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?