UPDATED: Check Out the Stanley Kubrick's 'A.I.' Concept Art That Made It Good

UPDATE: After finding images from the film that match the concept art, I have to concede that the art is exactly the same. I never noticed it because the visuals were so integrated that they didn't stand out. So, I updated this post with screen caps and new title.

The movie A.I. (2001) was okay, but if it had some of Stanley Kubrick's trademark visuals it may have been great.

Back in 2001, the legendary director Stanley Kubrick was working on A.I. Artificial Intelligence based on the Brian Aldiss' short story "Super-Toys Last All Summer Long."

When he died in 1999, Steven Spielberg took it and produced a fairly successful film. But, imagine if the visuals below had been in the film.

Synopsis: A highly advanced robotic boy longs to become “real” so that he can regain the love of his human mother.

I know a couple of the artists are Chris Baker and Warren Manser, but there are others.

The Flesh Fair

The Flesh Fair

Post Humanity Ice Fields

Bridge entrance to Rogue City

Flesh Fair Moon Blimp

 Cryogenic Medical Facility

New York under water

 Rogue City

Moon

What do you think? Could have been even better?

Via io9

Check Out the Next Generation of Firefly in 'Browncoats: Redemption' Concept Art

A fan film for charity created by Firefly enthusiasts Browncoats: Redemption is a pretty good attempt to create a new world within the Joss Whedon's universe. 

Synopsis:

BROWNCOATS: REDEMPTION takes place three months after the signal is sent out regarding the events on Miranda. Captain Laura Mathews and the crew of Redemption are unintentionally thrown into a situation that some view as the potential catalyst for the second unified rise of the Independents against the Alliance, since Unification Day.

The Alliance is looking for a scapegoat for Miranda, while those unhappy with the Alliance are looking for a rallying cry to take action.

Through all this, a secret about Laura is exposed that shakes to the very core of the crew, threatening to break it up, challenge the trust that she’s earned with the Browncoats, and undo all the efforts she has put into place to keep a sense of peace in her life since the Unification War.

BROWNCOATS: REDMEPTION is a crowd sourced, independent film for the benefit of Equality Now, Kids Need to Read, Dyslexia Foundation, The Al Wooten Jr. Heritage Center, and The Marine Corps – Law Enforcement Foundation.

While checking out the DVD, the work of concept artist Alex Bradley caught my eye. It's amazingly detailed and does a good job emulating the work of Timothy M. Earls and Ron Cobb.

 

Check out his work at http://alexbradley.org/

Also, look for more from Timothy M. Earls.

Via Browncoatsmovie.com

Artists of 'Cowboys and Aliens (2011)'

Here are some of the artists that worked on the science-fiction film Cowboys and Aliens (2011). As always there are many talented artists involved in the production of a film. These are only some of them according to IMDb.

Since IMDb is pretty useless at times I'll try and update the list in the future.

This one's long overdue since I like to post these when a movie opens. I've been catching up on interview posts and had to put other posts off.

Synopsis:

The Old West.. where a lone cowboy leads an uprising against a terror from beyond our world. 1873. Arizona Territory. A stranger with no memory of his past stumbles into the hard desert town of Absolution. The only hint to his history is a mysterious shackle that encircles one wrist. What he discovers is that the people of Absolution don't welcome strangers, and nobody makes a move on its streets unless ordered to do so by the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde (Ford). It's a town that lives in fear. But Absolution is about to experience fear it can scarcely comprehend as the desolate city is attacked by marauders from the sky. Screaming down with breathtaking velocity and blinding lights to abduct the helpless one by one, these monsters challenge everything the residents have ever known. Now, the stranger they rejected is their only hope for salvation. As this gunslinger slowly starts to remember who he is and where he's been... Written by Universal Pictures 

Starring:

• Daniel Craig (Jake Lonergan)


• Harrison Ford (Col. Woodrow Dolarhyde)


• Olivia Wilde (Ella) 

Directed by Jon Favreau

Production Design by Scott Chambliss

Art Direction by Christopher Burian-Mohr and Daniel T. Dorrance

Animatic artist

• Patrick J. Rodriguez


• James Rothwell

Concept artist

• James Clyne


• Ron Mendell


• Tully Summers


• Simon Webber


• Gloria Shih

Concept designer

• Andy Chung


• Phil Saunders

Concept illustrator

• John Eaves

Concept model maker

• Jason Mahakian

Concepts/boards

• John Mann

Conceptual Artists

• Richard K. Buoen

Conceptual model maker

• Jeff Frost

Designer: sculptor

• Jordu Schell

Digital illustrator

• Tim Wilcox

Graphic designer 

• Clint Schultz

Illustrator

• Andrea Dopaso


• Benton Jew


• Christopher S. Ross

Storyboard artist

• Jim Magdaleno


• John Mann


• Ed Natividad


• Ryan Jeremy Woodward


• Marc Vena


• Dave Lawrey 

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

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cowboysandaliens

Veteran Artist Tim Burgard Shares A Quick Word on Storyboarding

From the sunshine state of California, U.S.A. Tim Burgard started out doing traditional animation before working on blockbusters like X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), The Incredible Hulk (2008).

Working mainly by hand, Burgard's pen and ink drawings help the director and others visualize key scenes in the film. This 25-year veteran of film agreed to take time out of his busy schedule to do a quick email interview about the film Rise of the Planet of the Apes and other work.

Q: When someone asks you "what does a storyboard artist do?" what do you tell them?
A storyboard is a visual blueprint of how a film is going to be seen on screen, drawn almost like a comic strip.


Q: You most recently worked on Rise of the Planet of the Apes. What was it like storyboarding the film?
Working on a project this unusual was very exciting. I enjoy drawing animals and apes, having been a Tarzan fan all my life..

Q: Was a particular scene you looked forward to seeing come to life in the film?
Absolutely the Golden Gate sequence.

Q: How did it feel helping to reboot one of the most successful franchises in movie history: Planet of the Apes?
I didn't feel any nostalgia at the time because this project is so different from the Ape movies I saw as a kid.

Q: For those who don't know, what led to you becoming a storyboard artist?
A progression from drawing comic books to animation merging into boarding commercials and finally feature films. Occasionally games and other stuff.

Q: What's the most surprising way that working on comic books has helped you draw storyboards?
Nothing surprising. I just applied basic storytelling from print media when I learned  to work in film.

Q: You've worked on fourteen theme parks. What's the connection between storyboarding, comic books and theme parks?
Drawing skill.

Q: Tim Burton is known for drawing many illustrations and concept drawings before beginning a film. How much of his work ended up in the illustrations for Mars Attacks?
When I drew a prop (a pin ball game) for the film I was handed one of his sketches for an element of the design. That's all the contact I had but others may have had more.

Q: Who inspires your artwork every day?
(Image: "Flare in the Bayou")
Not one person. I'm inspired by any artist I like and sometimes artists I don't. I'm also inspired by nature and my libido.

I may produce some passion project for myself one day, but right now I'm just a working stiff.



Make sure you check out his IMDb page or the hundreds of images he has on his site timburgardart.com.

To see a list of all the exclusive interviews with other great artists on my blog go here.

What do you think of Tim Burgard's work?

The Most Disturbing Storyboard From the Most Disturbing Scene in the Most Disturbing Movie Ever, 'The Thing'

Once, my friends and I got together and decided to rent a movie. I suggested John Carpenter's The Thing (1982). Worst idea ever.

Everyone sat in silent shock and horror through the film. Afterward, there was a silent question of "you like that kind if thing, hunh?" Lost a girlfriend that night.

Its a classic film, but if you're not ready for it out can be shocking. Dismembered body parts running around. Psycho dog blobs. Living blood.

Here's a summary:

The Thing (also known as John Carpenter's The Thing) is a 1982 science fiction horror film directed by John Carpenter, written by Bill Lancaster, and starring Kurt Russell.

The film's title refers to its primary antagonist: a parasitic extraterrestrial lifeform that assimilates other organisms and in turn imitates them.

It infiltrates an Antarctic research station, taking the appearance of the researchers that it kills, and paranoia occurs within the group. - Wikipedia

This brings me to the most disturbing film in the movie. One of the crew, Vance Norris (Charles Hallahan), has a heart attack. The rest of the crew bring him to the doctor who tries to resuscitate him. They don't know he's been infected by the alien.

Then this happens...

I'm pretty sure there storyboards were done by the late Mentor Huebner, but the website doesn't give any credits.

Accordoing to IMDb, it could also be Michael G. Ploog, or Gary Meyer. It looks like Mentor's style though.

You can watch the highly disturbing video here.

What do you think? Most disturbing storyboards ever?

[Image Source: Outpost31]