Comic Book Jobs: Concept Artist
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies, Television,
Who wouldn’t want to work in New Zealand (that’s the place where Peter Jackson filmed Lord Of The Rings).
Oktobor Animation is now accepting “portfolio and reel submissions for super-cool digital concept artists for pre-production including character, prop, and environment design on interactive, transmedia and CG animation projects.”
That’s fine, but what kind of thing are they looking for? They’d “love to see fantastical and epic environments, creatures, stylized characters, robots, vehicles, etc.”
If that sounds like a lot like comic book work, you’re not far off. Concept art for movies, TV shows and animation looks a lot like comic book art. And what are comic book artists if not conceptual artists?
Applicants need to be self motivated, and able to adapt to different styles with a great sense of lighting, color and composition. But my favorite is this: “a strong knowledge of anatomy and proportion, human and creature.”
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Comic Book Jobs: Pixar
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies,
Want to work for the vast Disney empire? And for the team that made Toy Story, Up and the upcoming Brave?
Pixar is hiring some folks for their Emeryville offices and while some of them aren’t exactly making comic books, people with comic book skills might be right for them.
One is Character Sketch Artist where you’ll be developing drawings that “explore the visual look of a film.” This includes characters, objects, sets, backdrops, all that stuff and from all angles.
Another is Story Artist where based on written/verbal descriptions from the Director (or Head of Story) you’ll “create quick thumbnail sketches through to finished detailed storyboard panels,” perform background research and illustrate script pages, coming up with story ideas yourself.
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The Avengers Overseas: Breaking Box Office Records
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies, Marvel Comics,
So... this is happening: The Avengers is killing it at the overseas box office.
Those lucky overseasers got it first and they're filling up the Marvel treasure chest with a whopping $185 million so far.
Rolling Stone reports that the movie "has it all. And then some."
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Quote Of The Day: The Raven
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies,
“The investigation becomes a sort of dark scavenger hunt, shot by director James McTeigue with the stylized comic-book artificiality that characterized his V for Vendetta; indeed, The Raven seems as if it would be more comfortable as a graphic novel than as a movie.”
-- Jay Stone, Movie Critic
Be sure to check out our other notable quotes!
Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies, Marvel Comics,
So I’m watching the trailer for the new Ghost Rider movie, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance with Nic (”I’ll do anything!”) Cage and it dawns on me.
Nowhere in the trailer is there a mention of Marvel Comics. No attempt to tie it into the Marvel Universe.
No mention that it’s from the company that brought you Captain America, Iron Man and Fantastic Four. There’s a Marvel Knights logo that flashes oh-so-briefly onscreen at the beginning but that’s hardly the same.
Even the homepage for the Sony release doesn’t play up the Marvel connection.
It’s just a movie about a biker with a flaming head. Trying to help a woman and her little boy.
The same plot as Jean-Claude Van Damme's Nowhere To Run and dozens of other movies.
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ElfQuest Movie: No Go
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies, Independent,
This was posted by WaRP Graphics employee “Wendy Masque,” on Elfquest’s official Facebook page:
“After close to four years of suspense - and longer than four years of your much-appreciated interest and support - the word has come down from Warner Bros. And the word is ‘no.’ Their simple explanation is that they don't want to compete with The Hobbit. This was a possibility, among several, that we were prepared for. It is a relief, at last, to know.”
Sad news for fans.
Movie studios make similarly-themed competing movies all the time (Armageddon and Deep Impact, anyone?) so that can’t be the real reason. In fact, it sounds like movie studio bs.
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Comic Book Jobs: Course Director
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies, Video Games,
Economics professors and Psych teachers are no longer needed. Full Sail University, “an innovative educational leader” located just outside of Orlando, FL is accepting applications for a new teaching position: “Course Director of Developing New Worlds position in its Creative Writing Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree Program.”
And what’s a Course Director then?
“Course Directors are instructors who ensure excellence in teaching skills and classroom content. They develop curriculum, teach, and oversee the integrity of their classes.”
But what’s all that about “Developing New Worlds”?
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Quote Of The Day: Patricia Highsmith
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials,
“I had also the advantage of a movie sale of my first book (Strangers On A Train) to Alfred Hitchcock, though for a sum so small no one believes it when I quote it, so I won’t here. My life was all right for about a year and a half; I went to Europe in a modest way, and began a second book on a freighter on the way back. But the going was very rough for three years after that; I did not have the comforts I had grown used to while doing hack work...”
From Plotting And Writing Suspense Fiction by Patricia Highsmith (1966).
Hack work? While it’s not often discussed, before Strangers On A Train propelled her career as a novelist, Highsmith used to write comic books back in the 1940s sweatshop days.
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Tintin by Steven Spielberg
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies,
The Adventures of Tintin won the Golden Globe award for Best Animated Feature Film.
You know who didn’t get thanked in Steven Spielberg’s acceptance speech for Tintin at the award ceremony Sunday night? The guy who created Tintin: Herge.
Spielberg did say that Hollywood gave him (and Peter Jackson) a chance to turn this “80 year old series of wonderful books into a motion picture.”
It’s hard to be too critical. He had less than a minute to thank people and it probably is prudent politically, socially and financially to thank the people who actually greenlight movies first.
But it would’ve been nice of him to slip in a little Herge mention with all the bankers and executives.
[Artwork: Tintin by Herge]
Read More | Spielberg's Speech
Comic Book Jobs: Checking Out Craigslist
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies,
As regular readers know, I love the Craigslist. It’s like walking into a strange house - you never know what you’re going to find.
A New York High School Drama/Performing Arts Instructor needs someone who can make 3 superhero capes.
An indie filmmaker in New York is looking for “legitimate producers” for their movie that’s described as “a blend of Martial arts and comic book mythology and deep character development/plot set in a realistic urban setting.”
A studio in Santa Clarita, CA is looking for a character designer.
And, finally, a summer camp in Portland, Oregon is looking for a Lead Outdoor Education Instructor. You will “join a guild, learning and working in a community that teaches wilderness survival, homesteading and traditional skills. Plus, you become part of a league of comic book, sci-fi, fantasy and pop culture nerds who love the outdoors (we see no dichotomy).” And they’re paying money, too.
Good luck, job seekers!
[Artwork: Capes by Robert Kirkman and Mark Englert]
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