the key talents that made Star Wars: The Clone Wars. It is scheduled to premiere in fall 2014 as a one-hour special telecast on Disney Channel, and will be followed by a series on Disney XD channels around the world.


One of the key designs in the show is the Rebel ship called "The Ghost."

"It's actually a pretty big centerpiece for the show," said Filoni. "We all like the sense in the classic films that the Millennium Falcon that was a ship but it was also a place it was like a home. We wanted to give this new generation of kids a place they could go feel safe when they were running from the Empire. And I'm really excited about that. We're on the run again. The Empire is controlling the whole galaxy, so we needed a home and a ship."

The Star Wars Rebels CEII Pins revealed the Rebel Ship Schematics.

In case you can't read the Star Wars writing called Aurebesh, here's what it says according to TheForce.net:

Modified VCX-100 light freighter, Corellian Engineering Corporation,
Metrics: length: 43.9 meters, width: 34.2 meters, height: 14.5 meters,
1. nose turret's gunner position,
2. forward floodlights,
3. main cockpit,
4 crew quarters,
5 port docking ring,
6. starboard docking ring,
7. dorsal laser cannon turret,
8. main cargo hold,
9. engine assembly.

Here's some more concept art.




Finally, here's a description from StarWars.com
Production has begun on Star Wars Rebels, an exciting, all-new animated television series based on one of the greatest entertainment franchises of all time. Scheduled to premiere in fall 2014 as a one-hour special telecast on Disney Channel, it will be followed by a series on Disney XD channels around the world.

Screenwriter/producer Simon Kinberg (X-Men: First Class, Sherlock Holmes, Mr. & Mrs. Smith) is one of the executive producers on Star Wars Rebels and will write the premiere episode. He is joined by Dave Filoni as executive producer, who served as supervising director of the Emmy nominated Star Wars: The Clone Wars since 2008.

Executive producer Greg Weisman brings with him a wealth of animation experience with credits such as Young Justice, The Spectacular Spider-Man and Gargoyles.

Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer, Disney Channels Worldwide, said, "The entire team at Lucasfilm has provided extraordinary creativity and innovation for over three decades, and we're thrilled to be bringing the expansive and imaginative world of Star Wars to Disney XD's viewers."

"I couldn't be more excited to explore new corners of the Star Wars universe," said Kathleen Kennedy, president, Lucasfilm. "I think Star Wars Rebels will capture the look, feel and fun that both kids and their parents love about Star Wars."

The action-filled series is set between the events of Episode III and IV -- an era spanning almost two decades never-before explored on-screen. Star Wars Rebels takes place in a time where the Empire is securing its grip on the galaxy and hunting down the last of the Jedi Knights as a fledgling rebellion against the Empire is taking shape. Details about the show are a closely guarded secret at this point.

Star Wars Rebels will be produced by Lucasfilm Animation, featuring many of the key talents that made Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Some of the artists that we know about are Andre Kirk (http://bunsenbrown.blogspot.com) and Amy Beth Christiansen (http://artbyabc.com/).

You can see more concept art by Ralph McQuarrie on my blog and see more of his work at RalphMcQuarrie.com

Visit the official Star Wars Blog for a full recap of this panel and other Star Wars Celebration Europe events!

More information about this developing project will be found on StarWars.com and on Facebook at facebook.com/starwarsrebels.

Thanks to Idle Hands for images

What do you think of the illustrations?
 
© Copyright 2014 Lucasfilm Animation. All rights reserved

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES Prologue Storyboard by Gabriel Hardman Comparison

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Check out The Dark Knight Rises storyboards by Gabriel Hardman!

Gabriel Hardman is a professional storyboard artist who's worked on major motion picture like Inception (2010), X2 (2003) and Spider-Man 3 (2007).

Check out the rest of the pictures after the jump (click to enlarge).



See more of Gabriel Hardman's work at gabrielhardman.com and heathencomics.deviantart.com

Click on the links if you want to see more of Gabriel Hardman's work and The Dark Knight Rises on my blog.

Official The Dark Knight Rises Synopsis
It has been eight years since Batman (Christian Bale) vanished into the night, turning, in that instant, from hero to fugitive. Assuming the blame for the death of D.A. Harvey Dent, the Dark Knight sacrificed everything for what he and Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) both hoped was the greater good. For a time the lie worked, as criminal activity in Gotham City was crushed under the weight of the anti-crime Dent Act. But everything will change with the arrival of a cunning cat burglar (Anne Hathaway) with a mysterious agenda. Far more dangerous, however, is the emergence of Bane (Ed Hardy), a masked terrorist whose ruthless plans for Gotham drive Bruce out of his self-imposed exile. But even if he dons the cape and cowl again, Batman may be no match for Bane.


Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Anne Hathaway, Ed Hardy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard

Official Site: http://www.thedarkknightrises.com

© Copyright 2012 Warner Bros, Legendary Pictures, DC Entertainment, All Rights Reserved

Find Out About the Astounding Short Film GAGE by Peter Rubin

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Find out about Peter Rubin's upcoming short film Gage the Robot!

Gage, is described as "a robot-themed SF adventure story set in the near future."

Peter Rubin is a professional concept and storyboard artist who's worked on Major Hollywood films like Man of Steel, Battlestar Galactica: Blood and Chrome and Independence Day. He's branching out into other aspects of film-making and this is his first short film.

Find out more about this amazing short film after the jump and see the pics (click to enlarge).


The project is in the very early stages and they haven't shot a single frame, but I contacted him to get some more information and here's what he said about the project.

"Gage is the story of a sophisticated machine designed to be a defensive weapon for the very rich, and what happens when, by chance, he saves the life of a kid from the wrong side of the tracks." Rubin said, "I wrote it while I was working on Man of Steel, and started pitching it to friends and colleagues and got a tremendous response."

"It originated from a couple of things - my life-long interest in robots as characters, and my observation that we are moving into an age of AI relationships without most people even realizing it (every corporate telephone system seems to use voice recognition and some kind of fuzzy logic analysis, and then there's Siri, and chatbots on the web). It's only a matter of time before something like Gage is real.

"What will it mean to us? We already have an idea of how it affects our economy, and it's not pleasant, but what about relationships? Can you, not just choose, but build your family? I don't intend to supply any answers, just pose the questions. Plus, we get to play with a blue steel robot with ninja skills."

He's working with top notch talent too. Peter added, "I think the project's pedigree is pretty cool - My Special Practical FX supervisor is a veteran of ILM's Model Shop, Fon Davis. You'll be seeing some of his work in Elysium, and his credits include all the Star Wars prequels, Mission Impossible III, and Transformers: Dark of the Moon.

"My producer is also an alumni of Lucasfilm, David Valentin (Green Mile, Hero, Star Wars). One of the guys working on the VFX was deeply involved in the suit animation for Iron Man 3. I've been tremendously gratified by the support my project has received to date, and I am crossing my fingers that we can make it last, and grow. It's cliche, but it's a labor of love."

There's no release date for the short film or a feature film, since they don't have a distributor yet, but with a team like this I can't see this not going far.

Here's are some designs of the lead robot: GA6-E.




Here's the official description

Gage is written and directed by Peter Rubin, a veteran Hollywood illustrator and digital pioneer (Man of Steel, Green Lantern, Captain America: the Winter Soldier), and formerly a senior art director at George Lucas' Industrial Light and Magic. Our producer is David W. Valentin of AE35 Media, also an ex-ILMer, whose credits include Hero, The Green Mile, Space Cowboys, and the Star Wars prequels.

We are extremely fortunate to have Fon Davis of Fonco Creative (Elysium, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Mission Impossible III, War of the Worlds, and the Star Warsprequels) and late of Industrial Light and Magic's famed Model Shop, as our Special Practical Effects supervisor, overseeing the construction of our robot suit. The magnificent Shawn M. Thorsson is our lead fabricator, and the versatile performer Barry Evans will undertake to wear the blue steel (watch for him at Comic Con next year)!

Gage is an independent short film project about the relationship between a high-end piece of consumer hardware that may or may not be actually alive, and the young girl from the wrong part of town who, through a quirk of fate, becomes his special charge. It's about hard knocks, family, friendship, addiction, and a shiny blue robot with ninja skills.

Learn more about the project by checking out the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/GagetheRobotMovie and see some amazing behind-the-scenes images of the creation of the GA6-E helmet and body.

See more of Peter Rubin's portfolio at http://www.ironroosterstudios.com

Click on the links if you want to see more of Peter Rubin's work and the short film Gage the Robot on my blog.

What do you think of this film? Would you support this project?

© Copyright Peter Rubin. All rights reserved

Flashback Friday: Concept Art of Ray Harryhausen

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Check out classic concept art by Ray Harryhausen!

It's Friday, so it's time to go back in time to the early days of concept design and visualization for classic science fiction films. This week I'm focussing on the work of the great stop motion animator Raymond Frederick "Ray" Harryhausen.

Besides being the pioneer of stop-motion animation he also was a respected artist who helped create stunning illustrations for his films. Sadly, he died May 7, 2013 at the age of 92.

Harryhausen was an American visual effects creator, writer, and producer who's worked on major motion pictures like The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958), Jason and the Argonauts (1963) and Clash of the Titans (1981).

Check out the rest of the pictures after the jump (click to enlarge).






Clash of the Titans (1981)




 Jason and the Argonauts (1963)

Sinbad Rogue of Mars


See more of Ray Harryhausen's work at http://www.rayharryhausen.com/

Click on the following link if you want to see more of Ray Harryhausen's work on my blog.

You may also want to buy a copy of The Art of Ray Harryhausen* which is 240 page book featuring illustrations and interviews about his work on films.



* If you buy using the Amazon links on my blog I get a small commisison which goes towards buying artbooks and DVDs for review. Thanks!

What do you think of the illustratios? Which is your favorite film ?

See What the Giants Could Have Looked Like in JACK THE GIANT SLAYER Concept Art by Dermot Power

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Check out Jack the Giant Slayer concept art by Dermot Power!

Last week I showed you some of the brutal designs for Jack the Giant Slayer by Dominic Lavery and this week I wanted to show some more great work on the film by Dermot Power.

Power is a professional concept artist and set designer who's worked on big budget films like Batman Begins(2005), Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones(2002) and V for Vendetta (2005).

Check out the rest of the brilliantly demented pictures after the jump (click to enlarge).

Power said the following, "I'm proud to say that not a single one of my designs was chosen by the director  Brian Singer or the VFX art director for that matter. It was this project that made me realise I had to learn zBrush and 3d modelling - a lot of directors go for the most realistic illustrations as opposed to the best designs.  Frustrating, because I love drawing but I don't want to be like King Canute."












See more of Dermot Power's work at www.dermotpower.comand his blog dmoxia.blogspot.co.uk

Click on the links if you want to see more of Dermot Power's work and Jack the Giant Slayer on my blog.

What do you think of the illustrations?

Official Jack the Giant Slayer Synopsis
Jack the Giant Slayer tells the story of an ancient war that is reignited when a young farmhand unwittingly opens a gateway between our world and a fearsome race of giants. Unleashed on the Earth for the first time in centuries, the giants strive to reclaim the land they once lost, forcing the young man, Jack, into the battle of his life to stop them. Fighting for a kingdom, its people, and the love of a brave princess, he comes face to face with the unstoppable warriors he thought only existed in legend—and gets the chance to become a legend himself.

Directed by Bryan Singer
Starring:  Nicholas Hoult,  Eleanor Tomlinson,  Ewan McGregor,  Stanley Tucci,  Ian McShane,  Bill Nighy and  John Kassir
Cinematography by Newton Thomas Sigel
Production Design by Gavin Bocquet

Official Site: jackthegiantslayer.warnerbros.com

Release date: March 1, 2013

© Copyright 2013 New Line Cinema, Legendary Pictures, Original Film. All rights reserved

Wonderful PACIFIC RIM Concept Art by Hugo Martin

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 Check out Pacific Rim concept art by Hugo Martin!

I've shown some of Hugo Martin's Pacific Rim concept art before, but see more atmospheric illustrations of the Kaiju Knifehead and Crimson Typhoon from the film.

Martin is a professional concept artist and matte painter who's worked on video games like Halo and The Force Unleashed and Hollywood films like Avengers(2010), The Dark Tower and Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (2013).

Check out the rest of the pictures after the jump (click to enlarge).






See more of Hugo Martin's marvelous work at http://www.hugomartin.net

Click on the links if you want to see more of Hugo Martin's work and Pacific Rim on my blog.

What do you think of the illustrations?

Official PACIFIC RIM Synopsis
When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity’s resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju. On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes-a washed up former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi)-who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind’s last hope against the mounting apocalypse.

Directed by Guillermo del Toro.

Starring: Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day, Ron Perlman, Robert Kazinsky, Max Martini, Clifton Collins, Jr., Burn Gorman, Larry Joe Campbell, Brad William Henke, Diego Klattenhoff 
Cinematography by Guillermo Navarro
Production Design by Andrew Neskoromny, Carol Spier

Official Site: pacificrimmovie.warnerbros.com/

Release date: July 11, 2013

© 2013 Copyright Legendary Pictures

Stunning STAR TREK 2009 Concept Art by James Clyne

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Check out Star Trek(2009) concept art by James Clyne!

When the J.J. Abrams Star Trekmovie began pre-production in early 2007 production designer Scott Chambliss started with two veteran concept illustrators: James Clyne and Ryan Church.

Clyne shared his illustrations in his portfolio and spoke with TrekMovie.com about the process.

James Clyne is a professional concept artist and art director who's worked on blockbuster movies like Avatar(2009), Star Trek Into Darkness(2013) and Transformers(2007).

Check out the rest of the pictures after the jump (click to enlarge) and read why there were so many arguments about the design of the Narada.



Clyne said, "It was a lot of fun. JJ was fantastic to work with and very approachable. Throwing ideas was really collaborative…JJ wanted us to explore new visuals because he wanted to create a whole new world and reinvigorate Star Trek, which he did."

Narada
He "mostly had a blank page and that there was no detailed description for the ship in the script beyond calling it the ‘Battleship Narada’ and that it was from the future and not a traditional looking Romulan ship. JJ Abrams directed Clyne to create something ‘never seen before’ and said he wanted something ‘threatening looking’ which is what he got.

"According to Clyne, he envisioned that because the ship was traveling through time (what he thought was back and forth through time), and that it had ‘contracted some kind of  virus, so the ship became like an organism.’ As for the size of the ship, Clyne notes "there was a lot of debate about that, it is massive, but not as big as V’ger.

"Clyne tells TrekMovie that some involved with the film, including some designers at ILM, had thought that the ship moved like a squid with the points moving forward, so on some sketches he had to note which end was the rear and even draw arrows on it some times. Clyne says 'I thought it was more menacing to have the spikes forward.'"










Kelvin Interiors
"The exterior of the USS Kelvin was designed by Clyne’s collaborator Ryan Church (who also designed the Jellyfish and the USS Enterprise), however Clyne was responsible for the interiors, including the bridge, corridors, the turbolift and the shuttlebay. Regarding the look, Clyne said Abrams and production designer Scott Chambliss wanted the Kelvin (originally called ‘Iowa’) to be more like traditional Star Trek designs, but also to be more ‘functional’ and have 'more of a battleship aesthetic.' Clyne said he drew inspiration from the TOS bridge, the bridge of the USS Reliant from Wrath of Khan and current military ships and submarines. Clyne admits that even though he was familiar and liked the Star Trek TV series and films, he didn’t consider himself an expert. However, he says that Paramount actually had a ‘Star Trek expert’ on staff who would 'pore over the designs to keep us in check.'"




Vulcan Architecture and Vistas
"Clyne was also tasked with designing the vistas of planet Vulcan. Clyne used Vasquez Rocks and SkyRose Chapel as the basis for his designs, as both locations had already been selected to be used for the Vulcan scenes. Clyne came up with the idea for the ‘hanging buildings’ which were used in the final film. Clyne tells TrekMovie that it was originally planned for Vulcan to have a heavier atmosphere and red sky, but as we know Vulcan ended up with a blue sky (although Bob Orci contends Vulcan’s sky is ‘seasonal’)."




See more of James Clyne's work at http://www.jamesclyne.comand read the rest of the interview at TrekMovie)

Click on the links if you want to see more of James Clyne's concept art and Star Trek on my blog.

What do you think of the designs?

Official Synopsis
The future begins in J.J. Abrams' smash hit Star Trek. When Romulan Nero comes from the future to take revenge on the Federation, rivals Kirk and Spock must work together to stop him from destroying everything they know. On a thrilling journey filled with incredible action, the U.S.S. Enterprise will voyage through unimaginable danger in one of the biggest and best reviewed movies of the year.

Official Site: StarTrekMovie.com

Director: J.J. Abrams
Cast:  Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, Eric Bana, John Chu, Anton Yelchin, Winona Ryder

What do you think of the illustrations?

Copyright © 2009  Paramount Pictures, Skydance Productions, Bad Robot. All rights reserved

Exclusive: PACIFIC RIM Storyboards and Interview with Rob McCallum

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Check out exclusive Pacific Rimstoryboards by Rob McCallum!

Pacific Rim
has grossed $344,684,273 worldwide and is a certified hit. It was a slow start, but Guillermo del Toro's "Robots vs. Monsters" film is finally being recognized for it's brilliance.

I interviewed storyboard artist Rob McCallum a little after the film came out, but it took Rob a while to get the studio to allow him to share his work on the movie. He said he'd keep trying though and was willing to go so far as email Guillermo del Toro himself!

His persistence paid off and we can finally share these exclusive storyboards from Pacific Rim with you. Also, you can find outwhy he had to sit down with concept designer Wayne Barlowe and the "first rule" of working with del Toro.

Rob McCallum is a professional concept and storyboard artist who's worked on Hollywood films like The Thing (2011), Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004) and Total Recall (2012).

Check out the rest of the pictures after the jump (click to enlarge).




Thanks for joining me Rob! What storyboards did you work on for the film?
I did storyboards for the opening of the film, the first battle, and a good chunk of the end. I drew a few other sequences scattered throughout the film in various forms and I also did a few little bits of concept stuff.

Guillermo knows what he wants so he would sit and sketch out the panels into a yellow legal pad and send me off to draw them. He was open to ideas and suggestions but the rule was "give him what he wants first" and anything else would come after.





Knowing del Toro's style that was probably a safe route to take. Was there a particular scene that was tricky to board?
I remember having a rather tricky time trying to work out the anatomy of the Knifehead Kaiju's head. It took some working out and I ended up sitting Wayne Barlowe down beside me to make sure I had the design right because the boards had to be as accurate as possible.

I've got a toy of it now which would have been handy at the time!



Did del Toro's famous sketchbooks help?
The yellow legal pads became the only sketchbooks that I needed to see. I'd see him drawing in the famous sketchbooks and he gave me a look on more than one occasion but I don't read Spanish and suspect that the stuff in there was all for ideas down the line. The man's always working!




Where can we see your work next?

I did work on Robocop (2014) and a few other things I probably can't talk about. I'm currently on Frankenstein being directed by fellow "Scot" Paul McGuigan.

You can see a full slideshow of all the storyboards below.

See more of Rob McCallum's work at http://www.mccallumart.com/

Click on the links if you want to see more of Rob McCallum's designs and Pacific Rim artwork on my blog.

What do you think of the storyboards and the interview?

Official PACIFIC RIM Synopsis
When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity’s resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju. On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes-a washed up former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi)-who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind’s last hope against the mounting apocalypse.

Directed by Guillermo del Toro.

Starring: Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day, Ron Perlman, Robert Kazinsky, Max Martini, Clifton Collins, Jr., Burn Gorman, Larry Joe Campbell, Brad William Henke, Diego Klattenhoff 
Cinematography by Guillermo Navarro
Production Design by Andrew Neskoromny, Carol Spier

Official Site: pacificrimmovie.warnerbros.com/

Release date: July 11, 2013

© 2013 Copyright Legendary Pictures

ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK Storyboards by Joe Alves

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Check out Escape from New York storyboards by Joe Alves!

Every Friday I'm sharing storyboard and concept art from classic science fiction films. For this week's Flashback Friday I'm sharing the storyboards of Joe Alves from Escape from New York (1981).

Joe Alves is a professional production designer who's worked on Hollywood movies like Jaws (1975), Starman (1984) and Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).

He was nominated for an Academy Award and won a Best Art Direction BAFTA for his work on Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

 Check out the rest of the pictures after the jump (click to advance the slideshow).



Here's a slideshow of some of his boards.

See more of Joe Alves' work at joealvesmovieart.com and these boards are for sale on the site.

Click on the links if you want to see more of Joe Alves work and Escape from New York on my blog.

What do you think of the storyboards? Have you seen Escape from New York?

Official Escape from New York summary 
A thrilling landmark film that jolts along at a breakneck pace, Escape From New York leapt to cult status with high-octane action, edge-of-your-seat suspense and a mind-blowing vision of a lone warrior (Kurt Russell) battling his way out of a post-apocalyptic Manhattan! Hailed as "stylish and scary" (Los Angeles Times), "dark and dangerous" (Newsweek) and "gloriously...fun" (Tyler Morning Telegraph), this fast-paced and furiously entertaining thriller grabs you by the throat and won't let go! In a world ravaged by crime, the entire island of Manhattan has been converted to a walled prison where brutal prisoners roam. But when the U.S. President (Donald Pleasence) crash-lands inside, only one man can bring him back: notorious outlaw and former Special Forces war hero Snake Plissken (Russell). But time is short: in 24 hours, an explosive device implanted in his neck will end Snake's mission and his life unless he succeeds! 

Directed by John Carpenter
Cinematography by Dean Cundey, Jim Lucas

Starring Kurt Russell, Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine, Donald Pleasence, Isaac Hayes

Release date: July 10, 1981 (US) and September 25, 1981 (UK)

© Copyright 1981 Goldcrest Films, AVCO Embassy Pictures. All rights reserved

Exclusive: Interview with ELYSIUM Concept Artist Aaron Beck

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Check out Elysium concept art by Aaron Beck!

Aaron Beck is a professional concept illustrator at Weta Workshop in Wellington, New Zealand who's worked on Hollywood films like Avatar (2009), District 9 (2009) and the upcoming Mad Max: Fury Road (2014)

Check out the rest of the pictures after the jump (click to enlarge).



Great to talk to you Aaron.
Which designs for Elysium did you work on?
The primary elements that made it into the film were the exo-frames for Max and Kruger, some weapons (the chemrail, the AK47 mod), tattoos (including all of Max's), and a bunch of armour designs for other characters. But since Weta Workshop was involved from day one, I also worked on earlier design stages for pretty much everything, including the vehicles, robots, and many other elements that didn't make it into the final script.


Director Neill Blomkamp said that he was creating a future that is "not entirely realistic", but represents his attempt to turn theme into visuals. What was the vision of the future the artists were tasked with?
Neill gave us a brief introduction into the 'haves and have-nots' world at the start of the project, which included a different concept for the realm of the super wealthy, and told us right from the start to not get too bogged down with rationalising some of the larger sci-fi ideas, which were there to inform the story and create a world ripe with opportunities for unique action and drama. It was a lot of fun as a designer to have the two worlds of the film to develop, the gritty slums of 'third world earth' and the clean futurism of Elysium.



Production designer Philip Ivey has cited Syd Mead as a "substantial influence for the film." How did Mead's designs influence the vision of the film?

While we never worked directly with Syd on the film, his influence was certainly there the whole time in that Neill really pushed us to refer to his iconic work as the basis for the wealthy and futuristic world of the Elysium space station. Mead's direct involvement later in the project was I believe a dream come true for many!

What was the most challenging design that you faced and how did you overcome it?
Of the designs that made it into the film the most challenging for me personally were the exo-frames for Max and Kruger. I really wanted to show how dynamic and powerful such a device could be, and decided on the use of pistons to help facilitate that. With pistons you get a lot of easily readable visual cues as you see them extend and contract, showing power and articulation in a way that conventional servo motor driven mechanics can not.

But the real challenges for these two designs were in the construction and realisation of the actual physical prop. Because the exo-frames were bolted into the bones of the characters in the film we couldn't use any straps or other traditional methods of securing the prop to the actor. Instead a lightweight mesh top was worn that had silicone skin attached so that where Max's t-shirt was cut to bolt the exo through to his bones you saw it appear to attach directly to the 'skin'. These sorts of issues and also the difficult challenge of getting the exo to be rugged, lightweight, and not impair the actors movements, were solved by the incredible team here at Weta Workshop.


The job they did was amazing, and it was a privilege to be a part of it.

See more of Aaron Beck's work at http://skul4aface.blogspot.com .

Click on the links if you want to see more of Aaron Beck work and Elysiumon my blog.

And make sure you get a copy of Elysium: The Art of the Film* to see more great concept art from the film. I'll have a review of the book up tomorrow.

What do you think of the storyboards? Have you seen Elysium?


Official Elysium Summary
In the year 2159 two classes of people exist: the very wealthy who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth. Secretary Rhodes (Jodie Foster), a hard line government official, will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve the luxurious lifestyle of the citizens of Elysium. That doesn’t stop the people of Earth from trying to get in, by any means they can. When unlucky Max (Matt Damon) is backed into a corner, he agrees to take on a daunting mission that if successful will not only save his life, but could bring equality to these polarized worlds.

Directed by Neill Blomkamp
Cinematography by Trent Opaloch
Production Designer by Philip Ivey
Starring: Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Alice Braga, Diego Luna, Wagner Moura, William Fichtner

Release date: August 9, 2013 (US), August 21, 2013 (UK)

Official Site:  http://www.elysium2013-movie.com/

© Copyright 2013 Sony Pictures, Alphacore, Media Rights Capital, QED International, TriStar Pictures. All rights reserved

*A small commission from the sale of items from the links goes towards getting concept art books and Blu-Ray discs for me to review.

Review: Elysium: The Art of the Film

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Check out my review of Elysium: The Art of the Film by Mark Salisbury!*

Elysium: The Art of the Film is a fascinating 176 page behind-the-scenes book about the design of Neill Blomkamp's Elysium (2013) and was published August 6, 2013.

Here's the official description: "From Neill Blomkamp, the director of the acclaimed District 9, comes Elysium, an eagerly awaited sci-fi blockbuster starring Matt Damon and Jodie Foster. All will be revealed in Elysium: The Art of the Film, which will feature a Foreword by Blomkamp, and wealth of stunning production art and photos, including the input of legendary designer Syd Mead (Blade Runner, Tron)."

Former Empire Magazine editor Mark Salisbury has written many other books, including Prometheus: The Art of the Film, and Burton on Burton. This one doesn't disappoint.

The logical flow of the designs and the pages makes it an easy book to breeze through or read. Elysium: The Art of the Film breaks the illustrations into two parts: Designs from "near future" Earth and Elysium. Each section has a design that matches the feel of the film.

The foreword by Neill Blomkamp is succinct and fascinating and shows his fascination with the visualization process. He said they did 3,000 distinct pieces of concept art, so picking the ones that show up in the book must have been hard. It's amazing how much concept art they packed into 176 pages including 2 gatefolds with additional satellite and robot designs.

Elysium: The Art of the Filmis a great book and is worth picking up. My only objection is that it doesn't highlight the concept artists besides the legendary Syd Mead. Most of the concept art featured is done by Aaron Beck, Christian Pearce and Leri Greer.

Be warned though! The book has a few spoilers, so make sure you watch the film before getting the book.

ISBN-10: 1781162476
ISBN-13: 978-1781162477


Official Elysium Summary

In the year 2159 two classes of people exist: the very wealthy who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth. Secretary Rhodes (Jodie Foster), a hard line government official, will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve the luxurious lifestyle of the citizens of Elysium. That doesn’t stop the people of Earth from trying to get in, by any means they can. When unlucky Max (Matt Damon) is backed into a corner, he agrees to take on a daunting mission that if successful will not only save his life, but could bring equality to these polarized worlds.

Directed by Neill Blomkamp
Cinematography by Trent Opaloch
Production Designer by Philip Ivey
Starring: Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Alice Braga, Diego Luna, Wagner Moura, William Fichtner

Release date: August 9, 2013 (US), August 21, 2013 (UK)

Official Site: http://www.elysium2013-movie.com/

TM & © Copyright 2012 Alphacore, Media Rights Capital, QED International, TriStar Pictures Industries, Inc. All rights reserved

*Disclaimer: Review copy of book provided by Titan Books. This in no way affected the opinions of the author and the opinions do not reflect the opinion of the publishers.

See the Aliens You Never Saw in DISTRICT 9 Concept Art By Christian Pearce

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Check out District 9concept art by Christian Pearce!

This week I've been featuring a lot of concept art from Neill Blomkamp's Elysium, so I thought I'd share some concept art from his last film: District 9. The aliens look different from the final film, but I love the pop culture references.

Pearce is a professional concept illustrator who's worked on major motion pictures movies like King Kong (2005), Avatar (2009) and Man of Steel (2013).

Check out the rest of the pictures after the jump (click to enlarge).











See more of Christian Pearce's work at http://cargocollective.com/christianpearce.

Click on the links if you want to see more of Christian Pearce's work and District 9 on my blog.

What do you think of the concept art? If you've seen District 9 what did you think?

Official District 9 Summary
From producer Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy) and director Neill Blomkamp comes a startlingly original science fiction thriller that "soars on the imagination of its creators" (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone). With stunning special effects and gritty realism, the film plunges us into a world where the aliens have landed... only to be exiled to a slum on the fringes of Johannesburg. Now, one lone human discovers the mysterious secret of the extraterrestrial weapon technology. Hunted and hounded through the bizarre back alleys of an alien shantytown, he will discover what it means to be the ultimate outsider on your own planet.

Directed by Neill Blomkamp
Cinematography by Trent Opaloch
Production Designer Philip Ivey
Starring: Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, David James

Release date: August 14, 2009 (US)

Official Site: http://www.district9movie.com

© Copyright 2009 WingNut Films, QED International, Key Creatives, Wintergreen Productions, TriStar Pictures. All rights reserved

Incredible IRON MAN 3 Concept Art by Phil Saunders

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Check out Iron Man 3concept art by Phil Saunders!

Iron Man 3 has been out since May, but one of the main concept artists, Phil Saunders, has just shared concept art from the film. They shed some light on a bunch of ideas that never made it into the film including the original idea for the "Extremis" technology, alternate armor designs and the surprising connection this movie has with Game of Thrones.

Phil Saunders is a professional concept artist who's worked on blockbuster movies like The Avengers (2012), Tron Legacy(2010) and Iron Man (2008).

Check out the rest of the images after the jump (click to enlarge).

All comments are from his CGHub page.

Iron Man 3 MkXLII early concept
"We called this one the 'track suit.' Wonder why. The helmet design from this one was eventually incorporated into Ryan Meinerding's final Mk 42." - Phil Saunders





Iron Man 3 War Machine Mk2 Concept
"Another of several designs I did for the updated War Machine. This one was an attempt at referencing military aircraft rather than tanks for the forms to create a more streamlined but still weaponized suit. The helmet and side intakes on this design were eventually incorporated into Ryan Meinerding's final suit." - Phil Saunders



Iron Man 3 Extremis concept
"An early design for the character of 'Savin.' In early versions of the script Extremis was based on Nanotechnology like in the comic book, and would have constructed some sort of internal armor structure to grant the enhanced soldiers super-strength and near-invulnerability. thematically they would have been a reflection of Tony Stark, wearing their "suits" internally rather than externally. Makeup would have subtly suggested that structure by deforming their skin in a mechanical way. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau from Game of Thrones was considered early on for the role (at that time called Kruger) so our early sketches reflected his likeness." - Phil Saunders




Iron Man 3 MkXV "Sneaky" stealth suit
"Another unused design from Iron Man 1 that I brushed off and revised for IM3's roster of suits. Again I'd never developed a back view, so I finally got to complete a design I'd always liked." - Phil Saunders



Iron Man 3 MkXL "Shotgun" Hypervelocity suit Flying
"A keyframe to show how the Hypervelocity suit would look locked together in flight mode. I always liked the idea of a suit that would lock together into a streamlined airfoil shape for flight. This one would have been lightly armored and lightweight. The 'face' design was meant to suggest a fighter pilot with oxygen mask and visor. An exercise in seeing how far we could push the iconic Iron Man 'face' and still make it recognizable. In a roster of 42 suits you have to find a way to make them as distinct as possible." - Phil Saunders



Iron Man 3 MkXXXVII "Hammerhead" Deep Dive suit
"An unused design from Iron Man 1 I brushed off and revised for IM3's roster of suits. I'd never developed a back view, so much of the focus went there as well as figuring out how to get some articulation out of the bulky concept. The color was ultimately changed by VFX in the final film." - Phil Saunders



See more of Phil Saunders' work at http://www.saunderscreative.com and his CGHub site http://wacomonkey.cghub.com/

Click on the links if you want to see more of Phil Saunders' concept art and Iron Man 3 on my blog.

Via ComicBookMovie.com.Make sure you check out Nailbiter111's fan pagefor more great concept art.

What do you think of the concept art? If you've seen Iron Man 3,what did you think?

Official Iron Man 3 Synopsis
Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy's hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale with Jon Favreau and Ben Kingsley, Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” is directed by Shane Black from a screenplay by Drew Pearce & Shane Black and is based on Marvel’s iconic Super Hero Iron Man, who first appeared on the pages of “Tales of Suspense” (#39) in 1963 and had his solo comic book debut with “The Invincible Iron Man” (#1) in May of 1968.

“Iron Man 3” is presented by Marvel Studios in association with Paramount Pictures and DMG Entertainment. Marvel Studios’ President Kevin Feige is producing and Jon Favreau, Louis D’Esposito, Charles Newirth, Victoria Alonso, Stephen Broussard, Alan Fine, Stan Lee and Dan Mintz are executive producers. The film releases May 3, 2013, and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

(2013-05-03)Release Date: May 3, 2013 (US)

Directed by: Shane Black
Cinematography by John Toll
Production Design by Bill Brzeski
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale with Jon Favreau and Ben Kingsley
Official website: http://marvel.com/ironman3

©Copyright 2013 Marvel Studios, DMG Entertainment, Walt Disney Studios, Paramount Pictures. All rights reserved

A.I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Concept Art by Chris Foss

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Check out A.I. Artificial Intelligenceconcept art by Chris Foss!

Every Friday I feature artwork from a classic of science fiction cinema. This week's "Flashback Friday" post is on A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001).

A.I. is a polarizing film with the critic site Rotten Tomatoes calling it "a curious, not always seamless, amalgamation of Kubrick's chilly bleakness and Spielberg's warm-hearted optimism. [The film] is, in a word, fascinating."  One of the artists who helped develop the films striking visuals for the legendary Stanley Kubrick was Chris Foss.

Christopher "Chris" F. Foss is a professional concept illustrator who's worked on Hollywood films like Dune (1977), Superman (1978) and Alien (1979)

Check out the rest of the images after the jump and find out why he got fired (click to enlarge).


While the film was written, directed and produced by Steven Spielberg, it was originally developed by Stanley Kubrick in the 1970s until his death in the 1990s. A.I. is based on Brian Aldiss' 1969 short story "Super-Toys Last All Summer Long."

Foss started working for Kubrick visualizing the film when the two split for creative differences. According to an interview with Moviefone Foss was frozen out of the project after the two disagreed on one of his paintings.

Kubrick was known as a very meticulous and abrasive director and some found him difficult to work with.
"One day I came back after what we would call a rather good lunch, and Stanley [Kubrick] is standing in my room scowling at the picture, and this has been repainted more times than you've had hot dinners." Foss recalled, "He said, 'This picture's not working,' and I absolutely blew up. I said, 'Stanley, this picture is not working because the concept is not working, because the film is not working, because there is no clear concept!' And he hit the wall and said, 'OK, no clear concept, no clear concept' and walked out. And then the next week when I called to say my car wasn't working, I was late, they said, 'Well actually, Chris, you don't need to come back.'"

These paintings are from a scene where New York is flooded.








See more of Chris Foss' work on the film at ChrisFossArt.com.

Click on the links if you want to see more of Chris Foss' work and A.I. Artificial Intelligence on my blog.

What do you think of the concept art? If you've seen A.I Artificial Intelligence what did you think?

Official A.I Artificial IntelligenceSummary
A Kubrick masterpiece that spans from the dawn of man to it's title year when an alien artifact is found on the moon. An expedition is launched to Jupiter to track it's origins.

Directed by Stanley Kubrick
Cinematography by Janusz Kamiński
Producton Design by Rick Carter

Starring: Haley Joel Osment,  Jude Law,  Frances O'Connor,  Brendan Gleeson,  William Hurt

Release date: June 29, 2001 (USA)

Official Site: http://kubrickfilms.warnerbros.com

© Copyright 2001 Amblin Entertainment,  The Kennedy/Marshall Company, Stanley Kubrick Productions, DreamWorks Distribution (Int.),  Warner Bros., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Warner Bros Pictures. All rights reserved

PACIFIC RIM and THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN Concept Art by Simon Webber

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Check out the Pacific Rimand The Amazing Spider-Man concept art by Simon Webber!

Pacific Rim has some brilliant monsters (called Kaiju) and Simon Webber helped design some amazing ones that never made it to the screen.

Bottin is a professional visual effects and makeup effects artist who's worked on Hollywood movies like Thor (2011), Blade II (2002) and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005).

Check out the rest of the images after the jump (click to enlarge)

First, here are some amazing creature designs and renders for Pacific Rim.






Now here are some designs for "The Lizard's" drones in The Amazing Spider-Man.


See more of Simon Webber's work at his CGHub page http://siweb.cghub.com/

Click on the links if you want to see more of Simon Webber's work and Pacific Rim and The Amazing Spider-Man on my blog.

What do you think of the concept art? If you've seen Pacific Rim or The Amazing Spider-Man what did you think?

Official PACIFIC RIM Synopsis
When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity’s resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju. On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes-a washed up former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi)-who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind’s last hope against the mounting apocalypse.

Directed by Guillermo del Toro.

Starring: Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day, Ron Perlman, Robert Kazinsky, Max Martini, Clifton Collins, Jr., Burn Gorman, Larry Joe Campbell, Brad William Henke, Diego Klattenhoff 
Cinematography by Guillermo Navarro
Production Design by Andrew Neskoromny, Carol Spier

Official Site: pacificrimmovie.warnerbros.com/

Release date: July 11, 2013

© 2013 Copyright Legendary Pictures

Official The Amazing Spider-Man Synopsis

One of the world's most popular characters is back on the big screen as a new chapter in the Spider-Man legacy is revealed in "The Amazing Spider-Man." Focusing on an untold story that tells a different side of the Peter Parker story, the new film stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Campbell Scott, Irrfan Khan, with Martin Sheen and Sally Field. The film is directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay written by James Vanderbilt, based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Laura Ziskin, Avi Arad, and Matt Tolmach are producing the film in association with Marvel Entertainment for Columbia Pictures, which will open in theaters everywhere in 3D on July 3, 2012.

"The Amazing Spider-Man" is the story of Peter Parker (Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May (Field). Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. Peter is also finding his way with his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Stone), and together, they struggle with love, commitment, and secrets. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents' disappearance - leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Ifans), his father's former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors' alter-ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.


Directed by Marc Webb
Starring Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Irrfan Khan

Cinematography by John Schwartzman

Production Design by J. Michael Riva

Official Site: theamazingspiderman.com

Release date: July 3, 2012 (USA)

© 2012 Copyright  Columbia Pictures, Marvel Entertainment, Laura Ziskin Productions

See the Galactus You Didn't See in FANTASTIC FOUR: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER Concept Art by Daniel James Cox

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Check out Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surferconcept art by Daniel James Cox!

I ran into some amazing concept art this week that points to a very different interpretation of Galactus for The Fantastic Four sequel.

Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer (also known as 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer and Fantastic Four 2: Rise of the Silver Surfer) went through many design changes, the most striking being Galactus "Devourer of Worlds."

In the final film Galactus is a massive cloud that engulfs the planet, but I found some concept art by Daniel J. Cox that points to very different interpretations including one called "Planet Devouring Machines." I found the final design underwhelming, so that would have been wild.

Cox is a professional storyboard and concept artist who's worked on big budget movies like The Great Gatsby (2013), Knowing (2009)and 30 Days of Night (2007).

Check out the rest of the images after the jump (click to enlarge).

In the comics, Galactus is a massive dude in a purple suit who literally walks up and drains living planets of all their energy. He first appeared in Fantastic Four #48 (March 1966). When the film's title was announced many wondered if this meant Galactus would appear as well, since Silver Surfer is his "herald." You can't have one without the other.


For comparison, here's what he looked like in the comics.


Director Tim Story, on his MySpace page, said, "There continues to be much speculation about Galactus. Major speculation. We haven't finished the design of him/it so be careful about what you read and believe. Trust me...no one knows. One things for sure, you can expect to see him/it. It will be pretty powerful. I'm having a lot of fun with the concept and believe me - MOST will be satisfied." (Side note: Remember when MySpace was cool? HA!)

That was dated March 01, 2007 and the movie came three months later, so they must have gone through a bazillion designs. Here are some of them along with a couple of designs for Doctor Doom and Silver Surfer.

Daniel said the first one is a personal illustration that "was kinda close to the stuff I did for the FF2 film." The rest are from the production.






Here's what Galactus looked like in the final film.
Source: Wikipedia

See more of Daniel J. Cox' at http://www.danieljamescox.com

Click on the links if you want to see more of Daniel James Cox concept art and Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer on my blog.

What do you think of the concept art? If you've seen Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer what did you think? Would you have preferred Galactus in another form?

Official Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer Synopsis
Catch a wave of "terrific adventure" and "non-stop action" (CBS-TV) in this fun and fantastically entertaining smash-hit! "Invisible Woman: Sue Storm and "Mr. Fantastic" Dr. Reed Richards are about to be married when a mysterious alien... the Silver Surfer... crashes the proceedings and heralds Earth's impending destruction. With time running out, the Fantastic Four reluctantly teams up with the nefarious Dr. Doom in a thrilling effort to save our planet!

Directed by Tim Story
Cinematography by Larry Blanford
Starring Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Ioan Gruffudd, Michael Chiklis, Julian McMahon

Release date: June 15, 2007

© Copyright 2007 20th Century Fox, Marvel Studios, 1492 Pictures, Constantin Film, Ingenious Film Partners

Review: OBLIVION Blu-Ray Makes Up For Missing Art Book

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Check out my review of the Oblivion (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet)disc!

The Oblivion Blu-Ray was the top-selling DVD release last week for good reason. The film is stunning.

Released August 6, 2013, I got the special Target exclusive OblivionBlu-Ray because it has an awesome little concept art book included.

The 12-page concept illustration book is worth getting since they inexplicably never released an art book for the film. The images are small, but printed on glassy stock and look wonderful.

The five-clip "Promise of a New World: The Making of Oblivion" series of features are a fascinating insight into the design of the movie. Being a trained architect, Joseph Kosinski was able to help visualize the movie in ways many directors can't.

It also showcases some breath-taking illustrations for the film underscored by the ethereal score.  My favorite feature was "Destiny" which had beautiful illustrations set to music along with director commentary.
  • Format: Color, Widescreen, Multiple Formats
  • Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (DTS 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (DTS 5.1)
  • Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
  • Dubbed: French, Spanish
  • Region: All Regions
  • Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
  • Number of discs: 2
  • Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
  • Studio: Universal Studios
  • DVD Release Date: August 6, 2013
  • Run Time: 124 minutes
  • ASIN: B008JFUO4U
Special Features
  • Oblivion (Blu-ray Format)– The theatrical version of the film on blu-ray.
  • Oblivion (DVD Format)– The theatrical version of the film on DVD.
  • Oblivion (Digital Copy/UltraViolet)– The theatrical version of the film (digital copy/Ultraviolet).
  • Audio Commentary– Feature Commentary with Tom Cruise and director Joseph Kosinski.
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Promise of a New World: The Making of Oblivion– A comprehensive and thought-provoking multi-part feature covering the making of Oblivion. Includes the following parts.
    • Destiny– Looks inside the conceptualization, development and pre-production of Oblivion and the planning that went into the Herculean task of shooting the epic film.
    • Voyage– Follows the creation of the amazing Bubble Ship from its early design conception to its journey around the world.
    • Combat– Explores the film’s ground-breaking action and death-defying stunts, all performed by one of the most popular movie stars in the world.
    • Illusion– Focuses on the film’s post-production and dazzling visual effects.
    • Harmony– Delves into the innovative musical world of M83.
  • M83 Isolated Score– Watch the entire film accompanied by the evocative music track.
Here are some images from the illustration book:



It's worth the effort to get the Target exclusive, but if you want to get the standard version and you enjoyed the visuals of this film make sure you pick up the Oblivion (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet)* disc today.

Rating:
Video 5 stars
Sound 5 stars
Special Features 4 stars
Overall: 5 Stars

See more Oblivion concept art and illustrations on my blog.

Official OBLIVION Synopsis
Tom Cruise stars in Oblivion, an original and groundbreaking cinematic event from the director of TRON: Legacy and the producer of Rise of the Planet of the Apes. On a spectacular future Earth that has evolved beyond recognition, one man’s confrontation with the past will lead him on a journey of redemption and discovery as he battles to save mankind.
 
Jack Harper (Cruise) is one of the last few drone repairmen stationed on Earth. Part of a massive operation to extract vital resources after decades of war with a terrifying threat known as the Scavs, Jack’s mission is nearly complete.  Living and patrolling the breathtaking skies from thousands of feet above, his soaring existence is brought crashing down when he rescues a beautiful stranger from a downed spacecraft. Her arrival triggers a chain of events that forces him to question everything he knows and puts the fate of humanity in his hands.
Oblivion will be shot in stunning digital 4K resolution on location across the United States and Iceland.

Directed by Joseph Kosinski.

Starring: Tom Cruise, Olga Kurylenko, Andrea Riseborough, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Melissa Leo
Cinematography by Claudio Miranda
Production Design by Darren Gilford

Official Site: www.oblivionmovie.com/‎

Release date: April 26, 2013

© 2013 Copyright Universal Pictures, Relativity Media, Chernin Entertainment, Monolith Pictures, Radical Studios,

*Sales from my Amazon links provide a small commission to help me buy Art Book and Blu-Ray discs for my reviews

Creepy AKIRA Kid Concept Art by Howard Lau

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Check out Akira concept art by Howard Lau!

Akira (1988) is a landmark in animated film and they've been trying to make a live-action film out of it for years.

Warner Bros shut down the planned live-action Akira film back in 2012, but Varietyis reporting that Jaume Collet-Serra is in talks to begin production again in 2014. I've shared concept art from Akira before, but now I've found some concept art from when Howard Lau was working on the film. Howard Lau helped design the make-up FX pitch for the telepathic Espers.

Lau is a professional concept and makeup artist who's worked on Hollywood films like I, Robot (2004) and network television shows like Primeval: New World(2012) and Once Upon a Time (2011).

Check out the rest of the images after the jump (click to enlarge).


First, here's Howard Lau's description.

"Part one of a two-part live action American adaptation of the 1988 anime film, 'Akira'. Set in Neo-Manhattan,  Kaneda is a bar owner, who is stunned when his brother, Tetsuo, is abducted by government agents led by The Colonel. Desperate to get his brother back, Kaneda agrees to join with Ky Reed and her underground movement who are intent on revealing to the world what truly happened to New York City thirty years ago when it was destroyed. Kaneda believes their theories to be ludicrous but after finding his brother again, is shocked when he displays telekinetic powers.  Ky believes Tetsuo is headed to release a young boy, Akira, who has taken control of Tetsuo's mind. Kaneda clashes with The Colonel's troops on his way to stop Tetsuo from releasing Akira but arrives too late. Akira soon emerges from his prison courtesy of Tetsuo as Kaneda races in to save his brother before Akira once again destroys Manhattan island, as he did thirty years ago.

"Design: 'The Espers' - three 'children' who are test subjects for the secret project. They have the bodies of children but chronologically are in their late 40's. Their bodies and faces have wizened with age but they haven't physically grown. They are former acquaintances of Akira, and survived his destruction of Tokyo. The Espers include:  Kiyoko,  Takashi and  Masaru (shown).

"Masaru is overweight and is physically confined either to a wheelchair or a special floating chair because of developing  polio  at a young age. He has the power to use  psychokinesis  and is considered the 'leader' among the three espers. He is braver than Takashi and is the first to attack Tetsuo when he tries killing Kiyoko. Masaru looks after the well-being of his friends, especially that of Kiyoko who is physically frail. In the anime, his role is the same as the manga, and the floating chair he rides is used as Kiyoko's transport. He also summons Akira to stop Tetsuo, and when Takashi is caught in Akira's explosion trying to save Kaneda, he and Kiyoko help Kaneda out at the cost of themselves."

Here's the way Masura looked in the anime film:


Now here's the concept art from Lau.






See more of Howard Lau's work on the film at http://www.howardlaudesign.com

Click on the links if you want to see more of Howard Lau's work and Akira on my blog by Tommy Lee Edwards, Rodolfo DaMaggio, Chris Weston, Jeff Enrico and Sylvain Despretz.

What do you think of the concept art? How do you feel about a live-action Akira film? Do you think it will ever get made?

Official Akira Synopsis
Kaneda is a bar owner in Neo-Manhattan who is stunned when his brother, Tetsuo, is abducted by government agents led by The Colonel. Desperate to get his brother back, Kaneda agrees to join with Ky Reed and her underground movement who are intent on revealing to the world what truly happened to New York City thirty years ago when it was destroyed. Kaneda believes their theories to be ludicrous but after finding his brother again, is shocked when he displays telekinetic powers. Ky believes Tetsuo is headed to release a young boy, Akira, who has taken control of Tetsuo’s mind. Kaneda clashes with The Colonel’s troops on his way to stop Tetsuo from releasing Akira but arrives too late. Akira soon emerges from his prison courtesy of Tetsuo as Kaneda races in to save his brother before Akira once again destroys Manhattan island, as he did thirty years ago.

© Copyright Appian Way, Lennox House Films, Mad Chance
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