See Sarek Save Wife In Never-Before-Seen 'Star Trek' 2009 Storyboards By Richard Bennett

Star Trek 2009 (officially called Star Trek) storyboards show some ideas that didn't make it into the final film. Including a machine to help them put on the bulkier spacesuits.

Richard James Bennett Lamas (credited simply as Richard Bennett) is a former comic book artist. Now he's a freelance film concept and storyboard artist. He was a storyboard editor on the film and shared some of his work.

For the life of me I couldn't figure out what scene it was from until I read the original Star Trek script.

There was supposed to be a series of scenes showing Sarek taking his wife Amanda into the caves for safety. Also, there was supposed to be a machine to help the crew with the Airdrop Armour suits.



Here's an excerpt from the script. I took out the curse words in the script for family reading...

INT. ENTERPRISE - CORRIDORS - CONTINUOUS                       117

      WE TRACK FAST with Pike, Kirk, Spock and Sulu as they HURRY
      through the Enterprise toward the shuttle bay:

                               PIKE
                 Without transporters, we can't beam off
                 the ship, can't assist Vulcan, can't do
                 our job. I'm creating an opportunity:
                 Mr. Kirk, Mr. Sulu and Mr. Olson will
                 space-jump from the shuttle. You'll have
                 chutes -- you'll land on that machine
                 they've lowered into the atmosphere
                 that's scrambling our gear-- you'll get
                 inside, disable that thing then beam back
                 to the ship.

      Kirk and Sulu share a HOLY F*****G S**T look --

                                KIRK
                 ... okay.

                               PIKE
                 Mr. Spock, I'm leaving you in command of
                 the ship. Once we have transport
                 capability and communications back up,
                 you'll contact Starfleet and report what
                 the h***'s happening here.
                               (MORE)

                                              68
117   CONTINUED:                                                       117
                                 PIKE (CONT'D)
                   Something you've got only precious few
                   minutes to figure out. If all else
                   fails, fall back and rendezvous with the
                   fleet in the Laurentian System.
                           (Spock is freaked, then)
                   Kirk. I'm promoting you to First
                   Officer.


                    KIRK                               SPOCK
      What!?!                           -- Captain?

                                 PIKE (CONT'D)
                   While I'm gone we need to keep the chain
                   of command. And you two make a swell
                   team.

                                 SPOCK
                   Captain. Please. I apologize, but the
                   complexities of human pranks escape me.

                                 PIKE
                   It's not a prank, Spock.   And I'm not the
                   Captain. You are.

      And with that, he's DONE. Strides off.     Kirk finally shakes off
      the shock of his PROMOTION --

                                 KIRK
                   Once we knock out that machine... Sir,
                   what happens to you?

                                 PIKE
                   I guess you'll have to come get me.
                           (turns; to Spock)
                   Careful with the ship. She's brand new.

      They appreciate the pure BALLS of that. BRAVERY washes over
      them -- they'd f***ing DIE for their Captain, who now turns to
      Kirk and Sulu --

                                 PIKE (CONT'D)
                   Suit up, Gentlemen.

118   EXT. CITY OF VULCANA REGAR - CONTINUOUS                          118

      Sarek's hovercraft speeds along the desert floor, arriving at a
      massive CAVE OPENING -- he and Amanda hurry off the craft --
      into the cave --

                                              68A


119   INT. ENTERPRISE - SHUTTLE BAY - CONTINUOUS                        119

      QUICK CUTS: Kirk, Sulu, and the ship's LEAD ENGINEER OLSON are
      suiting up for the drop, strapping on sleek AIRDROP ARMOR. WEB
      BELTS. CHUTE PACKS. HARNESSES. HELMETS. COM-SETS.

119A INT. SHUTTLE - CONTINUOUS                                          119A

      They race into the shuttle and take seats facing each other
      across a narrow aisle -- Red Shirt Engineer GRINS like he's
      going on a ski trip:

                               RED SHIRT ENGINEER
                 I am pumped to kick some Romulan a**!   No
                 joke. BRING IT ON!

Now here is the the storyboard from the scene. Click on the image to enlarge.

Official Synopsis:
The greatest adventure of all time begins with Star Trek, the incredible story of a young crew’s maiden voyage onboard the most advanced starship ever created: the U.S.S. Enterprise. On a journey filled with action, comedy and cosmic peril, the new recruits must find a way to stop an evil being whose mission of vengeance threatens all of mankind.

The fate of the galaxy rests in the hands of bitter rivals. One, James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), is a delinquent, thrill-seeking Iowa farm boy. The other, Spock (Zachary Quinto), was raised in a logic-based society that rejects all emotion. As fiery instinct clashes with calm reason, their unlikely but powerful partnership is the only thing capable of leading their crew through unimaginable danger, boldly going where no one has gone before!

See more of Richard Bennett's portfolio at http://www.adg.org

What do you think of the illustrations? Should they have included the armor devices and Sarek's heroic attempts to save his wife?

@ Copyright 2009 Bad Robot, Paramount Pictures, Spyglass Entertainment, Richard Bennett. All rights reserved

Burn With 'Star Wars 3' Concept Art By Ryan Church

Star Wars 3 (Episode III: Revenge of the Sith) had striking visuals. Especially the burning lava planet of Mustafar.


In this Star Wars Blu-Ray video clip Ryan Church explains the designs of Mustafar from "Lava Planet" and we see the fight between Obi-Wan and Darth Vader.


After the jump are some great illustrations from his site. Click on the images to enlarge.

Official Synopsis from Wiki:
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is a 2005 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the sixth and final film released in the Star Wars saga and the third in terms of the series' internal chronology.

The film takes place three years after the onset of the Clone Wars. The Jedi Knights are spread out across the galaxy leading a massive clone army in the war against the Separatists. The Jedi Council dispatches Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) to eliminate the evil General Grievous, leader of the Separatist Army. Meanwhile, Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) separated from Kenobi, his former master, grows close to Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), the Chancellor of the Galactic Republic and, unbeknownst to the public, a Sith Lord. Their deepening friendship proves dangerous for the Jedi Order, The Republic, and Anakin himself who inevitably succumbs to the Dark Side of the Force and becomes Darth Vader, changing the fate of the galaxy forever.

See more of Ryan Church's portfolio at RyanChurch.com

What do you think of the illustrations? Did you like the Star Wars lava planet?
 
@ Copyright 2005 LucasFilm, Ryan Church. All rights reserved

Sprawling 'Total Recall' Concept Art by Andy Chung

The most impressive thing about the film Total Recall (2012) are the incredible worlds that the director created. Especially the overgrown poverty-stricken world of the Colony and the sprawling majesty of the United Federation of Britain.

One of the artists that helped create that world was Andy Chung. He shared some of his artwork for the film on his blog. Chung has worked on some of he biggest and best films of the last 16 years. From Super 8 (2011), Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) and I, Robot (2004).

Total Recall (2012) "City" by Andy Chung

Total Recall (2012) "Freefall" by Andy Chung

Total Recall (2012) "City" by Andy Chung

Total Recall (2012) "Inside Car" by Andy Chung

They have an amazing sense of scale.

Official Synopsis:
Welcome to Rekall, the company that can turn your dreams into real memories. For a factory worker named Douglas Quaid (Colin Farrell), even though he’s got a beautiful wife (Kate Beckinsale) who he loves, the mind-trip sounds like the perfect vacation from his frustrating life – real memories of life as a super-spy might be just what he needs. But when the procedure goes horribly wrong, Quaid becomes a hunted man. Finding himself on the run from the police – controlled by Chancellor Cohaagen (Bryan Cranston), the leader of the free world – Quaid teams up with a rebel fighter (Jessica Biel) to find the head of the underground resistance (Bill Nighy) and stop Cohaagen. The line between fantasy and reality gets blurred and the fate of his world hangs in the balance as Quaid discovers his true identity, his true love, and his true fate.

See more of Andy Chung's portfolio at acsketch.blogspot.com/

What do you think of the illustrations?

@ Copyright 2012 Total Recall, Original Film, Rekall Productions, Andy Chung. All rights reserved 

Brilliant Never-Made Sandman Movie Concept Art by Jill Thompson

Through the late 1990's Neil Gaiman was working on a three-part cinemetic version of his surreal comic book called Sandman for Warner Bros.  The brilliantly weird concept art for the film has popped up online.

At Comic-Con in 2007, Gaiman said, "I'd rather see no Sandman movie made than a bad Sandman movie. But I feel like the time for a Sandman movie is coming soon. We need someone who has the same obsession with the source material as Peter Jackson had with Lord of the Rings or Sam Raimi had with Spider-Man."

He got his wish. The project died in development hell. Recently he posted on Twitter: "Some years ago, I had to pitch/explain SANDMAN to Warners. Jill Thompson illustrated the pitch. That art's for sale."

 Jill Thompson is an American comic book writer and illustrator. Best known for her work on Neil Gaiman's The Sandman characters and her own Scary Godmother series, she has also worked on The Invisibles, Swamp Thing, and Wonder Woman.

Read more about the project and see images after the jump.



Wikipedia describes Gaiman's Sandman run on Vertigo this way:
The Sandman's main character is Dream, the Lord of Dreams (also known, to various characters throughout the series, as Morpheus, Oneiros, the Shaper, the Shaper of Form, Lord of the Dreaming, the Dream King, Dream-Sneak, Dream Cat, Murphy, Kai'ckul, and Lord L'Zoril), who is essentially the anthropomorphic personification of dreams. At the start of the series, Morpheus is captured by an occult ritual and held prisoner for 70 years. Morpheus escapes in the modern day and, after avenging himself upon his captors, sets about rebuilding his kingdom, which has fallen into disrepair in his absence. Gaiman himself has summarized the plot of the series (in the foreword to Endless Nights) as "The Lord of Dreams learns that one must change or die, and makes his decision."

The character's initial haughty and often cruel manner begins to soften after his years of imprisonment at the start of the series, but the challenge of undoing past sins and changing old ways is an enormous one for a being who has been set in his ways for billions of years. In its beginnings, the series is a very dark horror comic. Later, the series evolves into an elaborate fantasy series, incorporating elements of classical and contemporary mythology, ultimately placing its protagonist in the role of a tragic hero.

The storylines primarily take place in the Dreaming, Morpheus's realm, and the waking world, with occasional visits to other domains, such as Hell, Faerie, Asgard, and the domains of the other Endless. Many use the contemporary United States of America and the United Kingdom as a backdrop. The DC Universe was the official setting of the series, but well-known DC characters and places were rarely featured after 1990. A notable exception is Lyta Hall, formerly Fury of the 1980s super-team Infinity, Inc., who figures prominently in the "Kindly Ones" story arc, and her superhuman abilities are not ignored.

Most of the storylines take place in modern times, but many short stories are set in the past, taking advantage of the immortal nature of many of the characters, and deal with historical individuals and events such as in the short story "Men of Good Fortune."

If you think the art is trippy, think what the movie would have been like. On my other blog Geek Twins I asked if comic book movies could ever be high art. This could definitely have crossed the genre.

View the entire gallery over at Cadence of Comic Art. Each image is priced from $800-$900 apiece.

See more of Jill Thompson's portfolio at JillThompsonArt.com

Via io9

What do you think of the illustrations? How wild would this movie have been?
 
@ Copyright Warner Bros, Jill Thompson. All rights reserved

How To Find The Artists On A Film or TV Show

If you've ever admired a film you have artists to thank for it. They help create the visuals and action for every scene. Nathan Schroeder told me nothing appears onscreen with someone designing it.

One thing I noticed working on this site is its not easy to find exactly who worked on a film.
Some sites will publish concept art or storyboards without giving credit. This is mainly because the publicity department doesn't give it out. Its not their fault. Sometimes they don't know. Other times, if the film is in preproduction, they can't release the names due to an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement).

Here's how to find the artists on a film you like.

First, go to IMDb. I still think it needs a lot of improvement, but its the best we've got.

Head to the "Full cast" section and look for the art department. In that section, I look for several things but here's how to decipher the concept artists. There are lots of titles for a concept artist. Look for terms like Illustrator, Conceptual Designer or Creature Designer. Sometimes they end up in a higher level like Art Direction. Storyboard artists are generally credited as storyboard artist. So, that's pretty easy.

Once you find the name, or names, head to their IMDb page and see if they have an "official site". Most don't. If its not there, hit up Google with the name. Sometimes you have to add the term "concept" "illustrator" or "storyboard" if its a commoon name. Usually the IMDb page will come up first. If the artist gets good press, then their page will come up near the top. Otherwise the hunt is on. From here it gets a lot trickier.

Sometimes artists will do an interview and the site will add a link. Other times artists will share links of other artists on their site.

One resource that I found helpful is ADG.org (Art Director's Guild). Go to the member directory and search for their name. This one is tricky because not everyone is a member and the portfolios are smaller.

But, the reality is not all artists have portfolios or websites online. Running a site is tricky and they either don't have time or thnk its important.

The last resource I'll recommend is the one featured on my site called "Artist Links". I maintain a spreadsheet of all the artists I find and contact and this is an export of the list. I update it once or twice a month.

So there you have it. If you have a favorite sci-fi or comic book movie find the artists who created them!

Have you tried to find an artist website? Do you have a favorite?

Build Your Own Star Trek Captain's Chair With Dawn Brown

Have you ever dreamed of sitting in Captain Kirk's chair? Well, now you can thanks to some detailed set design blueprints by artist Dawn Brown.

I usually don't feature set design, but couldn't resist this one.

They were done for the movie Star Trek (2009) and give all the elevations and measurements to build the captain's chair from the starship U.S.S. Kelvin.

 

For good measure you can also build a replica of the main helm console (con and ops) station.

See more of Dawn Brown's portfolio at DawnBrown.net

What do you think of the illustrations? Would you sit in the captain's chair?
 
@ Copyright 2009 Paramount Studios, Dawn Brown. All rights reserved

Laugh At Rejected 'Judge Dredd' Costume by Gianni Versace

Back in 1995, when they were developing the first Judge Dredd movie starring Sylvester Stallone, fashion designer Gianni Versace sent some sketches to the film production. Prop Bay put the scans online.

Prop Bay doesn't give a history, but gives these notes: "This concept was discarded and not used. On the back of one of the drawings is Versace stamp. This is one of the few non-fashion lines Versace did."

It's easy to look back in hindsight and laugh. So, I will.

Click on the jump to see the images and click to enlarge.

Here's what the final costume did look like:

It's not hugely different, but they just look goofier for some reason.

Synopsis:

In a dystopian future, Dredd, the most famous judge (a cop with instant field judiciary powers) is convicted for a crime he did not commit while his murderous counterpart escapes. Director: Danny Cannon Writers: John Wagner (characters), Carlos Ezquerra (characters). Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Armand Assante and Rob Schneider

via Giant Freakin Robot

What do you think of the illustrations? Would the movie have hit with Versace's designs?

Film Sketchr Talks To 'Grimm' Concept Artist Jerad S Marantz

Grimm (2011) "Billy" by Jerad S. Marantz

Mike said, "His work always stood out to me before I really knew who created it, because of the striking silhouettes and the unique designs of classic creatures." Jerad S. Marantz creates striking visuals. His creatures are always very distinct.

Jerad S. Marantz (I Am Legend, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Amazing Spider-Man) has worked on some of the biggest movies in Hollywood as a creature designer. He also teaches at the Gnomon School of Visual FX, and the Concept Design Academy.

I talked to him about working on the hit TV show Grimm and what its like to be a concept artist, even when you're working on a bad movie.

As always, click on the images to enlarge.


Q: What's It Like When You Look Up At The Screen And See Your Designs Come To Life, And They're Mostly Yours?
It’s incredible. It’s why every concept artist does it. It’s what you hope happens throughout the entire process. Of course it’s a team effort and we're all working towards the same goal which is to get something on the screen that makes everyone happy. But, it's an added plus if what’s up on that screen is yours.

Q: American Horror Story Is Nominated For An Emmy. You Worked On The Show. Tell Us About It.
American Horror Story is created by Ryan Murphy. It’s really well written with amazing story arcs. Last season I designed the Frankenstein baby (Infantata), burnt man and the twins.

American Horror Story "Burnt Man" (2011) by Jerad S. Merantz

Q: Every Movie Can’t Be A Blockbuster. What’s It Like Working On A Bad Movie?
That’s a tough question. There are ways around working on a movie that you think isn't going to be good. As a concept artist I think the guys that last the longest are the ones who are just in love with the process. If the film is great it's an added benefit. I've designed for quite a few films that haven't done well, but I've had so much fun working on them.

Dragonball: Evolution (2009) "Picallo" by Jerad S. Marantz

Dragonball: Evolution (2009) "Assassins" by Jerad S. Marantz

Q: Grimm Came Out This Week And You're One Of The Concept Artists On The Film. What's The Biggest Challenge Of Working On Grimm?
Grimm is a great show and I love working on it. I’m so happy it’s doing well. As a child I loved watching the X-Files and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It’s always been an ambition of mine to work on a TV show that introduces a new monster every week and it’s about time creatures made their way back to network television.

I get my assignments from Steve Oster (producer). I really like working with him. As a designer you want a client that gives solid feedback and propels the design process forward.

It's a fun challenge in every episode to capture what animal each creature is based on while maintaining the actor’s character in a subtle balance. I’m fortunate to be designing these creatures with my good friend Constantine Sekeris. We compare notes on the show all the time and we are motivated by each other’s work. Constantine has been designing in the industry for a long time and it’s truly inspiring working with him. 

Grimm (2011) "Rhino" by Jerad S. Marantz

Q: When You're Working On A Design For Grimm, Do You Take Into Account The Fact That It Might Be CGI Or Practical?
I’m never sure how the creature design will be executed on screen. At this point I just have to make sure the design can work as a practical makeup and as a visual effect. It’s always exciting to see how they end up using the designs. Either way we have great artists that bring these designs to life.

Grimm (2011) "Gator Man" by Jerad S. Marantz

Barney Burman at B2FX has done the majority of the makeups for season 1 and the work’s been incredible. Every now and then I’ll be in touch with Barney and he’ll tell me how the makeups are going. For the first episode of season 2 I designed a Saber-tooth Tiger man. I was talking to Barney about it and was so excited he was able to flock the makeup and get those teeth top work practically.

Edward Irastorza is the shows Visual FX supervisor. Ed’s in charge of making sure the creatures look their best in CG. He’s done a great job on the show. Grimm is incredibly ambitious with regards to visual FX. I think if people really knew how much work goes into the transformations of these creatures it would blow their minds. Ed was the guy that recommended me for the show and I’ll always be grateful to him for that.

Q: What Led You to Become A teacher?
I teach because I was very fortunate to have teachers myself. Many have been very gerous with imparting knowledge, like Constantine Sekeris, who nutured younger artists and wasn't afraid to share their tricks. They like me, recognize that concept artists are part of a group working to achieve the same goal. Plus, teaching helps keep my skills sharp. It allows an artists to hold onto techniques that they may not otherwise use. A director may say, "I want a sketch" and it keeps my skills sharp in these areas.

I always get very excited when I come across an artist that I think may have a real shot at making it in the industry.

Here are some more concept designs from the television show Grimm.

See more of Jerad S. Marantz' portfolio at jeradsmarantz.blogspot.com.

Make sure you tune in for Grimm on NBC on Mondays and check out the official site http://www.nbc.com/grimm.

What do you think of his illustrations? Did you learn anything from the interview? Can you name which episode each comes from?
 
@ Copyright 2011 GK Productions, Hazy Mills Productions, Universal TV, Jerad S. Merantz. All rights reserved