Speed Racer


FEATURE FILM
ROLE: Flame Artist | VFX Compositor
VENDOR: Look Effects
CLIENT: Warner Bros.
VFX SUPERVISOR: Max Ivins
DIRECTOR: The Wachoswki Brothers

My primary role on “Speed Racer” dealt with car cockpit repo’s and plate/set extensions. Towards the end of the project, editorial tweaks were made to certain cockpit shots of Speed and Cannonball, to make the final race more dynamic.

Since the plates were comprised of limited sets with mostly greensceen backing and props, this necessitated the rebuilding and extension of seats, seatbelts, helmets, and arms to accommodate the repo’d plates.

Also, a few shots were flopped, so helmet logos and any additional typography had to be adjusted accordingly.

All of the work was done in 2D, utilizing paint and source nodes, as well as extended bicubic surfaces.

Additional comp work included CG car exteriors.

Anime Unleashed


BROADCAST: SHOW GRAPHICS PACKAGE
ROLE: Lead Flame Artist / Lead Broadcast Designer
CLIENT: TechTV
ART DIRECTOR: Rick McKee

“Anime Unleashed” was TechTV’s nightly showcase for Japan’s edgiest and most relevant animated series of the era – aka 2002.

After lengthy debate and exploration, the design team arrived at the conclusion that anime’s uniqueness came from its duality of stillness and motion. Animation was sparse and simple, yet visceral and engaging. Color exploded across the screen, yet possessed a balance and appropriateness. And the most complex imagery of robotic mecha and futuristic vehicles could be communicated with still imagery translated across the screen.

Combine this with an homage to Luc Besson’s “Fifth Element,” as well as a bit of William Gibson, and the show’s graphic opener took shape: a hurtling freefall through a cel-styled futuristic city, bursting into a streaking tunnel filled with charging mecha, concluding on a cyberspace influenced logo resolve.