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Film Production Blog "VISUALFUTURIST"
SYD MEAD, "Blade Runner" Artist, Doc Screening 3/18 & 19!
Mar 04, 2008 11:16AM
"VISUAL FUTURIST: the art & life of syd mead" documenting Legendary Conceptual Designer, SYD MEAD, whose work includes the iconic films "Blade Runner", "TRON", "Aliens", "2010", and "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" will be screening on March 18th & 19th at 7:00 P.M. at the Historic Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
"BLADE RUNNER" Artist, SYD MEAD interviewed by Illusion TV!
Nov 29, 2007 10:42AM
Syd Mead has influenced the look of science fiction for nearly three decades. Designing worlds and characters which are rich in a unique style, Syd and his company have defined the way our culture believes sci-fi movies should look. Recently, we asked fans and artists to submit questions to the visual futurist. The questions that our editors picked span the length of Syd's career from a variety of perspectives. With Blade Runner: The Final Cut and Visual Futurist: The Art and Life of Syd Mead currently in release, we thought there was no better time to speak with this living legend.
ILLUSION: You just got back from traveling abroad promoting the documentary "Visual Futurist: The Art and Life of Syd Mead". Can you tell us how your film is being received?
SM: The documentary had its first screening last year at the LA DANCES WITH FILM festival and receiving the highest audience rating in the nine year history of the festival. The documentary was screened at ROMICS comic fantasy festival in Rome;the sceduling folk cut it off after 9O minutes evoking groans and protests from the audience. The documentary was then screened full length at the FORTIETH SITGES FILM FESTIVAL in Sitges, Catalnia/Spain and received enthusiastic reviews and audience response. At this time, November 2OO7, sales have gone past the 1,OOO mark and climbing.
ILLUSION: The Blade Runner Final Cut DVD is releasing soon and I understand you participated in a commentary track for the DVD. Has time changed your perspective on the production? Has it given you any new insight in to how the film influenced your career?
SM: Having the opportunity to work with Sir Ridley Scott on BLADERUNNER was one of the more fortunate events in my professional career, along with working with Raymond Loewey, designing private 747 airplane interiors and a myriad of world-wide corporate clientle. The movie persists because it addresses universal issues of the meaning of humanity (Philip K. Dick's moralistic concerns) and the impact of technology on social ethics and the economic benefits and costs of scientific advancement.
ILLUSION: Having been a part of such influencial films as Blade Runner, Tron, Aliens… and continuing to do amazing work in films like MI-3, do you ever feel like you're competing with your own legacy in your current project?
SM: Of course! Everybody eventually gets to the point, if they have the nerve, to continue to 'work' as their past accomplishments become successful and well received. Some simply 'freeze up' and retire; others relish the new challenges and every fresh chance to 'do it' but better than before.
JoLeyden: (Blade Runner) Did your time in Okinawa and Hong Kong during 1954-1955 influence the subsequent direction of your art in any way?
SM: No.This is a persistent question because of Ridley's packing the RIDLEY-VILLE sets with Kanje symbols. My first trip to the far east was in the 1953-1956 period. I became fascinated with Asian cultural design, food and a very superficial knowledge of customs. My first trip to Tokyo was in 1961, long before I worked on BLADERUNNER in 198O-81.
Driller: (Blade Runner) in preparing for Blade runner did you read Phillip K. Dick's novel , or did you only go by what was in the film script?
SM: I'd only worked in post production with John Dykstra ..REK:TMP, so BLADERUNNER was only the second movie I'd ever worked on, and the first in pre-production. I figured that the script was 'bible' and did not read the softcover DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP after my pre production work on BLADERUNNER was finished and I was working on TRON.
JMaynard: (Tron) How much of the character design was influenced by the limitations of the technology of the early 1980s? If you were making the movie today, what would the characters look like, and how would you get there?
SM: What you saw in the computer generated imagery in TRON was absolutely the cutting edge of computer generated technique then. That's literally all that could be done; shapes were generated by adding or subtracting primitives; no polygons, nurbs, etc. Characters? I did a lot of character work for TRON, and if done today, the mapping on the actor's bodies would be all done as 'projected' overprints. Then, the actors wore black body suits with white tape patterns put on as applique. The scene was shot in black and white, then rotoscoped to the correct color and 'blur' effect. TRON was practically a 'hand-made' production.
Gomez Adama: (Tron) What was syd's inspiration for the environmental look of Tron?
SM: I got the sense from Steven Lisberger, the director, that this was a 'behind the video screen' world. Therefore, nothing had any 'weight' in a physical sense, stuff could 'float' in 3D reference space with no mechanical connection, and the entire illustion had to look like 'solid graphics.' The first look at TRON LAND was inspired by a graphical pattern called a 'sixteen gate square.' This is a pattern that always, no matter how convoluted the pattern is inside the square boundary, has four 'gates' on each side that can match up to any other four 'gate' squares. If you rotate the other squares (can be the exact same on) you get a very visually complicated composite. This was the idea for the TRON LAND landscape that you see when the aerial shot moves toward's SARKS' training camp, a huge articualed hole in the surface. That camp was also created using the primitive volumetric removal technique.
Arturo: (Gundam) When Syd was developing the Turn-A Gundam models, how did he approach developing humanoid robot advancements when the root technology doesn't actually exist?
SM: I used the existing GUNDAM MOBILE SUIT story rational, of course. The MOBILE SUIT idea actually was generated by the very first FOUR ARMED SPACE MODULE for moving stuff. It evolved into an anthromorphic configuration as Tomino-san wrote the stories, needing more character involvement. The whole anime art form, from a story standpoint, always shows teenagers…young people saving the world, confronting ultimate evil, etc., etc. because THAT'S THE AUDIENCE DEMOGRAPHIC…well, up into the low thirties in Japan. What I did was to take the 'STORY' technology rationale and develop robots that used the same technology but fulfilled various story roles, as I do for any design project; movies, vehicles, products, etc.
Slimgenius: How important is it that your mechanical designs appear "real-world" functional?
SM: VERY. That's the mystique that I'm known for. My formal education was in industrial design, both consumer product and transportation. I learned rotational and volumetric rationale. The trick is to create something absolutely startling (that's the end goal) that is recognizable for what it is, and that it looks like it would actually 'work' within the parameters of the technological world in which it exists, even if it is only a picture. If you understand mechanical design, you can 'overlay' a mechanical rational onto anything you come up with and people will see it and say to themselves' "hell, that looks like it would work that way."
Smiling Jack: When creating future designs do you base your concepts strictly on your own imagination or do you try to "evolve" the existing technology organically?
SM: Depends on the client idea. In the case of GUNDAM:TURN 'A', I had to preserve over twenty years of fan appreciation and character recognition when I designed a new 'zero base' for the character. That was much harder to do than coming up with something new, such as the other six robot characters for that anime production. If left to my own curious devices, I first am usually inspired by a techno-article, a new investigation into some weird technological experiment or development. I then match that to a made up story of my own and come up with a visualized combination.
3DSurge: (Industry) What advice do you have for a concept designer who wants to have a consistent work history? Is it better to freelance or work for a studio?
SM: I don't think it matters. There is the whole deal of having a 'steady' income base, although that has gotten pretty shakey lately no matter if you are working for a large corporation or free-lance. In any case, freelancing is creatively very satisfying, usually, depending on the dork quotient of the client, but working for a variety of sources is the best thing, I think. You meet a lot of other professional people in different career categories, and your visibility spreads across several DIFFERENT kinds of work sources.
I never had a linear career; from vehicle design, corporate graphics, product design, aircraft interior design, marine design and working for various movie, television and electronic game productions keeps my visibility level up in a lot of non-related client source areas.
JoeJoe2:(Industry) I have read your Ballistic profile and wanted to know how you accept clients. Do you take all projects offered or do you consider the artistic merit before accepting?
SM: The luxury of working for a long time at a healthy level of accomplishment means that you get more requests than you can fulfill. That allows you to deliberately choose the opportunities that seem to offer the best chance to exercise your creative judgement, to be treated with a level of professional respect and to demand a fee structure that makes it all worthwhile. This stage may take a while or, in cases when you are really at the top of your game early on, it happens fast. I was lucky. Within 26 months from graduating from the Art Center School in LA, I had three luxury cars, a bit house, a salary equal to then studio manager at any of the 'big three' auto companies and a really great life.
WATCH THE TRAILER FOR "VISUAL FUTURIST" HERE
ILLUSION: You just got back from traveling abroad promoting the documentary "Visual Futurist: The Art and Life of Syd Mead". Can you tell us how your film is being received?
SM: The documentary had its first screening last year at the LA DANCES WITH FILM festival and receiving the highest audience rating in the nine year history of the festival. The documentary was screened at ROMICS comic fantasy festival in Rome;the sceduling folk cut it off after 9O minutes evoking groans and protests from the audience. The documentary was then screened full length at the FORTIETH SITGES FILM FESTIVAL in Sitges, Catalnia/Spain and received enthusiastic reviews and audience response. At this time, November 2OO7, sales have gone past the 1,OOO mark and climbing.
ILLUSION: The Blade Runner Final Cut DVD is releasing soon and I understand you participated in a commentary track for the DVD. Has time changed your perspective on the production? Has it given you any new insight in to how the film influenced your career?
SM: Having the opportunity to work with Sir Ridley Scott on BLADERUNNER was one of the more fortunate events in my professional career, along with working with Raymond Loewey, designing private 747 airplane interiors and a myriad of world-wide corporate clientle. The movie persists because it addresses universal issues of the meaning of humanity (Philip K. Dick's moralistic concerns) and the impact of technology on social ethics and the economic benefits and costs of scientific advancement.
ILLUSION: Having been a part of such influencial films as Blade Runner, Tron, Aliens… and continuing to do amazing work in films like MI-3, do you ever feel like you're competing with your own legacy in your current project?
SM: Of course! Everybody eventually gets to the point, if they have the nerve, to continue to 'work' as their past accomplishments become successful and well received. Some simply 'freeze up' and retire; others relish the new challenges and every fresh chance to 'do it' but better than before.
JoLeyden: (Blade Runner) Did your time in Okinawa and Hong Kong during 1954-1955 influence the subsequent direction of your art in any way?
SM: No.This is a persistent question because of Ridley's packing the RIDLEY-VILLE sets with Kanje symbols. My first trip to the far east was in the 1953-1956 period. I became fascinated with Asian cultural design, food and a very superficial knowledge of customs. My first trip to Tokyo was in 1961, long before I worked on BLADERUNNER in 198O-81.
Driller: (Blade Runner) in preparing for Blade runner did you read Phillip K. Dick's novel , or did you only go by what was in the film script?
SM: I'd only worked in post production with John Dykstra ..REK:TMP, so BLADERUNNER was only the second movie I'd ever worked on, and the first in pre-production. I figured that the script was 'bible' and did not read the softcover DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP after my pre production work on BLADERUNNER was finished and I was working on TRON.
JMaynard: (Tron) How much of the character design was influenced by the limitations of the technology of the early 1980s? If you were making the movie today, what would the characters look like, and how would you get there?
SM: What you saw in the computer generated imagery in TRON was absolutely the cutting edge of computer generated technique then. That's literally all that could be done; shapes were generated by adding or subtracting primitives; no polygons, nurbs, etc. Characters? I did a lot of character work for TRON, and if done today, the mapping on the actor's bodies would be all done as 'projected' overprints. Then, the actors wore black body suits with white tape patterns put on as applique. The scene was shot in black and white, then rotoscoped to the correct color and 'blur' effect. TRON was practically a 'hand-made' production.
Gomez Adama: (Tron) What was syd's inspiration for the environmental look of Tron?
SM: I got the sense from Steven Lisberger, the director, that this was a 'behind the video screen' world. Therefore, nothing had any 'weight' in a physical sense, stuff could 'float' in 3D reference space with no mechanical connection, and the entire illustion had to look like 'solid graphics.' The first look at TRON LAND was inspired by a graphical pattern called a 'sixteen gate square.' This is a pattern that always, no matter how convoluted the pattern is inside the square boundary, has four 'gates' on each side that can match up to any other four 'gate' squares. If you rotate the other squares (can be the exact same on) you get a very visually complicated composite. This was the idea for the TRON LAND landscape that you see when the aerial shot moves toward's SARKS' training camp, a huge articualed hole in the surface. That camp was also created using the primitive volumetric removal technique.
Arturo: (Gundam) When Syd was developing the Turn-A Gundam models, how did he approach developing humanoid robot advancements when the root technology doesn't actually exist?
SM: I used the existing GUNDAM MOBILE SUIT story rational, of course. The MOBILE SUIT idea actually was generated by the very first FOUR ARMED SPACE MODULE for moving stuff. It evolved into an anthromorphic configuration as Tomino-san wrote the stories, needing more character involvement. The whole anime art form, from a story standpoint, always shows teenagers…young people saving the world, confronting ultimate evil, etc., etc. because THAT'S THE AUDIENCE DEMOGRAPHIC…well, up into the low thirties in Japan. What I did was to take the 'STORY' technology rationale and develop robots that used the same technology but fulfilled various story roles, as I do for any design project; movies, vehicles, products, etc.
Slimgenius: How important is it that your mechanical designs appear "real-world" functional?
SM: VERY. That's the mystique that I'm known for. My formal education was in industrial design, both consumer product and transportation. I learned rotational and volumetric rationale. The trick is to create something absolutely startling (that's the end goal) that is recognizable for what it is, and that it looks like it would actually 'work' within the parameters of the technological world in which it exists, even if it is only a picture. If you understand mechanical design, you can 'overlay' a mechanical rational onto anything you come up with and people will see it and say to themselves' "hell, that looks like it would work that way."
Smiling Jack: When creating future designs do you base your concepts strictly on your own imagination or do you try to "evolve" the existing technology organically?
SM: Depends on the client idea. In the case of GUNDAM:TURN 'A', I had to preserve over twenty years of fan appreciation and character recognition when I designed a new 'zero base' for the character. That was much harder to do than coming up with something new, such as the other six robot characters for that anime production. If left to my own curious devices, I first am usually inspired by a techno-article, a new investigation into some weird technological experiment or development. I then match that to a made up story of my own and come up with a visualized combination.
3DSurge: (Industry) What advice do you have for a concept designer who wants to have a consistent work history? Is it better to freelance or work for a studio?
SM: I don't think it matters. There is the whole deal of having a 'steady' income base, although that has gotten pretty shakey lately no matter if you are working for a large corporation or free-lance. In any case, freelancing is creatively very satisfying, usually, depending on the dork quotient of the client, but working for a variety of sources is the best thing, I think. You meet a lot of other professional people in different career categories, and your visibility spreads across several DIFFERENT kinds of work sources.
I never had a linear career; from vehicle design, corporate graphics, product design, aircraft interior design, marine design and working for various movie, television and electronic game productions keeps my visibility level up in a lot of non-related client source areas.
JoeJoe2:(Industry) I have read your Ballistic profile and wanted to know how you accept clients. Do you take all projects offered or do you consider the artistic merit before accepting?
SM: The luxury of working for a long time at a healthy level of accomplishment means that you get more requests than you can fulfill. That allows you to deliberately choose the opportunities that seem to offer the best chance to exercise your creative judgement, to be treated with a level of professional respect and to demand a fee structure that makes it all worthwhile. This stage may take a while or, in cases when you are really at the top of your game early on, it happens fast. I was lucky. Within 26 months from graduating from the Art Center School in LA, I had three luxury cars, a bit house, a salary equal to then studio manager at any of the 'big three' auto companies and a really great life.
WATCH THE TRAILER FOR "VISUAL FUTURIST" HERE
"VISUAL FUTURIST" Japanese release set for 12/24!
Nov 15, 2007 06:33PM
"VISUAL FUTURIST: the art & life of syd mead" documenting
Legendary designer SYD MEAD whose credits include
"Blade Runner", "TRON", "Aliens", "2010", and "Star Trek:
The Motion Picture" will be released for the Japanese market
on 12/24 by Bandai. It is already available in North America
here at SYD MEAD'S Official Website
"VISUAL FUTURIST" TRON 2.0 Review!
Jul 01, 2007 11:41AM
A while back I purchased the DVD Visual Futurist: The Art & Life of Syd Mead. I thought I would write a review of it so that people could get a taste of what it's like, and determine if it's worth buying. So I decided to sit down and write this: giving my honest opinion on the documentary itself, the features of the DVD, its packaging, and its overall presentation.
When first playing the DVD, you are greeted with a very simple and bare-bones menu that either allows you to play the documentary, or go to a screen with a chapter list that lets you jump to various points in the feature. There are no extras: such as any behind-the-scenes vignettes that show what went into the production of the documentary, director commentary, or footage from the screening at the Dances with Films festival where it premiered with Syd Mead himself attending. Which is a shame. However, Director Joaquin Montalvan has posted such clips online. So I encourage everyone to check them out. They're called Visual Futurist Q&A Video and Syd Mead Candid Video Footage.
The documentary itself starts off by showing a montage of Syd's work, and it isn't until almost three minutes into the feature that the documentary proper begins. It's an interesting choice to start Visual Futurist this way. If there's one thing that can be said, it's that the man's artwork certainly speaks for itself. It's easy to just sit there and watch, drawing in the detail and richness of each work, and letting your mind wander off into these realities. Realities that are extremely functional and realistic in appearance. Some people might find this section a bit boring, but I didn't mind it at all.
Then Syd Mead himself appears, in what can only be described as his "workshop". Sitting at a table, drawing, he begins to tell you about his background. As you listen, he makes no bones about the fact that he is very confident, considers himself very intelligent, and he enjoys his success. Who can blame him, really? For someone like me, who isn't that familiar with Syd's background or early career: this section of the documentary is very enlightening. It takes us from his earliest days as a professional industrial designer, all the way to his film design career. I gather that most of the public, like me, will also only be familiar with the latter — his work on Blade Runner being the most notable, followed by TRON. And it's his credit in the film Blade Runner, for which this documentary is named. Visual Futurist.
As the documentary progresses, we cover his careers at Ford, U.S. Steel, Philips, and many other companies. Eventually we're told about how Syd found himself without a job at one point, and decided to start his own company. Then in the late seventies, Hollywood entered a phase where they sought out designers to become attached to films, and this is how Syd entered the movie industry. His first work was on Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and from there he entered a whirlwind period where he designed for picture after picture. Blade Runner, TRON, 2010: The Year We Make Contact, Aliens, Short Circuit, Mission to Mars . . . the list goes on and on.
The lengthiest segments pertaining to the films he worked on are for Blade Runner and TRON, as you might expect. Steven Lisberger (the Director of TRON) and Richard Taylor (Visual Effects and Computer Graphics Supervisor for TRON) appear throughout the documentary, commenting on various facets of Syd's career and not singularly on TRON. While all of the people in the documentary have interesting and intelligent things to say — including Mead himself — I found Lisberger's comments to be the most entertaining and eloquent. You literally can see the gears turning in his mind like an intricate and precise machine, with his thoughts and their enunciation coming at a rapid-fire pace.
Since this is a TRON-based site, I will keep the coverage of the documentary focused on the TRON portion. But I can tell you without hesitation that I enjoyed all the segments. Especially the one regarding Blade Runner. Blade Runner is definitely another one of my favorite films, and I can't wait for it to finally be released on DVD this year. It's been a long time coming.
The TRON segment of the documentary shows how Syd is responsible in large part for the look of the TRON electronic world, and is completely responsible for items such as Sark's Carrier, the Tanks, the Light Cycles, the MCP, the prison cells, and Yori's apartment. He also designed the TRON font, and even had some influence on the costumes. We are shown many of his concept sketches that resulted in the final look in the film, while Lisberger and Taylor comment throughout. Lisberger felt that Mead's work was "cutting edge" and exactly what they were looking for. And Syd himself states that his work in the film and the film itself, had an enormous impact on the youth watching it at the time. That most of the people in the computer graphics industry today, credit his work and the film TRON as being responsible for leading them into their profession.
A notable aspect of the documentary is its soundtrack, presented in Dolby 5.1. Throughout the film we hear composer Richard Souther's themes, that he specifically composed for Visual Futurist. Souther's ethereal compositions often evoke memories of Vangelis' score for the film Blade Runner, and they are a clear homage to that film. Thus, the music fits the subject matter and the tone of the documentary perfectly. In fact, the music is so good that I would recommend purchasing the separately available soundtrack CD wholeheartedly.
With regard to the aesthetics of the packaging itself, the DVD comes in an Amaray keepcase with a somewhat bland wraparound label. The design is quite minimalist, and perhaps even unexciting for a DVD featuring a documentary about one of the world's foremost artists. And I don't know if it's intentional or not, but the type on the label and the insert booklet has a blurred effect that makes it a bit hard to read. You can't pick it up in the scans above, but it is there. Considering the price for the DVD itself ($29.99 U.S.) and the shipping (anywhere from about $7-$10 U.S.), I was personally hoping for a bit more of a refined looking package than what I got.
Still, in the end, it's the documentary itself that matters most. And in this area, the DVD does not disappoint. The transfer quality of the film seems very good. Clocking in at approximately one hour and forty-five minutes, it quite extensively covers Syd Mead's career and shows us an incredible number of his works. The film never becomes slow or boring (except perhaps at the very beginning, as I stated earlier) and is a fascinating look at a fascinating man. It's no wonder the film won an award for audience appreciation when it premiered at the Dances with Films festival.
Highly recommended.
NOW that you've READ the REVIEW,
BUY "VISUAL FUTURIST" Here!
A while back I purchased the DVD Visual Futurist: The Art & Life of Syd Mead. I thought I would write a review of it so that people could get a taste of what it's like, and determine if it's worth buying. So I decided to sit down and write this: giving my honest opinion on the documentary itself, the features of the DVD, its packaging, and its overall presentation.
When first playing the DVD, you are greeted with a very simple and bare-bones menu that either allows you to play the documentary, or go to a screen with a chapter list that lets you jump to various points in the feature. There are no extras: such as any behind-the-scenes vignettes that show what went into the production of the documentary, director commentary, or footage from the screening at the Dances with Films festival where it premiered with Syd Mead himself attending. Which is a shame. However, Director Joaquin Montalvan has posted such clips online. So I encourage everyone to check them out. They're called Visual Futurist Q&A Video and Syd Mead Candid Video Footage.
The documentary itself starts off by showing a montage of Syd's work, and it isn't until almost three minutes into the feature that the documentary proper begins. It's an interesting choice to start Visual Futurist this way. If there's one thing that can be said, it's that the man's artwork certainly speaks for itself. It's easy to just sit there and watch, drawing in the detail and richness of each work, and letting your mind wander off into these realities. Realities that are extremely functional and realistic in appearance. Some people might find this section a bit boring, but I didn't mind it at all.
Then Syd Mead himself appears, in what can only be described as his "workshop". Sitting at a table, drawing, he begins to tell you about his background. As you listen, he makes no bones about the fact that he is very confident, considers himself very intelligent, and he enjoys his success. Who can blame him, really? For someone like me, who isn't that familiar with Syd's background or early career: this section of the documentary is very enlightening. It takes us from his earliest days as a professional industrial designer, all the way to his film design career. I gather that most of the public, like me, will also only be familiar with the latter — his work on Blade Runner being the most notable, followed by TRON. And it's his credit in the film Blade Runner, for which this documentary is named. Visual Futurist.
As the documentary progresses, we cover his careers at Ford, U.S. Steel, Philips, and many other companies. Eventually we're told about how Syd found himself without a job at one point, and decided to start his own company. Then in the late seventies, Hollywood entered a phase where they sought out designers to become attached to films, and this is how Syd entered the movie industry. His first work was on Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and from there he entered a whirlwind period where he designed for picture after picture. Blade Runner, TRON, 2010: The Year We Make Contact, Aliens, Short Circuit, Mission to Mars . . . the list goes on and on.
The lengthiest segments pertaining to the films he worked on are for Blade Runner and TRON, as you might expect. Steven Lisberger (the Director of TRON) and Richard Taylor (Visual Effects and Computer Graphics Supervisor for TRON) appear throughout the documentary, commenting on various facets of Syd's career and not singularly on TRON. While all of the people in the documentary have interesting and intelligent things to say — including Mead himself — I found Lisberger's comments to be the most entertaining and eloquent. You literally can see the gears turning in his mind like an intricate and precise machine, with his thoughts and their enunciation coming at a rapid-fire pace.
Since this is a TRON-based site, I will keep the coverage of the documentary focused on the TRON portion. But I can tell you without hesitation that I enjoyed all the segments. Especially the one regarding Blade Runner. Blade Runner is definitely another one of my favorite films, and I can't wait for it to finally be released on DVD this year. It's been a long time coming.
The TRON segment of the documentary shows how Syd is responsible in large part for the look of the TRON electronic world, and is completely responsible for items such as Sark's Carrier, the Tanks, the Light Cycles, the MCP, the prison cells, and Yori's apartment. He also designed the TRON font, and even had some influence on the costumes. We are shown many of his concept sketches that resulted in the final look in the film, while Lisberger and Taylor comment throughout. Lisberger felt that Mead's work was "cutting edge" and exactly what they were looking for. And Syd himself states that his work in the film and the film itself, had an enormous impact on the youth watching it at the time. That most of the people in the computer graphics industry today, credit his work and the film TRON as being responsible for leading them into their profession.
A notable aspect of the documentary is its soundtrack, presented in Dolby 5.1. Throughout the film we hear composer Richard Souther's themes, that he specifically composed for Visual Futurist. Souther's ethereal compositions often evoke memories of Vangelis' score for the film Blade Runner, and they are a clear homage to that film. Thus, the music fits the subject matter and the tone of the documentary perfectly. In fact, the music is so good that I would recommend purchasing the separately available soundtrack CD wholeheartedly.
With regard to the aesthetics of the packaging itself, the DVD comes in an Amaray keepcase with a somewhat bland wraparound label. The design is quite minimalist, and perhaps even unexciting for a DVD featuring a documentary about one of the world's foremost artists. And I don't know if it's intentional or not, but the type on the label and the insert booklet has a blurred effect that makes it a bit hard to read. You can't pick it up in the scans above, but it is there. Considering the price for the DVD itself ($29.99 U.S.) and the shipping (anywhere from about $7-$10 U.S.), I was personally hoping for a bit more of a refined looking package than what I got.
Still, in the end, it's the documentary itself that matters most. And in this area, the DVD does not disappoint. The transfer quality of the film seems very good. Clocking in at approximately one hour and forty-five minutes, it quite extensively covers Syd Mead's career and shows us an incredible number of his works. The film never becomes slow or boring (except perhaps at the very beginning, as I stated earlier) and is a fascinating look at a fascinating man. It's no wonder the film won an award for audience appreciation when it premiered at the Dances with Films festival.
Highly recommended.
NOW that you've READ the REVIEW,
BUY "VISUAL FUTURIST" Here!
"VISUAL FUTURIST" NOW AVAILABLE ON DVD!
May 05, 2007 09:44AM
THE WAIT IS OVER!!!
"VISUAL FUTURIST: the art & life of syd mead", the FULL-length documentary on SYD MEAD, the Conceptual Designer behind such films as "Blade Runner", "TRON", "Aliens", "2010", and "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" is NOW available for purchase on DVD at Syd Mead's "Official" Website here:
BUY "VISUAL FUTURIST" HERE
ENJOY!
"VISUAL FUTURIST: the art & life of syd mead", the FULL-length documentary on SYD MEAD, the Conceptual Designer behind such films as "Blade Runner", "TRON", "Aliens", "2010", and "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" is NOW available for purchase on DVD at Syd Mead's "Official" Website here:
BUY "VISUAL FUTURIST" HERE
ENJOY!
"Architect Magazine" writes up "VISUAL FUTURIST"!
Nov 14, 2006 12:54PM
For legendary illustrator Syd Mead, science fiction is “reality ahead of schedule.”
That should give architects pause. Mead is responsible for the intense settings of the 1982 sci-fi film Blade Runner. His brilliant, disturbing vision of Los Angeles, circa 2019 (above), defined for a generation the look and feel of civilization's imminent collapse.
Mead didn't conjure his future L.A. from scratch. He blew up a Manhattan skyline by 300 percent and made a few modifications. He figured that stretching the skyscrapers to 3,000 feet would mean accommodating many more people, so he redesigned the bases as pyramids to provide more entryways. He mixed a stew of historical styles into what he calls “retro deco.” The darkly glorious results are preserved in the book Oblagon: Concepts of Syd Mead. A quarter-century later, we're still not there. But the fantasy looks strangely plausible.
At 73, Mead is in his element. His work was recognized in October with a special jury commendation from the Smithsonian's National Design Awards. A director's cut of Blade Runner is due for release next year, on the film's 25th anniversary. And a documentary, Visual Futurist: The Art and Life of Syd Mead, is making the rounds. Writer/director Joaquin Montalvan captures Mead as a bespectacled genius at the drawing table, tweaking elements of industrial engineering into the stuff of dreams.
Mead, who lives in Pasadena, Calif., began making his mark on Hollywood with theV'ger spaceship for Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979). He created the electronic netherworld of Tron (1982), the Sulaco spacecraft for Aliens (1986), the Leonov ship in 2010 (1984), and a mask-making machine for this year's Mission: Impossible III.
Mead has designed superyachts, nightclubs, theme parks, hotels, video games, snowboard graphics, and an $87-million flying palace for the late King Fahd of Saudi Arabia. Current projects include a tower for a client in the Middle East, which springs from a base that looks suspiciously like a flying saucer.
Mead describes himself as “disturbingly rational,” but is willing to concede that others might see him as “carefully crazy.”
He sees little mystery in his method, which involves painting meticulous scenarios that bring scripts to life and provide the basis for prop and set construction. The scale is inevitably larger than life, the silence deafening, the scenes—trucks marching across a moonscape on robotic legs—bizarre
“The premise is based more on science than on fiction,” Mead says. “You can't imagine something you can't imagine.”
Blade Runner remains his monument. Unlike Metropolis (1927), which portrayed the city of the future as clean and smoothly functional, Mead made Blade Runner chaotic and technical “in an almost punitive way.”
Mead personally doesn't subscribe to that bleak view, and as proof he points to an illustration in Oblagon showing a utopian city in full sun. That's his way of saying the future might yet bring “Elysian gardens, at least in pockets,” if we get our act together. (107 minutes; www.withoutabox.com)
That should give architects pause. Mead is responsible for the intense settings of the 1982 sci-fi film Blade Runner. His brilliant, disturbing vision of Los Angeles, circa 2019 (above), defined for a generation the look and feel of civilization's imminent collapse.
Mead didn't conjure his future L.A. from scratch. He blew up a Manhattan skyline by 300 percent and made a few modifications. He figured that stretching the skyscrapers to 3,000 feet would mean accommodating many more people, so he redesigned the bases as pyramids to provide more entryways. He mixed a stew of historical styles into what he calls “retro deco.” The darkly glorious results are preserved in the book Oblagon: Concepts of Syd Mead. A quarter-century later, we're still not there. But the fantasy looks strangely plausible.
At 73, Mead is in his element. His work was recognized in October with a special jury commendation from the Smithsonian's National Design Awards. A director's cut of Blade Runner is due for release next year, on the film's 25th anniversary. And a documentary, Visual Futurist: The Art and Life of Syd Mead, is making the rounds. Writer/director Joaquin Montalvan captures Mead as a bespectacled genius at the drawing table, tweaking elements of industrial engineering into the stuff of dreams.
Mead, who lives in Pasadena, Calif., began making his mark on Hollywood with theV'ger spaceship for Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979). He created the electronic netherworld of Tron (1982), the Sulaco spacecraft for Aliens (1986), the Leonov ship in 2010 (1984), and a mask-making machine for this year's Mission: Impossible III.
Mead has designed superyachts, nightclubs, theme parks, hotels, video games, snowboard graphics, and an $87-million flying palace for the late King Fahd of Saudi Arabia. Current projects include a tower for a client in the Middle East, which springs from a base that looks suspiciously like a flying saucer.
Mead describes himself as “disturbingly rational,” but is willing to concede that others might see him as “carefully crazy.”
He sees little mystery in his method, which involves painting meticulous scenarios that bring scripts to life and provide the basis for prop and set construction. The scale is inevitably larger than life, the silence deafening, the scenes—trucks marching across a moonscape on robotic legs—bizarre
“The premise is based more on science than on fiction,” Mead says. “You can't imagine something you can't imagine.”
Blade Runner remains his monument. Unlike Metropolis (1927), which portrayed the city of the future as clean and smoothly functional, Mead made Blade Runner chaotic and technical “in an almost punitive way.”
Mead personally doesn't subscribe to that bleak view, and as proof he points to an illustration in Oblagon showing a utopian city in full sun. That's his way of saying the future might yet bring “Elysian gardens, at least in pockets,” if we get our act together. (107 minutes; www.withoutabox.com)
"VISUAL FUTURIST" interviewed by Pasadena Weekly!
Oct 05, 2006 06:09PM
According to Syd Mead, the future is looking up. The legendary designer,
who makes his home in Pasadena’s woodsy South Arroyo neighborhood, has enjoyed a nearly five-decade career imagining the future for a living. His visions of sleek silver cars, teeming metallic skylines and giant robotic greyhounds — all well lit and efficient — have been employed by everyone from the Ford Motor Co. to Warner Bros. Studios. And he’s gained a devoted cult of admirers too, not only for his detailed futurist scenarios but also for his astounding ability with paint and brush.
Mead’s work has long remained the secret of design professionals and Hollywood insiders, as well as art students and science fiction fans who have done their research. But with a 2006 National Design Award for his work, a new documentary film on his life and career and a rare gallery showing in downtown Los Angeles, the time is right for everyone to discover the beautiful visions of Syd Mead.
“I’m essentially a visual storyteller,” Mead says matter-of-factly. Born in St. Paul, Minn., in 1933, Mead was drawing machinery by the time he was 3. In grade school, he drew classmates’ dogs and charged them a quarter for the pictures. After serving three years in the military, he attended Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, and from there Ford snapped him up for employment. But to Mead’s restless imagination, the company’s time clock-governed environment felt like a straitjacket.
In 1970 he founded Syd Mead, Inc., the freelance venture that saw him designing hi-fi stereos for Philips, flying palaces for Saudi royalty and futurist images for Hollywood. His film work includes designs for “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” “Tron,” “2010” and “Mission: Impossible III,” as well as extensive set and vehicle designs for the 1982 sci-fi classic “Blade Runner,” the project for which he remains best known today.
This year, the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum recognized Mead’s singular career at its National Design Awards, selecting him as the recipient of its Special Jury Commendation.
“They told me, ‘We were going to give you the lifetime achievement award, but you’re not old enough,’” Mead says. “So I thought, ‘That’s cool.’” Next to the other award categories, such as Fashion Design and Landscape Design, the Jury Commendation serves as something of a catchall for unusual cases.
“When you look at the award recipients, most of them come from the world of practical, real-world design,” says Michael Bierut, a partner at Pentagram Design and one of this year’s jury members. “Syd Mead works at the other end of the spectrum. He renders worlds and scenarios out of his head and makes them more real than real. And really, that’s what the creative end of design is supposed to be.”
Mead explains his eligibility for the award more bluntly: “I don’t fit into a category.”
To complement the award, Mead is also enjoying attention as the subject of a new independent documentary. Pasadena filmmaker Joaquin Montalvan shot and edited 26 hours of interview footage — including more than nine with Mead himself — to compile “Visual Futurist: The Art & Life of Syd Mead.” He spoke with admirers ranging from Steven Lisberger, the director of “Tron,” to Chuck Jordan, the former design chief for General Motors.
“Syd commands a lot of respect,” Montalvan says. “It’s like you mention his name and a door opens.”
The film also provides an in-depth look at Mead’s artwork — quite literally. Montalvan’s shots plunge inside and around Mead’s paintings in slow zooms and pans. With an ambient soundtrack by Grammy-nominated composer Richard Souther, the technique produces a hypnotic and gently spiritual tone. “Visual Futurist” premiered July 23 at the Dances With Films Festival in Los Angeles, where it won the Audience Award for Best Documentary. One rabid Syd Mead fan drove all the way from Sacramento to make the show.
Montalvan is now entertaining offers for distribution. He says the film will be available for purchase in 2007.
Originally, the director became aware of Mead through “Blade Runner,” but he soon discovered another side to his subject.
“The rest of his work is fundamentally different,” Montalvan says. “If you look at all of Syd Mead’s stuff, it’s much brighter.”
When asked about “Blade Runner,” Mead professes wonder that the movie has proved so iconic. “It’s in the Library of Congress, in the company of ‘Casablanca,’ ‘Citizen Kane’ and ‘Gone With the Wind,’” he says proudly. But he also admits, without hesitation, that his own worldview is far less bleak.
“I was hired to help [director Ridley Scott] make a noir film,” he says. “With cautions as to social evolution and the madness currently assaulting the Western frame of mind, I think things are going to get better. We have more people working for the future than ever before.”
For those who want to see Mead’s visions up close and personal, Crewest Gallery in downtown Los Angeles is currently hosting “The Hidden Futures,” a group exhibit featuring three pieces by the designer. Mead’s relationship to gallery culture has always been testy — he calls it a “business of pleasing people who might buy something they don’t understand” — and accordingly his paintings seldom show in public.
“It’s so rare to see his work in person and examine it up close,” says Man One, the Los Angeles graffiti artist who co-founded Crewest. “I can’t even fathom how he paints with small brushes and gets that super-high realism.
… People come in here thinking those are computer-generated images.” Crewest specializes in urban and underground artists, but Man One sees no problem fitting Mead into this set.
“Whether he knows it or not, he’s inspired a lot of this street culture,” he says.
Whatever legacy he’s already left, Mead, now a lively 73, is still hard at work. He mentions new jobs: an “attraction on top of a large building” in Tokyo and a potential film project he can’t discuss. It seems he’ll be working at his paint-stained drafting board for years to come, rendering the future.
Asked what he sees ahead for technology, Mead has plenty of answers. “I think there will come a time when there will be no particular point in owning a car,” he says. “I think you’ll be able to just call a car. It’ll come to your house, and away you go. The car becomes its own entity.”
And for the human race?
“I think we’re going to be biologically evolved by our own efforts,” he says. “We’re going to take over evolution. I mean, sex choice can be done now to guarantee the sex of a child before it’s born. What’s going to happen when you can dial in more intelligence?”
But why has Mead always been so fascinated by the future? What keeps him going forward?
Sitting in his low-lying living room, with leafy trees shimmering outside, Mead stops and considers the question.
“It’s mysterious,” he says. “It gives you a clean slate.”
Mead’s work has long remained the secret of design professionals and Hollywood insiders, as well as art students and science fiction fans who have done their research. But with a 2006 National Design Award for his work, a new documentary film on his life and career and a rare gallery showing in downtown Los Angeles, the time is right for everyone to discover the beautiful visions of Syd Mead.
“I’m essentially a visual storyteller,” Mead says matter-of-factly. Born in St. Paul, Minn., in 1933, Mead was drawing machinery by the time he was 3. In grade school, he drew classmates’ dogs and charged them a quarter for the pictures. After serving three years in the military, he attended Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, and from there Ford snapped him up for employment. But to Mead’s restless imagination, the company’s time clock-governed environment felt like a straitjacket.
In 1970 he founded Syd Mead, Inc., the freelance venture that saw him designing hi-fi stereos for Philips, flying palaces for Saudi royalty and futurist images for Hollywood. His film work includes designs for “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” “Tron,” “2010” and “Mission: Impossible III,” as well as extensive set and vehicle designs for the 1982 sci-fi classic “Blade Runner,” the project for which he remains best known today.
This year, the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum recognized Mead’s singular career at its National Design Awards, selecting him as the recipient of its Special Jury Commendation.
“They told me, ‘We were going to give you the lifetime achievement award, but you’re not old enough,’” Mead says. “So I thought, ‘That’s cool.’” Next to the other award categories, such as Fashion Design and Landscape Design, the Jury Commendation serves as something of a catchall for unusual cases.
“When you look at the award recipients, most of them come from the world of practical, real-world design,” says Michael Bierut, a partner at Pentagram Design and one of this year’s jury members. “Syd Mead works at the other end of the spectrum. He renders worlds and scenarios out of his head and makes them more real than real. And really, that’s what the creative end of design is supposed to be.”
Mead explains his eligibility for the award more bluntly: “I don’t fit into a category.”
To complement the award, Mead is also enjoying attention as the subject of a new independent documentary. Pasadena filmmaker Joaquin Montalvan shot and edited 26 hours of interview footage — including more than nine with Mead himself — to compile “Visual Futurist: The Art & Life of Syd Mead.” He spoke with admirers ranging from Steven Lisberger, the director of “Tron,” to Chuck Jordan, the former design chief for General Motors.
“Syd commands a lot of respect,” Montalvan says. “It’s like you mention his name and a door opens.”
The film also provides an in-depth look at Mead’s artwork — quite literally. Montalvan’s shots plunge inside and around Mead’s paintings in slow zooms and pans. With an ambient soundtrack by Grammy-nominated composer Richard Souther, the technique produces a hypnotic and gently spiritual tone. “Visual Futurist” premiered July 23 at the Dances With Films Festival in Los Angeles, where it won the Audience Award for Best Documentary. One rabid Syd Mead fan drove all the way from Sacramento to make the show.
Montalvan is now entertaining offers for distribution. He says the film will be available for purchase in 2007.
Originally, the director became aware of Mead through “Blade Runner,” but he soon discovered another side to his subject.
“The rest of his work is fundamentally different,” Montalvan says. “If you look at all of Syd Mead’s stuff, it’s much brighter.”
When asked about “Blade Runner,” Mead professes wonder that the movie has proved so iconic. “It’s in the Library of Congress, in the company of ‘Casablanca,’ ‘Citizen Kane’ and ‘Gone With the Wind,’” he says proudly. But he also admits, without hesitation, that his own worldview is far less bleak.
“I was hired to help [director Ridley Scott] make a noir film,” he says. “With cautions as to social evolution and the madness currently assaulting the Western frame of mind, I think things are going to get better. We have more people working for the future than ever before.”
For those who want to see Mead’s visions up close and personal, Crewest Gallery in downtown Los Angeles is currently hosting “The Hidden Futures,” a group exhibit featuring three pieces by the designer. Mead’s relationship to gallery culture has always been testy — he calls it a “business of pleasing people who might buy something they don’t understand” — and accordingly his paintings seldom show in public.
“It’s so rare to see his work in person and examine it up close,” says Man One, the Los Angeles graffiti artist who co-founded Crewest. “I can’t even fathom how he paints with small brushes and gets that super-high realism.
… People come in here thinking those are computer-generated images.” Crewest specializes in urban and underground artists, but Man One sees no problem fitting Mead into this set.
“Whether he knows it or not, he’s inspired a lot of this street culture,” he says.
Whatever legacy he’s already left, Mead, now a lively 73, is still hard at work. He mentions new jobs: an “attraction on top of a large building” in Tokyo and a potential film project he can’t discuss. It seems he’ll be working at his paint-stained drafting board for years to come, rendering the future.
Asked what he sees ahead for technology, Mead has plenty of answers. “I think there will come a time when there will be no particular point in owning a car,” he says. “I think you’ll be able to just call a car. It’ll come to your house, and away you go. The car becomes its own entity.”
And for the human race?
“I think we’re going to be biologically evolved by our own efforts,” he says. “We’re going to take over evolution. I mean, sex choice can be done now to guarantee the sex of a child before it’s born. What’s going to happen when you can dial in more intelligence?”
But why has Mead always been so fascinated by the future? What keeps him going forward?
Sitting in his low-lying living room, with leafy trees shimmering outside, Mead stops and considers the question.
“It’s mysterious,” he says. “It gives you a clean slate.”
"VISUAL FUTURIST" to screen in Big Bear on 9/16 at 1:30 P.M.!
Sep 06, 2006 02:40PM
For those who missed the World Premiere at Dances With
Films, "VISUAL FUTURIST: the art & life of syd mead will be
screening on Saturday, September 16th at 1:30 P.M. as
part of the Big Bear International Film Festival in Village
Theatre North.
For ticket/festival info go to: http://www.bigbearlakefilmfestival.com
Hope to see you ALL there!
For ticket/festival info go to: http://www.bigbearlakefilmfestival.com
Hope to see you ALL there!
"artist interviews" JOAQUIN MONTALVAN!
Sep 05, 2006 10:58AM
Joaquin Montalvan is making an impact on the documentary world for "Visual Futurist: The Art and Life of Syd Mead."
The documentary delivers a profound insight into the life of Syd, the artist and designer that created the environment in movies such as "Blade Runner" and classics such as "Tron," "Strange Days," "Short Circuit," "Aliens," "2010," "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," "Mission to Mars," "Johnny Mnemonic," and "Mission Impossible III." His art has influenced the Hollywood that we know today. The world that Syd created for Blade Runner captivated audiences for decades and is still a cult film that has even influenced the world of fashion.
The documentary won the Audience Award at 2006 Dances with Films Festival and had the highest rating in the Festival's history.
Montalvan was born in Los Angeles, California, and raised in Alhambra and Pasadena. He studied film making and acting at U.C.L.A. and completed his first feature film "The Sleep of Reason" in 2000. His second feature "ADAGIO" was completed in 2002. It screened that year at SITGES International Film Festival of Catalunya. "Skinhead", his first documentary, screened at SITGES in 2003, and premiered in the U.S. at Dances With Films, and went on to screen at Big Bear International Film Festival.
Montalvan is presently working on his third narrative film. We spoke with Joaquin after the screening. He was enthusiastic and shared with us his insights about Syd Mead and his career.
Joaquin, you produced a documentary about a Skinhead that had a strong social commentary.
Well, I met the subject of the documentary at a church picnic. He started talking about how it ha been 2 weeks since he had gotten out of jail, and that he was very grateful that a family had taken him in while he was still on probation. I was instantly and completely compelled by the contradiction of the environment in which he was speaking, and the world he had come from. I asked him on the spot if he was interested in doing a documentary and he agreed. I wanted to capture this unique time before he got cleaned up and show the struggle of a 2-strike felon who has a third strike hanging over his head. When I learned he was a "Skinhead" who had been "saved", in the Christian sense, in prison by a black Chaplain, I new I had something really special.
What inspired you to start producing documentaries?
It was not my intention to make documentaries. That is to say, I wasn't sitting down thinking I would like to make a documentary. Prior to "Skinhead", I had made 2 feature narrative films with myself in the lead role. I simply was enthralled by the subject, the "Skinhead", and had to tell his story. Interestingly enough, this is the film that Syd Mead and his business manager watched prior to consenting to my documenting of Syd's art and life in "Visual Futurist: the art & life of syd mead". I don't know that it was their cup of tea, so to speak, but they must have thought it was professional enough to allow me to work with them. I still don't know what they thought of the film.
You met Syd Mead through Blade Zone. Can you tell us how you came up to do the documentary and how did filming begin?
I was at a low point financially. I didn't even have enough money to buy DV tape... So, out of nervous curiosity, I was chumming the internet for "Blade Runner" memorabilia when I came upon a website called "Bladezone" which is a "Blade Runner" internet museum, of sorts. I noticed that Syd Mead had e-mailed them several times and he came across very personable and friendly. Most notably, he indicated he lived in Pasadena. I live in Pasadena. A bell went off! I "Google" searched Syd Mead and found his official website. I e-mailed him asking him if he would be interested in a documentary on his art and his career. Within an hour, I received an e-mail from his business manager indicating they were interested. 3 days later we met, and the rest is history... that was sometime in August of 2004.
You interviewed the Director of Tron, Deerhunter, among many others for the documentary. Can you tell us about the production of the documentary?
The nice thing about documentaries is that you don't need a script. Just set up an interview and show up with the questions. In a way, the questions are a kind of script, and they can be a kind of arc for the structure of the documentary. Hopefully, they're just a starting point for the subject to take off from. I don't ask questions to elicit the response I want to hear. I try to ask questions that elicit responses I have never heard before. I want to be shocked! I did countless hours of research on Syd Mead and his work before conceiving a single question. I shot over 9 hours of interview footage on Syd Mead alone, not including the footage of him driving his Mercedes 300SL Gullwing (which he has since sold), as well as footage at conventions and book signings. I also had about 13 hours of interview footage from the other participants bringing the total amount of footage to approximately 26 hours. Then, there is Syd's art! ...selecting which pieces to use and when. There is so much detail to Syd's work that there are many ways one can display it in a film. Finding the right camera angle and movement to maximize the impact of his images was probably the most enjoyable aspect of making the film. Receiving a disc from Syd with his amazing views of worlds was like opening up Christmas presents when I was a kid... Finally, sitting down with the Composer and Sound Designer, Richard Souther, in his studio and listening to music which has never existed before, that I am NOW hearing for the first time over the images of the film and Syd's art, bringing everything to life sonically, I'd have to say...is the most exciting aspect of filmmaking. It is indescribable...it's Heaven on Earth.
How did Syd react when he knew that you wanted to make a documentary about him?
Syd was very enthusiastic. I never felt anything but total confidence and respect. I was dealing with his art and his "image", yet both Syd and his business manager never questioned me. I had final cut, although out of courtesy, I did want them to be happy and approving of the finished product, which they were. The only changes that were made were with regard to his artwork in terms of swapping out some pieces for higher resolution ones, or actually adding more artwork to some of the segments.
Syd created the scenario and world of Blade Runner which influenced Hollywood. You can see his impact from “The Matrix” to "Batman Begins" His work speaks to film makers since 1982.
The "Blade Runner" influence is pervasive! Since it was released back in 1982, it immediately began to be emulated. First, and foremost, by Terry Gilliam's "Brazil" on up through the most recent example, Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins". Ironic, considering that when it first came out it was a financial failure. I think it caught people off guard when it came out. It wasn't what they were expecting. I remember people complaining about it being too dark, or not understanding what it was all about ...I never understood that. I was totally engrossed by the look and feel of it! I've always loved it, from the beginning.Syd also worked on the production of Mission Impossible III. The first film Syd Mead worked on was "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" where he designed the V'ger entity. Then came his signature work "Blade Runner", and later that same year, the innovative film "TRON". He has since worked on "2010", "Aliens", "Short Circuit", "Johnny Mnemonic", "Strange Days", "Mission to Mars", and most recently, "Mission Impossible 3" where he designed the mask maker.
You did a screening in Syd's house. What was the experience?
The screening at Syd's house was an incredible experience. Many of the people who participated in the documentary attended it and they were quite impressed with the film. I was told that the evening was very inspiring, and I was actually asked for autographs by several people which had never happened to me. It was a humbling experience to be acknowledged in such a way by these industry veterans whom I admire and respect.
How did you feel to receive the Award at Dances with Films?
To win the Audience Award at Dances With Films with the highest rating in the festival's 9 year history...what can I say? You can't ask for much more than that, short of actually selling the film. It says a lot about the strong market which the film has...one fan even drove all the way down from Sacramento just to come watch the film. The audience that attended was a genuine reflection and representation of the film's market. I only had a few friends present at the screening. The vast majority of the people who showed up to watch the film were true Syd Mead fans. Considering that's who I made the film for, it was very gratifying to experience...them embracing the film.
Syd has been honored in the Whitehouse this year and is going to be receiving a Special Jury Commendation Award in New York.
Syd Mead received a "Special Jury Commendation" from the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum as a result of the body of his work, as well as his influence to designers and artists the world over. As a result of this, he was honored with an invitation to the White House to have brunch with First Lady Laura Bush and the other honorees. The formal award will be presented to him in New York city in October. It is my sincere hope that "Visual Futurist: the art & life of syd mead" will bring Syd even greater recognition, honor, and...of course, fame.
What project are you planning for the future?
Right now I'm busy promoting "Visual Futurist: the art & life of syd mead" which will be screening next at Big Bear International Film Festival in September. If you haven't yet had a chance to see it...here's another opportunity. To remain posted on the latest news and upcoming screenings, please visit the official film page at: http://audience.withoutabox.com/films/visualfuturist
As for my other work, I have 2 films which will be screening at the Arclight Cinemas in Hollywood as part of the LA Shorts Fest: The first is a documentary "Baptized at Katrina: A Refugee Story" screening on Friday, September 8th, at 3:00 p.m. that concerns a displaced Katrina victim's fight to overcome the despair of his circumstances. The second is a narrative visual piece called"Transfiguration" screening on Wednesday, September 6th, at 10:00 p.m. that concerns a man who is on the brink of suicide. I am presently finishing the editing of a narrative feature film which should be completed, and ready to start playing the festivals as of next month. To be purposefully vague, I would classify it as a Psycho-Spiritual Thriller.
The documentary delivers a profound insight into the life of Syd, the artist and designer that created the environment in movies such as "Blade Runner" and classics such as "Tron," "Strange Days," "Short Circuit," "Aliens," "2010," "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," "Mission to Mars," "Johnny Mnemonic," and "Mission Impossible III." His art has influenced the Hollywood that we know today. The world that Syd created for Blade Runner captivated audiences for decades and is still a cult film that has even influenced the world of fashion.
The documentary won the Audience Award at 2006 Dances with Films Festival and had the highest rating in the Festival's history.
Montalvan was born in Los Angeles, California, and raised in Alhambra and Pasadena. He studied film making and acting at U.C.L.A. and completed his first feature film "The Sleep of Reason" in 2000. His second feature "ADAGIO" was completed in 2002. It screened that year at SITGES International Film Festival of Catalunya. "Skinhead", his first documentary, screened at SITGES in 2003, and premiered in the U.S. at Dances With Films, and went on to screen at Big Bear International Film Festival.
Montalvan is presently working on his third narrative film. We spoke with Joaquin after the screening. He was enthusiastic and shared with us his insights about Syd Mead and his career.
Joaquin, you produced a documentary about a Skinhead that had a strong social commentary.
Well, I met the subject of the documentary at a church picnic. He started talking about how it ha been 2 weeks since he had gotten out of jail, and that he was very grateful that a family had taken him in while he was still on probation. I was instantly and completely compelled by the contradiction of the environment in which he was speaking, and the world he had come from. I asked him on the spot if he was interested in doing a documentary and he agreed. I wanted to capture this unique time before he got cleaned up and show the struggle of a 2-strike felon who has a third strike hanging over his head. When I learned he was a "Skinhead" who had been "saved", in the Christian sense, in prison by a black Chaplain, I new I had something really special.
What inspired you to start producing documentaries?
It was not my intention to make documentaries. That is to say, I wasn't sitting down thinking I would like to make a documentary. Prior to "Skinhead", I had made 2 feature narrative films with myself in the lead role. I simply was enthralled by the subject, the "Skinhead", and had to tell his story. Interestingly enough, this is the film that Syd Mead and his business manager watched prior to consenting to my documenting of Syd's art and life in "Visual Futurist: the art & life of syd mead". I don't know that it was their cup of tea, so to speak, but they must have thought it was professional enough to allow me to work with them. I still don't know what they thought of the film.
You met Syd Mead through Blade Zone. Can you tell us how you came up to do the documentary and how did filming begin?
I was at a low point financially. I didn't even have enough money to buy DV tape... So, out of nervous curiosity, I was chumming the internet for "Blade Runner" memorabilia when I came upon a website called "Bladezone" which is a "Blade Runner" internet museum, of sorts. I noticed that Syd Mead had e-mailed them several times and he came across very personable and friendly. Most notably, he indicated he lived in Pasadena. I live in Pasadena. A bell went off! I "Google" searched Syd Mead and found his official website. I e-mailed him asking him if he would be interested in a documentary on his art and his career. Within an hour, I received an e-mail from his business manager indicating they were interested. 3 days later we met, and the rest is history... that was sometime in August of 2004.
You interviewed the Director of Tron, Deerhunter, among many others for the documentary. Can you tell us about the production of the documentary?
The nice thing about documentaries is that you don't need a script. Just set up an interview and show up with the questions. In a way, the questions are a kind of script, and they can be a kind of arc for the structure of the documentary. Hopefully, they're just a starting point for the subject to take off from. I don't ask questions to elicit the response I want to hear. I try to ask questions that elicit responses I have never heard before. I want to be shocked! I did countless hours of research on Syd Mead and his work before conceiving a single question. I shot over 9 hours of interview footage on Syd Mead alone, not including the footage of him driving his Mercedes 300SL Gullwing (which he has since sold), as well as footage at conventions and book signings. I also had about 13 hours of interview footage from the other participants bringing the total amount of footage to approximately 26 hours. Then, there is Syd's art! ...selecting which pieces to use and when. There is so much detail to Syd's work that there are many ways one can display it in a film. Finding the right camera angle and movement to maximize the impact of his images was probably the most enjoyable aspect of making the film. Receiving a disc from Syd with his amazing views of worlds was like opening up Christmas presents when I was a kid... Finally, sitting down with the Composer and Sound Designer, Richard Souther, in his studio and listening to music which has never existed before, that I am NOW hearing for the first time over the images of the film and Syd's art, bringing everything to life sonically, I'd have to say...is the most exciting aspect of filmmaking. It is indescribable...it's Heaven on Earth.
How did Syd react when he knew that you wanted to make a documentary about him?
Syd was very enthusiastic. I never felt anything but total confidence and respect. I was dealing with his art and his "image", yet both Syd and his business manager never questioned me. I had final cut, although out of courtesy, I did want them to be happy and approving of the finished product, which they were. The only changes that were made were with regard to his artwork in terms of swapping out some pieces for higher resolution ones, or actually adding more artwork to some of the segments.
Syd created the scenario and world of Blade Runner which influenced Hollywood. You can see his impact from “The Matrix” to "Batman Begins" His work speaks to film makers since 1982.
The "Blade Runner" influence is pervasive! Since it was released back in 1982, it immediately began to be emulated. First, and foremost, by Terry Gilliam's "Brazil" on up through the most recent example, Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins". Ironic, considering that when it first came out it was a financial failure. I think it caught people off guard when it came out. It wasn't what they were expecting. I remember people complaining about it being too dark, or not understanding what it was all about ...I never understood that. I was totally engrossed by the look and feel of it! I've always loved it, from the beginning.Syd also worked on the production of Mission Impossible III. The first film Syd Mead worked on was "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" where he designed the V'ger entity. Then came his signature work "Blade Runner", and later that same year, the innovative film "TRON". He has since worked on "2010", "Aliens", "Short Circuit", "Johnny Mnemonic", "Strange Days", "Mission to Mars", and most recently, "Mission Impossible 3" where he designed the mask maker.
You did a screening in Syd's house. What was the experience?
The screening at Syd's house was an incredible experience. Many of the people who participated in the documentary attended it and they were quite impressed with the film. I was told that the evening was very inspiring, and I was actually asked for autographs by several people which had never happened to me. It was a humbling experience to be acknowledged in such a way by these industry veterans whom I admire and respect.
How did you feel to receive the Award at Dances with Films?
To win the Audience Award at Dances With Films with the highest rating in the festival's 9 year history...what can I say? You can't ask for much more than that, short of actually selling the film. It says a lot about the strong market which the film has...one fan even drove all the way down from Sacramento just to come watch the film. The audience that attended was a genuine reflection and representation of the film's market. I only had a few friends present at the screening. The vast majority of the people who showed up to watch the film were true Syd Mead fans. Considering that's who I made the film for, it was very gratifying to experience...them embracing the film.
Syd has been honored in the Whitehouse this year and is going to be receiving a Special Jury Commendation Award in New York.
Syd Mead received a "Special Jury Commendation" from the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum as a result of the body of his work, as well as his influence to designers and artists the world over. As a result of this, he was honored with an invitation to the White House to have brunch with First Lady Laura Bush and the other honorees. The formal award will be presented to him in New York city in October. It is my sincere hope that "Visual Futurist: the art & life of syd mead" will bring Syd even greater recognition, honor, and...of course, fame.
What project are you planning for the future?
Right now I'm busy promoting "Visual Futurist: the art & life of syd mead" which will be screening next at Big Bear International Film Festival in September. If you haven't yet had a chance to see it...here's another opportunity. To remain posted on the latest news and upcoming screenings, please visit the official film page at: http://audience.withoutabox.com/films/visualfuturist
As for my other work, I have 2 films which will be screening at the Arclight Cinemas in Hollywood as part of the LA Shorts Fest: The first is a documentary "Baptized at Katrina: A Refugee Story" screening on Friday, September 8th, at 3:00 p.m. that concerns a displaced Katrina victim's fight to overcome the despair of his circumstances. The second is a narrative visual piece called"Transfiguration" screening on Wednesday, September 6th, at 10:00 p.m. that concerns a man who is on the brink of suicide. I am presently finishing the editing of a narrative feature film which should be completed, and ready to start playing the festivals as of next month. To be purposefully vague, I would classify it as a Psycho-Spiritual Thriller.
"VISUAL FUTURIST" to screen at Big Bear International Film Festival!
Aug 26, 2006 03:33PM
"VISUAL FUTURIST" has been accepted to screen at the Big Bear
International Film Festival which runs from September 15-17 at
beautiful Big Bear Lake.
Screening date and time to be announced soon!
Screening date and time to be announced soon!
FILM THREAT writes up VISUAL FUTURIST!
Aug 09, 2006 05:43PM
DANCESWITHFILMS concluded July 27 at Laemmle’s Fairfax 3 in Los Angeles. Fest highlights: Alumni John Putch and Jerry Rapp presented their new feature, MOJAVI PHONE BOOTH, starring Steve Guttenberg, Annabeth Gish and Christina Elise, with many of the actors in attendance. Syd Mead, the pioneering designer responsible for the look of BLADE RUNNER, ALIENS and TRON, made a special appearance at a showing of VISUAL FUTURIST, a doc about his life and work.
This year’s winners are:
Jury Award ~ "Best of DancesWithFilms" Feature ~ INSIDE ~ Jeff Mahler, writer/director/producer
Jury Award Honorable Mention Feature ~ THE MENSAHIB ~ Kruti Majmudar, writer/director/producer
Audience Award Feature ~ ALWAYS WILL ~ Michael Sammaciccia, writer/director/producer; producers, Matthew Petrilla, Chip Schofield
Jury Award Short ~ "Best of DancesWithFilms" ~ SHIFT ~ Jonathan Yi, writer/director/producer; producer, Michael Haertlein
Jury Award Honorable Mention Short ~ WHITE PICKET FENCES ~ Caitlin Dahl, writer/director/producer; producer Joshua Meyerson
Audience Award Short ~ DIRTY MARY ~ Daniele Ferraro, writer/producer; director, Stuart Rogers; producers, Dave Rosen, Alicia Ferraro, Mike Drahgi, Stuart Rogers, Wood Schultz
Documentary Audience Award Feature~ VISUAL FUTURIST: THE ART AND LIFE OF SYD MEAD ~ Joaquin Montalvan, writer/director/producer.
Audience Award Fusion Feature ~ WANNABE ~ Richard Keith, writer/director/producer; Craig Young, writer/producer
Audience Award Fusion Short ~ JANIE ~ Christine Shin, writer/director/producer; Judith Fernando, producer
This year’s winners are:
Jury Award ~ "Best of DancesWithFilms" Feature ~ INSIDE ~ Jeff Mahler, writer/director/producer
Jury Award Honorable Mention Feature ~ THE MENSAHIB ~ Kruti Majmudar, writer/director/producer
Audience Award Feature ~ ALWAYS WILL ~ Michael Sammaciccia, writer/director/producer; producers, Matthew Petrilla, Chip Schofield
Jury Award Short ~ "Best of DancesWithFilms" ~ SHIFT ~ Jonathan Yi, writer/director/producer; producer, Michael Haertlein
Jury Award Honorable Mention Short ~ WHITE PICKET FENCES ~ Caitlin Dahl, writer/director/producer; producer Joshua Meyerson
Audience Award Short ~ DIRTY MARY ~ Daniele Ferraro, writer/producer; director, Stuart Rogers; producers, Dave Rosen, Alicia Ferraro, Mike Drahgi, Stuart Rogers, Wood Schultz
Documentary Audience Award Feature~ VISUAL FUTURIST: THE ART AND LIFE OF SYD MEAD ~ Joaquin Montalvan, writer/director/producer.
Audience Award Fusion Feature ~ WANNABE ~ Richard Keith, writer/director/producer; Craig Young, writer/producer
Audience Award Fusion Short ~ JANIE ~ Christine Shin, writer/director/producer; Judith Fernando, producer
THANKS to ALL the SYD MEAD, BLADE RUNNER & TRON fans!
Jul 31, 2006 03:44PM
As a big THANK YOU to ALL the SYD MEAD,
BLADE RUNNER, and TRON fans, I have posted
this candid footage of SYD MEAD leaving the
World Premiere of "VISUAL FUTURIST: the
art & life of syd mead".
THANK YOU!
...and enjoy.
THANK YOU!
...and enjoy.
Variety writes up "VISUAL FUTURIST"!
Jul 30, 2006 01:19AM
DancesWithFilms hands out kudos
The 9th annual DancesWithFilms Film Festival concluded Thursday with numerous awards. Fest rules limit competition to films without any "known" stars, producers, directors or writers.
"Inside" -- Jeff Mahler writer/director/producer. Honorable mention: Kruti Majmudar, writer/director/producer
"Shift" -- Jonathan Yi, writer/director/producer; Michael Haertlein, producer. Honorable mention: "White Picket Fences" Caitlin Dahl, writer/director/producer; Joshua Meyerson, producer
"Always Will" -- Michael Sammaciccia, writer/director/producer; Matthew Petrilla, Chip Schofield, producers.
"Dirty Mary" Daniele Ferraro, writer/producer; Stuart Rogers, director; Dave Rosen, Alicia Ferraro, Mike Drahgi, Stuart Rogers, Woody Schultz, producers.
"Visual Futurist: The Art and Life of Syd Mead" Joaquin Montalvan, writer/director/producer.
The 9th annual DancesWithFilms Film Festival concluded Thursday with numerous awards. Fest rules limit competition to films without any "known" stars, producers, directors or writers.
"Inside" -- Jeff Mahler writer/director/producer. Honorable mention: Kruti Majmudar, writer/director/producer
"Shift" -- Jonathan Yi, writer/director/producer; Michael Haertlein, producer. Honorable mention: "White Picket Fences" Caitlin Dahl, writer/director/producer; Joshua Meyerson, producer
"Always Will" -- Michael Sammaciccia, writer/director/producer; Matthew Petrilla, Chip Schofield, producers.
"Dirty Mary" Daniele Ferraro, writer/producer; Stuart Rogers, director; Dave Rosen, Alicia Ferraro, Mike Drahgi, Stuart Rogers, Woody Schultz, producers.
"Visual Futurist: The Art and Life of Syd Mead" Joaquin Montalvan, writer/director/producer.
"VISUAL FUTURIST" wins Audience Award for Best Documentary!
Jul 28, 2006 08:45AM
"VISUAL FUTURIST: the art & life of syd mead has won
the Audience Award for best documentary at Dances With Films
festival. The festival founders indicated that the average audience
rating for the film, out of a possible 5, was a 4.97...the highest
rating in the festivals 9 year history!
A big THANKS goes out to ALL the Syd Mead, Blade Runner, and TRON fans!
Dances With Films festival Winners!
A big THANKS goes out to ALL the Syd Mead, Blade Runner, and TRON fans!
Dances With Films festival Winners!
"audience" attends "VISUAL FUTURIST" World Premiere!
Jul 26, 2006 06:49AM
A full house for a Sunday afternoon summer screening? When you put Audience in your arsenal, even this is possible! Proof positive: the Dances with Films screening of Joaquin Montalvan's VISUAL FUTURIST at the classic Laemmle's Fairfax Theater. A generous house was wowed by the unheralded arrival of recent White House honoree Syd Mead. The subject of the documentary, Mr. Mead is a legendary designer whose work includes many of the concepts for Blade Runner and Tron. A spirited Q&A followed. Why the packed house? Joaquin turns out to be something of a futurist himself. He wisely seized on the themes of the film--design, local lore, movie history--and sent his Audience page to groups involved in all three. A Cuban American, he also gave interviews to major Hispanic online media. A maven marketer? You bet! Congrats to Joaquin on this successful screening of his film, which looked awesome on the big screen.
"VISUAL FUTURIST" World Premiere Q & A!
Jul 24, 2006 11:16PM
Dances With Films co-founder, Leslee Scallon
interviews Visual Futurist, Syd Mead, and
Director, Joaquin Montalvan at the Premiere
of "VISUAL FUTURIST" at Fairfax Laemmle Theatre.
width="425" height="350">
SYD MEAD interviewed by the Washington Post!
Jul 16, 2006 09:52PM
Syd Mead was interviewed by the Washington Post while he was in Washington for his White House visit.
To read the interview go to:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/14/AR2006071400309_2.html
To read the interview go to:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/14/AR2006071400309_2.html
"BULLFIGHTER'S CAFE" interview with Joaquin Montalvan
Jul 10, 2006 10:09AM
Tron and Blade Runner were films that were so visually ahead of their time , they made a lasting impact on filmmakers and artists for generations after their releases. Syd Mead was the visual genius behind the visuals and Joaquin Montalvan has produced a documentary celebrating his life. "VISUAL FUTURIST: the art & life of syd mead" has been accepted to the Dances With Films Festival. This year the festival runs July 21- 27 at the Laemmle's FAIRFAX 3. Syd Mead will be there for a Q & A. Trailer Screening at the BFC Theater now!
BFC: Where did you grow up? How did you start making movies?
I was born in Los Angeles, and grew up in Alhambra and Pasadena. My parents gave me a lot of freedom as a child. My father was into photography and eventually gave me his first camera, a Minolta. What I remember the most was going to Dodger games and the movies, usually starring Clint Eastwood and Charles Bronson. I started making films in 1999. A friend of mine said he saw me making films and I believed him, so I started doing it. I was the lead in the first two films I made, but I discovered I would rather be creating images looking through the camera, instead of acting in front of it.
BFC: What's your style and where do get your inspiration?
As for style, I don't consciously think about that. I think a director should be like a cinematographer, in the sense that, he should be capable of directing any kind of film, be it documentary, horror, film noir, western, or science fiction. Whatever style emerges, I think, arises out of the themes the director is obsessed with, rather than the visual images per se. My favorite directors, while extremely visual and keenly attune to the sound design of their films, enjoy experimenting with different genres, Stanley Kubrick, Ridley Scott, Michael Mann, David Cronenberg, and Martin Scorsese to name a few. While someone like David Lynch loves to mix genres within a single film. Yes, all these directors can be defined by their visual sense, but I think it is more accurate to state that what defines them is the themes they are obsessed with present in each film regardless of genre.
BFC: What was the main premise of your latest film?
In a documentary, subject determines content. Syd Mead creates worlds for his clients. These spaces truly only exist in his mind, or on celluloid, if we are fortunate enough to have a film based on one of his creations. I wanted to enter his mind and explore those worlds, and to discover his process of creation.
BFC: What have been the obstacles you've run into in making films in general.
Whether one is making a documentary or a narrative film, the tension of creation always stems from the war between CONTROL and CHAOS. CONTROL is what you had planned. CHAOS is what you didn't expect. Whether no budget, or high budget, everyone wants perfect performances and perfect sound. BUT, sometimes the mistakes or irritations created by chaos can IMPROVE the end product if one is willing and flexible enough to use or allow them. Case in point, I was filming a scene in a public park where I could not control the sound of cars, gardeners, or people who do not belong in the world my film is trying to create...SO, the actors had to say a line, wait for sound, say another line, wait for sound, say another line, and so on ad infinitum. I shot 2 hours of footage to make a 3 minute scene. Going through that footage was a pain in the ass, but you know what, the feel of the scene was ENHANCED by the actor's frustration and the space between line deliveries resulted in more intense focus on their part which made the scene much more effective. Unfortunately, sometimes the chaos is completely at odds with the mood you are trying to create and you just have to be patient, easier said than done. I always try to find a way to incorporate these things whenever possible, after all, LIFE isn't perfect, neither is making a film, but sometimes chaos while imperfect, can be more INTERESTING!
BFC: Why the obstacles on the film fest circuit? What are you doing to overcome them?
A lot of the documentaries out there deal with the subject of war, politics, social issues, and/or controversy. My documentary is not about that. It is about Art! ...and, it is a Film about an artist who is revered around the world, yet it has no studio/famous name money behind it. It exists in a paradoxical space. So, ...I've taken matters into my own hands and started to promote the film myself using cyberspace to establish a direct link with the fan base and great things ARE starting to happen. I believe we live in a truly exciting time where ART and TECHNOLOGY are uniting to CREATE new opportunities!
BFC: What is one mistake that you do not want anyone to recreate?
The first film I made, the ending did not work. I know that now. I didn't know that then (2000). Why? It did not go far enough in creating the feel that the film required. I didn't know how to do it back then. I do now. FAILURE is a wonderful teacher as long as you never fail the same way twice. If you're not RISKING enough, then your comfortably MEDIOCRE. Don't be afraid to FAIL, you may just SUCCEED!
BFC: Do you have any words of inspiration for Bullfighter's that want to follow in your footsteps?
Be ORIGINAL! Why be a COPY? Who you are is INFINITELY more interesting than trying to be somebody else. It's more unpredictable. Don't worry about being LIKED! Say what you have to say sincerely. EVERYTHING has ALREADY been done or said, BUT it has not been done or said the way YOU would if you were being HONEST with us.
BFC: Where did you grow up? How did you start making movies?
I was born in Los Angeles, and grew up in Alhambra and Pasadena. My parents gave me a lot of freedom as a child. My father was into photography and eventually gave me his first camera, a Minolta. What I remember the most was going to Dodger games and the movies, usually starring Clint Eastwood and Charles Bronson. I started making films in 1999. A friend of mine said he saw me making films and I believed him, so I started doing it. I was the lead in the first two films I made, but I discovered I would rather be creating images looking through the camera, instead of acting in front of it.
BFC: What's your style and where do get your inspiration?
As for style, I don't consciously think about that. I think a director should be like a cinematographer, in the sense that, he should be capable of directing any kind of film, be it documentary, horror, film noir, western, or science fiction. Whatever style emerges, I think, arises out of the themes the director is obsessed with, rather than the visual images per se. My favorite directors, while extremely visual and keenly attune to the sound design of their films, enjoy experimenting with different genres, Stanley Kubrick, Ridley Scott, Michael Mann, David Cronenberg, and Martin Scorsese to name a few. While someone like David Lynch loves to mix genres within a single film. Yes, all these directors can be defined by their visual sense, but I think it is more accurate to state that what defines them is the themes they are obsessed with present in each film regardless of genre.
BFC: What was the main premise of your latest film?
In a documentary, subject determines content. Syd Mead creates worlds for his clients. These spaces truly only exist in his mind, or on celluloid, if we are fortunate enough to have a film based on one of his creations. I wanted to enter his mind and explore those worlds, and to discover his process of creation.
BFC: What have been the obstacles you've run into in making films in general.
Whether one is making a documentary or a narrative film, the tension of creation always stems from the war between CONTROL and CHAOS. CONTROL is what you had planned. CHAOS is what you didn't expect. Whether no budget, or high budget, everyone wants perfect performances and perfect sound. BUT, sometimes the mistakes or irritations created by chaos can IMPROVE the end product if one is willing and flexible enough to use or allow them. Case in point, I was filming a scene in a public park where I could not control the sound of cars, gardeners, or people who do not belong in the world my film is trying to create...SO, the actors had to say a line, wait for sound, say another line, wait for sound, say another line, and so on ad infinitum. I shot 2 hours of footage to make a 3 minute scene. Going through that footage was a pain in the ass, but you know what, the feel of the scene was ENHANCED by the actor's frustration and the space between line deliveries resulted in more intense focus on their part which made the scene much more effective. Unfortunately, sometimes the chaos is completely at odds with the mood you are trying to create and you just have to be patient, easier said than done. I always try to find a way to incorporate these things whenever possible, after all, LIFE isn't perfect, neither is making a film, but sometimes chaos while imperfect, can be more INTERESTING!
BFC: Why the obstacles on the film fest circuit? What are you doing to overcome them?
A lot of the documentaries out there deal with the subject of war, politics, social issues, and/or controversy. My documentary is not about that. It is about Art! ...and, it is a Film about an artist who is revered around the world, yet it has no studio/famous name money behind it. It exists in a paradoxical space. So, ...I've taken matters into my own hands and started to promote the film myself using cyberspace to establish a direct link with the fan base and great things ARE starting to happen. I believe we live in a truly exciting time where ART and TECHNOLOGY are uniting to CREATE new opportunities!
BFC: What is one mistake that you do not want anyone to recreate?
The first film I made, the ending did not work. I know that now. I didn't know that then (2000). Why? It did not go far enough in creating the feel that the film required. I didn't know how to do it back then. I do now. FAILURE is a wonderful teacher as long as you never fail the same way twice. If you're not RISKING enough, then your comfortably MEDIOCRE. Don't be afraid to FAIL, you may just SUCCEED!
BFC: Do you have any words of inspiration for Bullfighter's that want to follow in your footsteps?
Be ORIGINAL! Why be a COPY? Who you are is INFINITELY more interesting than trying to be somebody else. It's more unpredictable. Don't worry about being LIKED! Say what you have to say sincerely. EVERYTHING has ALREADY been done or said, BUT it has not been done or said the way YOU would if you were being HONEST with us.
SYD MEAD on NPR!
Jul 08, 2006 10:19AM
Syd Mead was interviewed yesterday on
National Public Radio in conjunction with
his upcoming visit to the White House
scheduled for this Monday, July 10th.
To listen to the interview go to:
http://www.wamu.org/programs/dr/
VISUAL FUTURIST tickets on sale as of NOW!!!!!!!
Jul 01, 2006 01:46PM
Tickets for the feature documentary "VISUAL FUTURIST:
the art & life of syd mead are officially on sale as of right
NOW! The screening date is Sunday, July 23rd at 12:30
p.m. at the Laemmle Fairfax Theatre as part of the
Dances With Films festival. There is a high demand
for tickets due to the overwhelming number of SYD MEAD,
BLADE RUNNER, and TRON fans so don't wait...
...to order now, go to: www.danceswithfilms.com
Hope to see you all there!
the art & life of syd mead are officially on sale as of right
NOW! The screening date is Sunday, July 23rd at 12:30
p.m. at the Laemmle Fairfax Theatre as part of the
Dances With Films festival. There is a high demand
for tickets due to the overwhelming number of SYD MEAD,
BLADE RUNNER, and TRON fans so don't wait...
...to order now, go to: www.danceswithfilms.com
Hope to see you all there!
SYD MEAD at THE WHITE HOUSE!
Jun 30, 2006 12:07PM
On July 10, 2006 Laura Bush will host a brunch at
the White House to honor recipients of the 2006
National Design Awards.
A Special Jury Commendation will be awarded to
"VISUAL FUTURIST", SYD MEAD, for his body of
work and for his inspiration to countless artists
and designers around the world.
The official award presentation will take place on
October 18th, 2006 in New York City.
CONGRATULATIONS, SYD!!!!!!!
the White House to honor recipients of the 2006
National Design Awards.
A Special Jury Commendation will be awarded to
"VISUAL FUTURIST", SYD MEAD, for his body of
work and for his inspiration to countless artists
and designers around the world.
The official award presentation will take place on
October 18th, 2006 in New York City.
CONGRATULATIONS, SYD!!!!!!!
SYD MEAD will be present at DWF 2006 for VISUAL FUTURIST Premiere!
Jun 29, 2006 11:00AM
To all SYD MEAD fans!
I just wanted to let you know that SYD MEAD has
confirmed that he will be in attendance for the
July 23rd, 12:30 p.m. screening of VISUAL FUTURIST
at the Laemmle Fairfax theatre as part of the
Dances With Films festival.
There will be a Q & A after!
For tickets go to:
www.danceswithfilms.com
I just wanted to let you know that SYD MEAD has
confirmed that he will be in attendance for the
July 23rd, 12:30 p.m. screening of VISUAL FUTURIST
at the Laemmle Fairfax theatre as part of the
Dances With Films festival.
There will be a Q & A after!
For tickets go to:
www.danceswithfilms.com
VISUAL FUTURIST to play at Laemmle Fairfax on 7/23 at 12:30 p.m.!
Jun 28, 2006 08:25AM
Dances With Films festival has moved from the Laemmle Santa Monica
to the Laemmle Fairfax. This venue is more centrally located and, more
importantly, is much larger and can hold more film goers. Tickets will
be able to be purchased soon directly through the festival website at:
www.danceswithfilms.com
I encourage you to buy your tickets early as demand is still expected
to be high.
Hope to see you there!
to the Laemmle Fairfax. This venue is more centrally located and, more
importantly, is much larger and can hold more film goers. Tickets will
be able to be purchased soon directly through the festival website at:
www.danceswithfilms.com
I encourage you to buy your tickets early as demand is still expected
to be high.
Hope to see you there!
VISUAL FUTURIST World Premiere 7/23 12:30 p.m. at Dances With Films 06
Jun 26, 2006 09:59AM
VISUAL FUTURIST: the art & life of syd mead will make it's
World Premiere at Dances With Films 2006. This truly
independent film festival will be screening the feature
length documentary on Sunday, July 23rd, at 12:30 p.m..
Attendance is sure to be full due to the presence of Syd
Mead, Blade Runner, and TRON fans, so I suggest you get
your tickets early.
The film will be screening in Santa Monica, California at the Laemmle Theatre.
For more information on tickets and the festival go to:
www.danceswithfilms.com
World Premiere at Dances With Films 2006. This truly
independent film festival will be screening the feature
length documentary on Sunday, July 23rd, at 12:30 p.m..
Attendance is sure to be full due to the presence of Syd
Mead, Blade Runner, and TRON fans, so I suggest you get
your tickets early.
The film will be screening in Santa Monica, California at the Laemmle Theatre.
For more information on tickets and the festival go to:
www.danceswithfilms.com
BLADE RUNNER & TRON Artist, SYD MEAD, Documentary World Premiere!
Jun 22, 2006 12:38AM
VISUAL FUTURIST: the art & life of syd mead will have it's World Premiere
at Dances With Films 2006.
This truly independent film festival runs from July 21 through July 28 at
the Santa Monica Laemmle Theatre.
Screening date and time to follow...
at Dances With Films 2006.
This truly independent film festival runs from July 21 through July 28 at
the Santa Monica Laemmle Theatre.
Screening date and time to follow...
A message to all the "BLADE RUNNER" and "TRON" fans!
Jun 20, 2006 10:36AM
If you're a fan of "Blade Runner" or "TRON",
the film "VISUAL FUTURIST: the art & life of
syd mead is made for you!
While Syd Mead has worked on many projects
with many firms throughout his career: Ford,
Philips, 747 interiors for King Fahd, and a yacht
for Donald Trump, he is most known among film
fans all over the world for his designs in the films
"Blade Runner", "TRON", "Aliens", "2010", and
"Star Trek: The Motion Picture" to name a few.
This film spans his entire career and contains
extensive segments on these films including,
the signature films "Blade Runner", and "TRON"
which are covered in detail.
I hope you enjoy the small taste posted below!
Joaquin Montalvan
Sledgehammer Films
the film "VISUAL FUTURIST: the art & life of
syd mead is made for you!
While Syd Mead has worked on many projects
with many firms throughout his career: Ford,
Philips, 747 interiors for King Fahd, and a yacht
for Donald Trump, he is most known among film
fans all over the world for his designs in the films
"Blade Runner", "TRON", "Aliens", "2010", and
"Star Trek: The Motion Picture" to name a few.
This film spans his entire career and contains
extensive segments on these films including,
the signature films "Blade Runner", and "TRON"
which are covered in detail.
I hope you enjoy the small taste posted below!
Joaquin Montalvan
Sledgehammer Films
SYD MEAD AWARDED COOPER-HEWITT NATIONAL DESIGN AWARD 2006
Jun 02, 2006 10:15PM
Congratulations to Syd Mead for receiving a Special Jury
Commendation from the Cooper-Hewitt National Design
Museum in New York. Syd Mead has been selected as a
top designer from over 800 industry professionals
of every state in the nation.
Cheers SYD!
The best is yet to come...
for more info on Syd Mead go to: www.sydmead.com
Commendation from the Cooper-Hewitt National Design
Museum in New York. Syd Mead has been selected as a
top designer from over 800 industry professionals
of every state in the nation.
Cheers SYD!
The best is yet to come...
for more info on Syd Mead go to: www.sydmead.com
VISUAL FUTURIST Soundtrack
May 31, 2006 09:59AM
While I await the posting of the film trailer,
I wanted to let everyone know that the
soundtrack is available for listening and
purchasing at:
www.cdbaby.com/cd/richardsouther4
Enjoy!
I wanted to let everyone know that the
soundtrack is available for listening and
purchasing at:
www.cdbaby.com/cd/richardsouther4
Enjoy!
Welcome to the VISUAL FUTURIST film page!
May 20, 2006 07:53PM
Syd Mead has been creating since he could hold a pencil.
From his first drawings of cars with people in them, to
his concepts for films such as "Blade Runner", he has
been fascinated with scenario. Syd's work is imbued with
a logic and rationale that defies explanation, yet is utterly
plausible. He is living proof that what we loved as children
can be pursued as life's ambition. His career is a testament
to the reality of that successful endeavor. This film delves
into his design mind revealing his world like never before,
and inspiring us to pursue our own dreams!
This page is dedicated to news and information related
to the film.
My (and hopefully yours) rants, raves, pontifications,
and personal comments can be read or made on my
personal page at jam64.
Sincerely,
Joaquin Montalvan
Sledgehammer Films
From his first drawings of cars with people in them, to
his concepts for films such as "Blade Runner", he has
been fascinated with scenario. Syd's work is imbued with
a logic and rationale that defies explanation, yet is utterly
plausible. He is living proof that what we loved as children
can be pursued as life's ambition. His career is a testament
to the reality of that successful endeavor. This film delves
into his design mind revealing his world like never before,
and inspiring us to pursue our own dreams!
This page is dedicated to news and information related
to the film.
My (and hopefully yours) rants, raves, pontifications,
and personal comments can be read or made on my
personal page at jam64.
Sincerely,
Joaquin Montalvan
Sledgehammer Films
Film Maker's Blog
SYD MEAD, "Blade Runner" Artist, Doc Screening 3/18 & 19!
Mar 04, 2008 11:11AM
"VISUAL FUTURIST: the art & life of syd mead" documenting Legendary Conceptual Designer, SYD MEAD, whose work includes the iconic films "Blade Runner", "TRON", "Aliens", "2010", and "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" will be screening on March 18th & 19th at 7:00 P.M. at the Historic Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
"BLADE RUNNER" Artist, SYD MEAD interviewed by Illusion TV!
Nov 29, 2007 10:35AM
Syd Mead has influenced the look of science fiction for nearly three decades. Designing worlds and characters which are rich in a unique style, Syd and his company have defined the way our culture believes sci-fi movies should look. Recently, we asked fans and artists to submit questions to the visual futurist. The questions that our editors picked span the length of Syd's career from a variety of perspectives. With Blade Runner: The Final Cut and Visual Futurist: The Art and Life of Syd Mead currently in release, we thought there was no better time to speak with this living legend.
ILLUSION: You just got back from traveling abroad promoting the documentary "Visual Futurist: The Art and Life of Syd Mead". Can you tell us how your film is being received?
SM: The documentary had its first screening last year at the LA DANCES WITH FILM festival and receiving the highest audience rating in the nine year history of the festival. The documentary was screened at ROMICS comic fantasy festival in Rome;the sceduling folk cut it off after 9O minutes evoking groans and protests from the audience. The documentary was then screened full length at the FORTIETH SITGES FILM FESTIVAL in Sitges, Catalnia/Spain and received enthusiastic reviews and audience response. At this time, November 2OO7, sales have gone past the 1,OOO mark and climbing.
ILLUSION: The Blade Runner Final Cut DVD is releasing soon and I understand you participated in a commentary track for the DVD. Has time changed your perspective on the production? Has it given you any new insight in to how the film influenced your career?
SM: Having the opportunity to work with Sir Ridley Scott on BLADERUNNER was one of the more fortunate events in my professional career, along with working with Raymond Loewey, designing private 747 airplane interiors and a myriad of world-wide corporate clientle. The movie persists because it addresses universal issues of the meaning of humanity (Philip K. Dick's moralistic concerns) and the impact of technology on social ethics and the economic benefits and costs of scientific advancement.
ILLUSION: Having been a part of such influencial films as Blade Runner, Tron, Aliens… and continuing to do amazing work in films like MI-3, do you ever feel like you're competing with your own legacy in your current project?
SM: Of course! Everybody eventually gets to the point, if they have the nerve, to continue to 'work' as their past accomplishments become successful and well received. Some simply 'freeze up' and retire; others relish the new challenges and every fresh chance to 'do it' but better than before.
JoLeyden: (Blade Runner) Did your time in Okinawa and Hong Kong during 1954-1955 influence the subsequent direction of your art in any way?
SM: No.This is a persistent question because of Ridley's packing the RIDLEY-VILLE sets with Kanje symbols. My first trip to the far east was in the 1953-1956 period. I became fascinated with Asian cultural design, food and a very superficial knowledge of customs. My first trip to Tokyo was in 1961, long before I worked on BLADERUNNER in 198O-81.
Driller: (Blade Runner) in preparing for Blade runner did you read Phillip K. Dick's novel , or did you only go by what was in the film script?
SM: I'd only worked in post production with John Dykstra ..REK:TMP, so BLADERUNNER was only the second movie I'd ever worked on, and the first in pre-production. I figured that the script was 'bible' and did not read the softcover DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP after my pre production work on BLADERUNNER was finished and I was working on TRON.
JMaynard: (Tron) How much of the character design was influenced by the limitations of the technology of the early 1980s? If you were making the movie today, what would the characters look like, and how would you get there?
SM: What you saw in the computer generated imagery in TRON was absolutely the cutting edge of computer generated technique then. That's literally all that could be done; shapes were generated by adding or subtracting primitives; no polygons, nurbs, etc. Characters? I did a lot of character work for TRON, and if done today, the mapping on the actor's bodies would be all done as 'projected' overprints. Then, the actors wore black body suits with white tape patterns put on as applique. The scene was shot in black and white, then rotoscoped to the correct color and 'blur' effect. TRON was practically a 'hand-made' production.
Gomez Adama: (Tron) What was syd's inspiration for the environmental look of Tron?
SM: I got the sense from Steven Lisberger, the director, that this was a 'behind the video screen' world. Therefore, nothing had any 'weight' in a physical sense, stuff could 'float' in 3D reference space with no mechanical connection, and the entire illustion had to look like 'solid graphics.' The first look at TRON LAND was inspired by a graphical pattern called a 'sixteen gate square.' This is a pattern that always, no matter how convoluted the pattern is inside the square boundary, has four 'gates' on each side that can match up to any other four 'gate' squares. If you rotate the other squares (can be the exact same on) you get a very visually complicated composite. This was the idea for the TRON LAND landscape that you see when the aerial shot moves toward's SARKS' training camp, a huge articualed hole in the surface. That camp was also created using the primitive volumetric removal technique.
Arturo: (Gundam) When Syd was developing the Turn-A Gundam models, how did he approach developing humanoid robot advancements when the root technology doesn't actually exist?
SM: I used the existing GUNDAM MOBILE SUIT story rational, of course. The MOBILE SUIT idea actually was generated by the very first FOUR ARMED SPACE MODULE for moving stuff. It evolved into an anthromorphic configuration as Tomino-san wrote the stories, needing more character involvement. The whole anime art form, from a story standpoint, always shows teenagers…young people saving the world, confronting ultimate evil, etc., etc. because THAT'S THE AUDIENCE DEMOGRAPHIC…well, up into the low thirties in Japan. What I did was to take the 'STORY' technology rationale and develop robots that used the same technology but fulfilled various story roles, as I do for any design project; movies, vehicles, products, etc.
Slimgenius: How important is it that your mechanical designs appear "real-world" functional?
SM: VERY. That's the mystique that I'm known for. My formal education was in industrial design, both consumer product and transportation. I learned rotational and volumetric rationale. The trick is to create something absolutely startling (that's the end goal) that is recognizable for what it is, and that it looks like it would actually 'work' within the parameters of the technological world in which it exists, even if it is only a picture. If you understand mechanical design, you can 'overlay' a mechanical rational onto anything you come up with and people will see it and say to themselves' "hell, that looks like it would work that way."
Smiling Jack: When creating future designs do you base your concepts strictly on your own imagination or do you try to "evolve" the existing technology organically?
SM: Depends on the client idea. In the case of GUNDAM:TURN 'A', I had to preserve over twenty years of fan appreciation and character recognition when I designed a new 'zero base' for the character. That was much harder to do than coming up with something new, such as the other six robot characters for that anime production. If left to my own curious devices, I first am usually inspired by a techno-article, a new investigation into some weird technological experiment or development. I then match that to a made up story of my own and come up with a visualized combination.
3DSurge: (Industry) What advice do you have for a concept designer who wants to have a consistent work history? Is it better to freelance or work for a studio?
SM: I don't think it matters. There is the whole deal of having a 'steady' income base, although that has gotten pretty shakey lately no matter if you are working for a large corporation or free-lance. In any case, freelancing is creatively very satisfying, usually, depending on the dork quotient of the client, but working for a variety of sources is the best thing, I think. You meet a lot of other professional people in different career categories, and your visibility spreads across several DIFFERENT kinds of work sources.
I never had a linear career; from vehicle design, corporate graphics, product design, aircraft interior design, marine design and working for various movie, television and electronic game productions keeps my visibility level up in a lot of non-related client source areas.
JoeJoe2:(Industry) I have read your Ballistic profile and wanted to know how you accept clients. Do you take all projects offered or do you consider the artistic merit before accepting?
SM: The luxury of working for a long time at a healthy level of accomplishment means that you get more requests than you can fulfill. That allows you to deliberately choose the opportunities that seem to offer the best chance to exercise your creative judgement, to be treated with a level of professional respect and to demand a fee structure that makes it all worthwhile. This stage may take a while or, in cases when you are really at the top of your game early on, it happens fast. I was lucky. Within 26 months from graduating from the Art Center School in LA, I had three luxury cars, a bit house, a salary equal to then studio manager at any of the 'big three' auto companies and a really great life.
WATCH THE TRAILER FOR "VISUAL FUTURIST" HERE
ILLUSION: You just got back from traveling abroad promoting the documentary "Visual Futurist: The Art and Life of Syd Mead". Can you tell us how your film is being received?
SM: The documentary had its first screening last year at the LA DANCES WITH FILM festival and receiving the highest audience rating in the nine year history of the festival. The documentary was screened at ROMICS comic fantasy festival in Rome;the sceduling folk cut it off after 9O minutes evoking groans and protests from the audience. The documentary was then screened full length at the FORTIETH SITGES FILM FESTIVAL in Sitges, Catalnia/Spain and received enthusiastic reviews and audience response. At this time, November 2OO7, sales have gone past the 1,OOO mark and climbing.
ILLUSION: The Blade Runner Final Cut DVD is releasing soon and I understand you participated in a commentary track for the DVD. Has time changed your perspective on the production? Has it given you any new insight in to how the film influenced your career?
SM: Having the opportunity to work with Sir Ridley Scott on BLADERUNNER was one of the more fortunate events in my professional career, along with working with Raymond Loewey, designing private 747 airplane interiors and a myriad of world-wide corporate clientle. The movie persists because it addresses universal issues of the meaning of humanity (Philip K. Dick's moralistic concerns) and the impact of technology on social ethics and the economic benefits and costs of scientific advancement.
ILLUSION: Having been a part of such influencial films as Blade Runner, Tron, Aliens… and continuing to do amazing work in films like MI-3, do you ever feel like you're competing with your own legacy in your current project?
SM: Of course! Everybody eventually gets to the point, if they have the nerve, to continue to 'work' as their past accomplishments become successful and well received. Some simply 'freeze up' and retire; others relish the new challenges and every fresh chance to 'do it' but better than before.
JoLeyden: (Blade Runner) Did your time in Okinawa and Hong Kong during 1954-1955 influence the subsequent direction of your art in any way?
SM: No.This is a persistent question because of Ridley's packing the RIDLEY-VILLE sets with Kanje symbols. My first trip to the far east was in the 1953-1956 period. I became fascinated with Asian cultural design, food and a very superficial knowledge of customs. My first trip to Tokyo was in 1961, long before I worked on BLADERUNNER in 198O-81.
Driller: (Blade Runner) in preparing for Blade runner did you read Phillip K. Dick's novel , or did you only go by what was in the film script?
SM: I'd only worked in post production with John Dykstra ..REK:TMP, so BLADERUNNER was only the second movie I'd ever worked on, and the first in pre-production. I figured that the script was 'bible' and did not read the softcover DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP after my pre production work on BLADERUNNER was finished and I was working on TRON.
JMaynard: (Tron) How much of the character design was influenced by the limitations of the technology of the early 1980s? If you were making the movie today, what would the characters look like, and how would you get there?
SM: What you saw in the computer generated imagery in TRON was absolutely the cutting edge of computer generated technique then. That's literally all that could be done; shapes were generated by adding or subtracting primitives; no polygons, nurbs, etc. Characters? I did a lot of character work for TRON, and if done today, the mapping on the actor's bodies would be all done as 'projected' overprints. Then, the actors wore black body suits with white tape patterns put on as applique. The scene was shot in black and white, then rotoscoped to the correct color and 'blur' effect. TRON was practically a 'hand-made' production.
Gomez Adama: (Tron) What was syd's inspiration for the environmental look of Tron?
SM: I got the sense from Steven Lisberger, the director, that this was a 'behind the video screen' world. Therefore, nothing had any 'weight' in a physical sense, stuff could 'float' in 3D reference space with no mechanical connection, and the entire illustion had to look like 'solid graphics.' The first look at TRON LAND was inspired by a graphical pattern called a 'sixteen gate square.' This is a pattern that always, no matter how convoluted the pattern is inside the square boundary, has four 'gates' on each side that can match up to any other four 'gate' squares. If you rotate the other squares (can be the exact same on) you get a very visually complicated composite. This was the idea for the TRON LAND landscape that you see when the aerial shot moves toward's SARKS' training camp, a huge articualed hole in the surface. That camp was also created using the primitive volumetric removal technique.
Arturo: (Gundam) When Syd was developing the Turn-A Gundam models, how did he approach developing humanoid robot advancements when the root technology doesn't actually exist?
SM: I used the existing GUNDAM MOBILE SUIT story rational, of course. The MOBILE SUIT idea actually was generated by the very first FOUR ARMED SPACE MODULE for moving stuff. It evolved into an anthromorphic configuration as Tomino-san wrote the stories, needing more character involvement. The whole anime art form, from a story standpoint, always shows teenagers…young people saving the world, confronting ultimate evil, etc., etc. because THAT'S THE AUDIENCE DEMOGRAPHIC…well, up into the low thirties in Japan. What I did was to take the 'STORY' technology rationale and develop robots that used the same technology but fulfilled various story roles, as I do for any design project; movies, vehicles, products, etc.
Slimgenius: How important is it that your mechanical designs appear "real-world" functional?
SM: VERY. That's the mystique that I'm known for. My formal education was in industrial design, both consumer product and transportation. I learned rotational and volumetric rationale. The trick is to create something absolutely startling (that's the end goal) that is recognizable for what it is, and that it looks like it would actually 'work' within the parameters of the technological world in which it exists, even if it is only a picture. If you understand mechanical design, you can 'overlay' a mechanical rational onto anything you come up with and people will see it and say to themselves' "hell, that looks like it would work that way."
Smiling Jack: When creating future designs do you base your concepts strictly on your own imagination or do you try to "evolve" the existing technology organically?
SM: Depends on the client idea. In the case of GUNDAM:TURN 'A', I had to preserve over twenty years of fan appreciation and character recognition when I designed a new 'zero base' for the character. That was much harder to do than coming up with something new, such as the other six robot characters for that anime production. If left to my own curious devices, I first am usually inspired by a techno-article, a new investigation into some weird technological experiment or development. I then match that to a made up story of my own and come up with a visualized combination.
3DSurge: (Industry) What advice do you have for a concept designer who wants to have a consistent work history? Is it better to freelance or work for a studio?
SM: I don't think it matters. There is the whole deal of having a 'steady' income base, although that has gotten pretty shakey lately no matter if you are working for a large corporation or free-lance. In any case, freelancing is creatively very satisfying, usually, depending on the dork quotient of the client, but working for a variety of sources is the best thing, I think. You meet a lot of other professional people in different career categories, and your visibility spreads across several DIFFERENT kinds of work sources.
I never had a linear career; from vehicle design, corporate graphics, product design, aircraft interior design, marine design and working for various movie, television and electronic game productions keeps my visibility level up in a lot of non-related client source areas.
JoeJoe2:(Industry) I have read your Ballistic profile and wanted to know how you accept clients. Do you take all projects offered or do you consider the artistic merit before accepting?
SM: The luxury of working for a long time at a healthy level of accomplishment means that you get more requests than you can fulfill. That allows you to deliberately choose the opportunities that seem to offer the best chance to exercise your creative judgement, to be treated with a level of professional respect and to demand a fee structure that makes it all worthwhile. This stage may take a while or, in cases when you are really at the top of your game early on, it happens fast. I was lucky. Within 26 months from graduating from the Art Center School in LA, I had three luxury cars, a bit house, a salary equal to then studio manager at any of the 'big three' auto companies and a really great life.
WATCH THE TRAILER FOR "VISUAL FUTURIST" HERE
"VISUAL FUTURIST" Japanese release set for 12/24!
Nov 15, 2007 06:26PM
"VISUAL FUTURIST: the art & life of syd mead" documenting
Legendary designer SYD MEAD whose credits include
"Blade Runner", "TRON", "Aliens", "2010", and Star Trek:
The Motion Picture" will be released for the Japanese market
on 12/24 by Bandai. It is already available in North America
here at SYD MEAD'S Official Website
"VISUAL FUTURIST" TRON 2.0 Review!
Jul 01, 2007 11:58AM
A while back I purchased the DVD Visual Futurist: The Art & Life of Syd Mead. I thought I would write a review of it so that people could get a taste of what it's like, and determine if it's worth buying. So I decided to sit down and write this: giving my honest opinion on the documentary itself, the features of the DVD, its packaging, and its overall presentation.
When first playing the DVD, you are greeted with a very simple and bare-bones menu that either allows you to play the documentary, or go to a screen with a chapter list that lets you jump to various points in the feature. There are no extras: such as any behind-the-scenes vignettes that show what went into the production of the documentary, director commentary, or footage from the screening at the Dances with Films festival where it premiered with Syd Mead himself attending. Which is a shame. However, Director Joaquin Montalvan has posted such clips online. So I encourage everyone to check them out. They're called Visual Futurist Q&A Video and Syd Mead Candid Video Footage.
The documentary itself starts off by showing a montage of Syd's work, and it isn't until almost three minutes into the feature that the documentary proper begins. It's an interesting choice to start Visual Futurist this way. If there's one thing that can be said, it's that the man's artwork certainly speaks for itself. It's easy to just sit there and watch, drawing in the detail and richness of each work, and letting your mind wander off into these realities. Realities that are extremely functional and realistic in appearance. Some people might find this section a bit boring, but I didn't mind it at all.
Then Syd Mead himself appears, in what can only be described as his "workshop". Sitting at a table, drawing, he begins to tell you about his background. As you listen, he makes no bones about the fact that he is very confident, considers himself very intelligent, and he enjoys his success. Who can blame him, really? For someone like me, who isn't that familiar with Syd's background or early career: this section of the documentary is very enlightening. It takes us from his earliest days as a professional industrial designer, all the way to his film design career. I gather that most of the public, like me, will also only be familiar with the latter — his work on Blade Runner being the most notable, followed by TRON. And it's his credit in the film Blade Runner, for which this documentary is named. Visual Futurist.
As the documentary progresses, we cover his careers at Ford, U.S. Steel, Philips, and many other companies. Eventually we're told about how Syd found himself without a job at one point, and decided to start his own company. Then in the late seventies, Hollywood entered a phase where they sought out designers to become attached to films, and this is how Syd entered the movie industry. His first work was on Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and from there he entered a whirlwind period where he designed for picture after picture. Blade Runner, TRON, 2010: The Year We Make Contact, Aliens, Short Circuit, Mission to Mars . . . the list goes on and on.
The lengthiest segments pertaining to the films he worked on are for Blade Runner and TRON, as you might expect. Steven Lisberger (the Director of TRON) and Richard Taylor (Visual Effects and Computer Graphics Supervisor for TRON) appear throughout the documentary, commenting on various facets of Syd's career and not singularly on TRON. While all of the people in the documentary have interesting and intelligent things to say — including Mead himself — I found Lisberger's comments to be the most entertaining and eloquent. You literally can see the gears turning in his mind like an intricate and precise machine, with his thoughts and their enunciation coming at a rapid-fire pace.
Since this is a TRON-based site, I will keep the coverage of the documentary focused on the TRON portion. But I can tell you without hesitation that I enjoyed all the segments. Especially the one regarding Blade Runner. Blade Runner is definitely another one of my favorite films, and I can't wait for it to finally be released on DVD this year. It's been a long time coming.
The TRON segment of the documentary shows how Syd is responsible in large part for the look of the TRON electronic world, and is completely responsible for items such as Sark's Carrier, the Tanks, the Light Cycles, the MCP, the prison cells, and Yori's apartment. He also designed the TRON font, and even had some influence on the costumes. We are shown many of his concept sketches that resulted in the final look in the film, while Lisberger and Taylor comment throughout. Lisberger felt that Mead's work was "cutting edge" and exactly what they were looking for. And Syd himself states that his work in the film and the film itself, had an enormous impact on the youth watching it at the time. That most of the people in the computer graphics industry today, credit his work and the film TRON as being responsible for leading them into their profession.
A notable aspect of the documentary is its soundtrack, presented in Dolby 5.1. Throughout the film we hear composer Richard Souther's themes, that he specifically composed for Visual Futurist. Souther's ethereal compositions often evoke memories of Vangelis' score for the film Blade Runner, and they are a clear homage to that film. Thus, the music fits the subject matter and the tone of the documentary perfectly. In fact, the music is so good that I would recommend purchasing the separately available soundtrack CD wholeheartedly.
With regard to the aesthetics of the packaging itself, the DVD comes in an Amaray keepcase with a somewhat bland wraparound label. The design is quite minimalist, and perhaps even unexciting for a DVD featuring a documentary about one of the world's foremost artists. And I don't know if it's intentional or not, but the type on the label and the insert booklet has a blurred effect that makes it a bit hard to read. You can't pick it up in the scans above, but it is there. Considering the price for the DVD itself ($29.99 U.S.) and the shipping (anywhere from about $7-$10 U.S.), I was personally hoping for a bit more of a refined looking package than what I got.
Still, in the end, it's the documentary itself that matters most. And in this area, the DVD does not disappoint. The transfer quality of the film seems very good. Clocking in at approximately one hour and forty-five minutes, it quite extensively covers Syd Mead's career and shows us an incredible number of his works. The film never becomes slow or boring (except perhaps at the very beginning, as I stated earlier) and is a fascinating look at a fascinating man. It's no wonder the film won an award for audience appreciation when it premiered at the Dances with Films festival.
Highly recommended.
NOW that you've READ the REVIEW,
BUY "VISUAL FUTURIST Here!
A while back I purchased the DVD Visual Futurist: The Art & Life of Syd Mead. I thought I would write a review of it so that people could get a taste of what it's like, and determine if it's worth buying. So I decided to sit down and write this: giving my honest opinion on the documentary itself, the features of the DVD, its packaging, and its overall presentation.
When first playing the DVD, you are greeted with a very simple and bare-bones menu that either allows you to play the documentary, or go to a screen with a chapter list that lets you jump to various points in the feature. There are no extras: such as any behind-the-scenes vignettes that show what went into the production of the documentary, director commentary, or footage from the screening at the Dances with Films festival where it premiered with Syd Mead himself attending. Which is a shame. However, Director Joaquin Montalvan has posted such clips online. So I encourage everyone to check them out. They're called Visual Futurist Q&A Video and Syd Mead Candid Video Footage.
The documentary itself starts off by showing a montage of Syd's work, and it isn't until almost three minutes into the feature that the documentary proper begins. It's an interesting choice to start Visual Futurist this way. If there's one thing that can be said, it's that the man's artwork certainly speaks for itself. It's easy to just sit there and watch, drawing in the detail and richness of each work, and letting your mind wander off into these realities. Realities that are extremely functional and realistic in appearance. Some people might find this section a bit boring, but I didn't mind it at all.
Then Syd Mead himself appears, in what can only be described as his "workshop". Sitting at a table, drawing, he begins to tell you about his background. As you listen, he makes no bones about the fact that he is very confident, considers himself very intelligent, and he enjoys his success. Who can blame him, really? For someone like me, who isn't that familiar with Syd's background or early career: this section of the documentary is very enlightening. It takes us from his earliest days as a professional industrial designer, all the way to his film design career. I gather that most of the public, like me, will also only be familiar with the latter — his work on Blade Runner being the most notable, followed by TRON. And it's his credit in the film Blade Runner, for which this documentary is named. Visual Futurist.
As the documentary progresses, we cover his careers at Ford, U.S. Steel, Philips, and many other companies. Eventually we're told about how Syd found himself without a job at one point, and decided to start his own company. Then in the late seventies, Hollywood entered a phase where they sought out designers to become attached to films, and this is how Syd entered the movie industry. His first work was on Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and from there he entered a whirlwind period where he designed for picture after picture. Blade Runner, TRON, 2010: The Year We Make Contact, Aliens, Short Circuit, Mission to Mars . . . the list goes on and on.
The lengthiest segments pertaining to the films he worked on are for Blade Runner and TRON, as you might expect. Steven Lisberger (the Director of TRON) and Richard Taylor (Visual Effects and Computer Graphics Supervisor for TRON) appear throughout the documentary, commenting on various facets of Syd's career and not singularly on TRON. While all of the people in the documentary have interesting and intelligent things to say — including Mead himself — I found Lisberger's comments to be the most entertaining and eloquent. You literally can see the gears turning in his mind like an intricate and precise machine, with his thoughts and their enunciation coming at a rapid-fire pace.
Since this is a TRON-based site, I will keep the coverage of the documentary focused on the TRON portion. But I can tell you without hesitation that I enjoyed all the segments. Especially the one regarding Blade Runner. Blade Runner is definitely another one of my favorite films, and I can't wait for it to finally be released on DVD this year. It's been a long time coming.
The TRON segment of the documentary shows how Syd is responsible in large part for the look of the TRON electronic world, and is completely responsible for items such as Sark's Carrier, the Tanks, the Light Cycles, the MCP, the prison cells, and Yori's apartment. He also designed the TRON font, and even had some influence on the costumes. We are shown many of his concept sketches that resulted in the final look in the film, while Lisberger and Taylor comment throughout. Lisberger felt that Mead's work was "cutting edge" and exactly what they were looking for. And Syd himself states that his work in the film and the film itself, had an enormous impact on the youth watching it at the time. That most of the people in the computer graphics industry today, credit his work and the film TRON as being responsible for leading them into their profession.
A notable aspect of the documentary is its soundtrack, presented in Dolby 5.1. Throughout the film we hear composer Richard Souther's themes, that he specifically composed for Visual Futurist. Souther's ethereal compositions often evoke memories of Vangelis' score for the film Blade Runner, and they are a clear homage to that film. Thus, the music fits the subject matter and the tone of the documentary perfectly. In fact, the music is so good that I would recommend purchasing the separately available soundtrack CD wholeheartedly.
With regard to the aesthetics of the packaging itself, the DVD comes in an Amaray keepcase with a somewhat bland wraparound label. The design is quite minimalist, and perhaps even unexciting for a DVD featuring a documentary about one of the world's foremost artists. And I don't know if it's intentional or not, but the type on the label and the insert booklet has a blurred effect that makes it a bit hard to read. You can't pick it up in the scans above, but it is there. Considering the price for the DVD itself ($29.99 U.S.) and the shipping (anywhere from about $7-$10 U.S.), I was personally hoping for a bit more of a refined looking package than what I got.
Still, in the end, it's the documentary itself that matters most. And in this area, the DVD does not disappoint. The transfer quality of the film seems very good. Clocking in at approximately one hour and forty-five minutes, it quite extensively covers Syd Mead's career and shows us an incredible number of his works. The film never becomes slow or boring (except perhaps at the very beginning, as I stated earlier) and is a fascinating look at a fascinating man. It's no wonder the film won an award for audience appreciation when it premiered at the Dances with Films festival.
Highly recommended.
NOW that you've READ the REVIEW,
BUY "VISUAL FUTURIST Here!
"M O B I U S" Trailer Airing on IFC!
Jul 01, 2007 11:52AM
The trailer for the NEW Psycho-Spiritual Thriller from Director Joaquin Montalvan, "M O B I U S", will be airing on the Independent Film Channel on Monday, July 2nd, at 8:30 p.m. (EST), thats 5:30 p.m. for us West Coast folks.
It will continue to AIR on IFC throughout the Month of JULY as follows:
Media Lab Shorts Uploaded Monday, July 02 8:30 PM
Media Lab Shorts Uploaded Saturday, July 07 5:55 AM
Media Lab Shorts Uploaded Friday, July 13 6:00 AM
Media Lab Shorts Uploaded Sunday, July 22 6:00 AM
Media Lab Shorts Uploaded Tuesday, July 24 8:30 AM
Media Lab Shorts Uploaded Wednesday, July 25 1:30 PM
ENJOY!
It will continue to AIR on IFC throughout the Month of JULY as follows:
Media Lab Shorts Uploaded Monday, July 02 8:30 PM
Media Lab Shorts Uploaded Saturday, July 07 5:55 AM
Media Lab Shorts Uploaded Friday, July 13 6:00 AM
Media Lab Shorts Uploaded Sunday, July 22 6:00 AM
Media Lab Shorts Uploaded Tuesday, July 24 8:30 AM
Media Lab Shorts Uploaded Wednesday, July 25 1:30 PM
ENJOY!
Fatally Yours reviews "M O B I U S"!
Jun 01, 2007 11:46PM
Mobius, a film by Joaquin Montalvan, is a journey into the fractured psyche of man named Caleb…and all I can say is, “Hmmm.” Actually, “Mobius” is the perfect title for this film, due to the way it loops around in time and repeatedly circles back upon itself. Be warned, it’s an interesting flick to watch, but it takes a while to get where it’s going.
The film is about Caleb and his splintered personality, which manifests itself as Caleb’s twin brother, Mark. The storytelling is very much in the style of David Lynch, full of non sequiturs and images that seem to go nowhere but add up in the end. I don’t know Montalvan’s background, but Mobius plays as if it’s a grad student film or first feature. At times, I was reminded of films such as Lost Highway, Rosemary’s Baby, Dead Man, and The Matrix, among others.
The film making is more than competent. The videography is fairly straightforward and, admittedly, quite lovely at times. Montalvan gets all types of looks from his video camera – flat, vibrant, oversaturated – it’s all here.
I’ll try to give a concise (and accurate as possible) description of the plot. When Caleb was but a boy, he saw his mom murdered (or murdered her – I’m not quite clear on that point). At the crime scene, a child psychiatrist was summoned to talk with the child. At this point, Caleb’s personality splintered and Mark was born. Mark, who’s well groomed, gets Caleb through his daily life. Caleb, who looks like a homeless person, mostly just hangs out in the park all day. It’s not clear how either earns a living, but they do manage to keep a house, a car, and a therapist, so somebody’s bringing in some cash somewhere. It’s gets a bit fuzzy here, but it seems that, while both were children, Mark made a pact with Satan for Caleb’s soul. Now, thirty years later, Satan wants to collect his due. But there’s a technicality in play. Can Satan make a deal with the split personality of the actual person whose soul he desires? Of course, this is all happening in Caleb’s disturbed mind, so this whole scenario might be his way of dealing with the situation. This I’ll leave for you to decide.
Given the film’s subject matter, it’s appropriate that it is so splintered. As I mentioned, there are several scenes that initially don’t seem to go anywhere, but there are a few scenes in a psychiatrist’s office that work especially well. They’re played in such a way that it’s not clear who’s the doctor and who’s the patient and are quite effective.
Mobius also mixes in some Native American mysticism and a touch of Alejandro Jodorowsky. Yes, even El Topo works its way into the proceedings. Really, I hate to keep comparing Mobius to other films. It’s very much its own film…but then again, it’s not. Where Lynch will throw out images/scenes seemingly without reason and not care whether we follow the plot, Montalvan seems concerned that we are ensured a payoff.
The first hour of Mobius is the Lynchian portion, but Montalvan wants to make sure we follow what it’s all leading up to, so the last twenty minutes or so become somewhat coherent. This allows us to figure out (?) what’s happened, but it somewhat artistically invalidates the earlier part of the film.
There are a couple of standout performances in Mobius. I enjoyed Teem Lucas and Rhonda David in particular. Ms. David gets a special mention for her role as the psychiatrist. While not having much screen time, she makes certain scenes work better than they might have otherwise.
It’s clear Joaquin Montalvan knows how to make a film, but I’d like to see if he can make a movie, if you know what I mean, and I think you do. I am interested to see what he does next. He has his own company, Sledgehammer Films, so hopefully we’ll being something more from him soon.
NOW that you've READ the review, you can VIEW the trailer...
Mobius, a film by Joaquin Montalvan, is a journey into the fractured psyche of man named Caleb…and all I can say is, “Hmmm.” Actually, “Mobius” is the perfect title for this film, due to the way it loops around in time and repeatedly circles back upon itself. Be warned, it’s an interesting flick to watch, but it takes a while to get where it’s going.
The film is about Caleb and his splintered personality, which manifests itself as Caleb’s twin brother, Mark. The storytelling is very much in the style of David Lynch, full of non sequiturs and images that seem to go nowhere but add up in the end. I don’t know Montalvan’s background, but Mobius plays as if it’s a grad student film or first feature. At times, I was reminded of films such as Lost Highway, Rosemary’s Baby, Dead Man, and The Matrix, among others.
The film making is more than competent. The videography is fairly straightforward and, admittedly, quite lovely at times. Montalvan gets all types of looks from his video camera – flat, vibrant, oversaturated – it’s all here.
I’ll try to give a concise (and accurate as possible) description of the plot. When Caleb was but a boy, he saw his mom murdered (or murdered her – I’m not quite clear on that point). At the crime scene, a child psychiatrist was summoned to talk with the child. At this point, Caleb’s personality splintered and Mark was born. Mark, who’s well groomed, gets Caleb through his daily life. Caleb, who looks like a homeless person, mostly just hangs out in the park all day. It’s not clear how either earns a living, but they do manage to keep a house, a car, and a therapist, so somebody’s bringing in some cash somewhere. It’s gets a bit fuzzy here, but it seems that, while both were children, Mark made a pact with Satan for Caleb’s soul. Now, thirty years later, Satan wants to collect his due. But there’s a technicality in play. Can Satan make a deal with the split personality of the actual person whose soul he desires? Of course, this is all happening in Caleb’s disturbed mind, so this whole scenario might be his way of dealing with the situation. This I’ll leave for you to decide.
Given the film’s subject matter, it’s appropriate that it is so splintered. As I mentioned, there are several scenes that initially don’t seem to go anywhere, but there are a few scenes in a psychiatrist’s office that work especially well. They’re played in such a way that it’s not clear who’s the doctor and who’s the patient and are quite effective.
Mobius also mixes in some Native American mysticism and a touch of Alejandro Jodorowsky. Yes, even El Topo works its way into the proceedings. Really, I hate to keep comparing Mobius to other films. It’s very much its own film…but then again, it’s not. Where Lynch will throw out images/scenes seemingly without reason and not care whether we follow the plot, Montalvan seems concerned that we are ensured a payoff.
The first hour of Mobius is the Lynchian portion, but Montalvan wants to make sure we follow what it’s all leading up to, so the last twenty minutes or so become somewhat coherent. This allows us to figure out (?) what’s happened, but it somewhat artistically invalidates the earlier part of the film.
There are a couple of standout performances in Mobius. I enjoyed Teem Lucas and Rhonda David in particular. Ms. David gets a special mention for her role as the psychiatrist. While not having much screen time, she makes certain scenes work better than they might have otherwise.
It’s clear Joaquin Montalvan knows how to make a film, but I’d like to see if he can make a movie, if you know what I mean, and I think you do. I am interested to see what he does next. He has his own company, Sledgehammer Films, so hopefully we’ll being something more from him soon.
NOW that you've READ the review, you can VIEW the trailer...
"Horror Talk" reviews M O B I U S!
May 18, 2007 09:32PM
Slash, hack, blood, gore, breasts...and again. Most of the time, those five words will faithfully describe majority of indie horror films one seems to find nowadays, as it seems that extremity is the nearest pathway towards success (or notoriety, as you might imagine). Even if the films are not loaded with gore, they will feature one traditional monster or another, and zombies seem to be particularly popular. As it turns out, the advent of digital camera has created many backyard Romeros and Fulcis, and not yet a single Lynch or Jodorowsky. Until a copy of Joaquin Montalvan's Mobius landed in my mailbox, and I was shown that this kind exists, as well.
Mobius tells a story of twin brothers Mark and Caleb, both on the different spectres of society. A long time ago their mother was murdered, and Caleb was the one to find her. Mark takes it upon himself to care for his brother, but, as the years go by, and Caleb sinks into despair and nothingness, Mark's resolve is loosening its grip and he ultimately casts his brother off, refusing to even speak to him. Split from each other, brothers start a lengthy walk on an uncertain road leading to reconciliation — a trip which will change the both of them for good. And while Caleb seems to be finding his way, with a help of a wise old Indian (of Geronimo, not Ghandi variety), Mark's life starts slowly dissolving.
Mobius is the feature-length debut of UCLA grad Joaquin Montalvan, who previously helmed some shorts and a couple of documentary subjects, most notably one about hurricane Katrina. Considering his academic credits, it would be grossly unfair to call him a "backyard Lynch", but the spirit of David Lynch's work is strongly present within this film. Basically, what we have here is a collection of recollections, seen through the eyes of either Mark or Caleb. Montalvan separates the two by using colour in Mark's scenes, and black and white for Caleb, which creates an interesting split between the two, additionally influencing your outlook on this story. On their voyage, both brothers meet odd characters who speak to them in philosophical riddles, creating surreal situations.
By now, you should be aware that this is not a film for everyone's taste. A slow burn, even at its seventy-five minutes of running time, and with storyline presented in pieces left for viewer to pick up along the way, Mobius nevertheless has some mysterious appeal attached to it, mostly thanks to very capable direction and editing and likable performances of its leads. Starring as Mark/Caleb is Paul E. Respass, who is not an exceptional actor, yet he nails the both parts by just looking right and evoking the proper reaction from the viewer. Ivan Naranjo is the pick of the support cast, playing the old Indian with an aura of wisdom radiating from his body, while the director himself has a bit part as an auxiliary character which appears to both Mark and Caleb, looking quite like a young Robert Smith (of The Cure fame).
Additional flavour is added by some location work. Certain parts of the film have been shot in the desert (I believe I saw Death Valley mentioned in the ending credits), and those count among the more interesting bits of the film. The desert setting, along with "the messenger" (a mysterious character who inhabits the area), invoke the comparison with Alejandro Jodorowsky's work. Also, the desert scenes made me think of the latter-era Doors — I could almost hear "Riders on the Storm" during some stretches. The film was shot completely on DV, but here it looks better than usual, especially the black and white scenes which are virtually grainless and almost always well-lit.
Still, the mere presence of such a fragmented narrative and arthouse leanings will make this a difficult sell to the regular audience. Even the most battle-hardened indie fans will find Mobius a laborious experience, as there are no conventional "scares", nor gore or nudity, not to mention the fact that, say, Eraserhead looks superbly comprehensible in comparison. That said, this film will find its audience, and they might find it an interesting experience. Montalvan makes the best out of this opportunity, and I'll be looking forward to seeing if he can build on this. If you enjoy early Lynch, Jodorowsky, and similar work, give this one a go.
NOW that you've READ the review, you can VIEW the trailer...
Slash, hack, blood, gore, breasts...and again. Most of the time, those five words will faithfully describe majority of indie horror films one seems to find nowadays, as it seems that extremity is the nearest pathway towards success (or notoriety, as you might imagine). Even if the films are not loaded with gore, they will feature one traditional monster or another, and zombies seem to be particularly popular. As it turns out, the advent of digital camera has created many backyard Romeros and Fulcis, and not yet a single Lynch or Jodorowsky. Until a copy of Joaquin Montalvan's Mobius landed in my mailbox, and I was shown that this kind exists, as well.
Mobius tells a story of twin brothers Mark and Caleb, both on the different spectres of society. A long time ago their mother was murdered, and Caleb was the one to find her. Mark takes it upon himself to care for his brother, but, as the years go by, and Caleb sinks into despair and nothingness, Mark's resolve is loosening its grip and he ultimately casts his brother off, refusing to even speak to him. Split from each other, brothers start a lengthy walk on an uncertain road leading to reconciliation — a trip which will change the both of them for good. And while Caleb seems to be finding his way, with a help of a wise old Indian (of Geronimo, not Ghandi variety), Mark's life starts slowly dissolving.
Mobius is the feature-length debut of UCLA grad Joaquin Montalvan, who previously helmed some shorts and a couple of documentary subjects, most notably one about hurricane Katrina. Considering his academic credits, it would be grossly unfair to call him a "backyard Lynch", but the spirit of David Lynch's work is strongly present within this film. Basically, what we have here is a collection of recollections, seen through the eyes of either Mark or Caleb. Montalvan separates the two by using colour in Mark's scenes, and black and white for Caleb, which creates an interesting split between the two, additionally influencing your outlook on this story. On their voyage, both brothers meet odd characters who speak to them in philosophical riddles, creating surreal situations.
By now, you should be aware that this is not a film for everyone's taste. A slow burn, even at its seventy-five minutes of running time, and with storyline presented in pieces left for viewer to pick up along the way, Mobius nevertheless has some mysterious appeal attached to it, mostly thanks to very capable direction and editing and likable performances of its leads. Starring as Mark/Caleb is Paul E. Respass, who is not an exceptional actor, yet he nails the both parts by just looking right and evoking the proper reaction from the viewer. Ivan Naranjo is the pick of the support cast, playing the old Indian with an aura of wisdom radiating from his body, while the director himself has a bit part as an auxiliary character which appears to both Mark and Caleb, looking quite like a young Robert Smith (of The Cure fame).
Additional flavour is added by some location work. Certain parts of the film have been shot in the desert (I believe I saw Death Valley mentioned in the ending credits), and those count among the more interesting bits of the film. The desert setting, along with "the messenger" (a mysterious character who inhabits the area), invoke the comparison with Alejandro Jodorowsky's work. Also, the desert scenes made me think of the latter-era Doors — I could almost hear "Riders on the Storm" during some stretches. The film was shot completely on DV, but here it looks better than usual, especially the black and white scenes which are virtually grainless and almost always well-lit.
Still, the mere presence of such a fragmented narrative and arthouse leanings will make this a difficult sell to the regular audience. Even the most battle-hardened indie fans will find Mobius a laborious experience, as there are no conventional "scares", nor gore or nudity, not to mention the fact that, say, Eraserhead looks superbly comprehensible in comparison. That said, this film will find its audience, and they might find it an interesting experience. Montalvan makes the best out of this opportunity, and I'll be looking forward to seeing if he can build on this. If you enjoy early Lynch, Jodorowsky, and similar work, give this one a go.
NOW that you've READ the review, you can VIEW the trailer...
"VISUAL FUTURIST" NOW AVAILABLE ON DVD!
May 05, 2007 09:40AM
THE WAIT IS OVER!!!
"VISUAL FUTURIST: the art & life of syd mead", the FULL-length documentary on SYD MEAD, the Conceptual Designer behind such films as "Blade Runner", "TRON", "Aliens", "2010", and "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" is NOW available for purchase on DVD at Syd Mead's "Official" Website here:
BUY "VISUAL FUTURIST" HERE
ENJOY!
"VISUAL FUTURIST: the art & life of syd mead", the FULL-length documentary on SYD MEAD, the Conceptual Designer behind such films as "Blade Runner", "TRON", "Aliens", "2010", and "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" is NOW available for purchase on DVD at Syd Mead's "Official" Website here:
BUY "VISUAL FUTURIST" HERE
ENJOY!
"Horreur.com" reviews M O B I U S!
Apr 30, 2007 09:15PM
Mark & Caleb are two twin brothers. Their mother was murdered in front of Caleb. Mark swore to take care of him, but ended up renouncing that commitment after seeing the downturn that his brother was taking. Indeed he, with the passing of years, became a marginal being with psychotic tendencies. For Mark, his twin is only a source of torment. He doesn't seem to forgive him for having been their mothers favorite, and even blames him for her death. Seemingly, the ways of the twins appear perfectly antagonistic, when actually they are inextricably dependent. When Mark meets a strange group of individuals, which seems to bring him closer to Caleb, it develops into something fatal.
When I committed myself to reviewing this film, I expected a version of "Maniac" or "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer ". In fact, "M O B I U S" brings up more than one aggressive David Lynch, and not in the manner of the typical psychopath film. "M O B I U S", here is an intriguing title. It borrows from a German mathematician and astronomer, answering to the name of August Ferdinand Möbius, known to have studied geometry, and more particularly, topology. Without launching into an explanation of this impenetrable discipline - of which I am in no position to explain - it is of paramount importance to understand what this German scientist did, since it is the basis for this film. Furthermore, Möbius is the father of the very famous "Ribbon of Möbius" by which a spatial paradox is demonstrated. Indeed, the aforementioned infinite ribbon has only one face. By scraping the surface, one travels back in space. The creation of this object is very simple. Simply, cut out a paper band, which you then twist in half in order to bore it out. Then, by joining the two ends, one obtains the infinite ribbon in question (there are several alternates, such as the "infinity" sign). Thus, what is the relationship between this German mathematician of the XIX century, and Joaquin Montalvan's film? The connection is not of top priority, since the full-length film of the American is neither a biography of Möbius, nor an analysis of his work. The connection is in fact, at the psychological level in this film, which is built like the ribbon of Möbius. Difficult to imagine? Then, to understand, consider this! "M O B I U S" resembles a second reading of the psychotic Alice In Wonderland, yoked to David Lynch.
The central subject of the film is thus the gemellity, and obsessions of the two brothers involved. Here the approach to the subject is understood by the ribbon of Möbius' two faces, which are in fact only one and the same, when one tries to define their limits. Indeed, Mark and Caleb seem, at the beginning, to be two clearly distinct individuals. However, as the film progresses, the differences between the twins seem more and more hazy. Thus, each face of the ribbon is differentiated by the use of a different color. Mark operates in a world sometimes close to the tone sepia, in which the image is then flooded with the color ochre and amber. As for Caleb, things appear in black and white, and often slightly over-exposed. During travel, Caleb meets an old American Indian who gives him the keys of his appeasing through an enigmatic philosophical tirade. The wise old man thus guides him on his way to the cross. Whereas his brother seems to retravel the same path, Mark, which until now seemed the more balanced of the two, seems to sink. Indeed, his thoughts were poisoned by a group of strange characters, a little too curious in this connection. Life then seems to slip inextricably on the other side of the ribbon.
With the vision of "M O B I U S", the viewer finds a film with contours that aren't always very clear. It is not the sign of an awkwardness of realization, but rather of a party taken on behalf of the scenario writer. The work of Joaquin Montalvan, is indeed at the cutting edge of film, but never completely falls over the edge. One however finds significant elements, the presence of hallucinated protagonists, and various visions... As for the narrative screen, it borrows on the side of David Lynch, allowing some freedoms at times, while tending to sow doubt for the spectator. "Is this a phantasm? Which is the character of reference?" Measuring thus functions a little like a dream, in turn clear and cloudy. "M O B I U S" also recalls the films of Jodorowsky, in its use of iconographic characters like the old Indian - and its metaphorical operation. The film is not understood in a single or superficial viewing, but rather, requires to be plunged into, to decode the profound. The phantom of the Mexican genius hovers, and is made to be understood in the last half of the film, where the use of a purely iconographic language replaces any other form of expression.
Speaking musically, the film shows its limits, during the scene in which Mark meets the strange characters who dope him without his knowledge. The scene seems right out of a synthesizer of passably doubtful quality. The style is moreover, rather indigestible, between jazz and easy listening. But "M O B I U S" makes honourable amends by proposing a stripped score, of a simplistic beauty, and of extreme effectiveness in its last minutes. Joaquin Montalvan thus makes an almost full box with his second full-length film. If the image suffers sometimes, from defects due to the video, and certain framings that could be improved, the final result remains no less, than very great in quality. Nothing to waste. Certainly, the film is of a very great quality. Finally, the principal actor transcends his role, sublimely in the film; the realization emphasizes his game, and his presence.
Still, a nugget of American independent cinema.
by Colin VETTIER
NOW that you've read the review you can view the trailer!
Mark & Caleb are two twin brothers. Their mother was murdered in front of Caleb. Mark swore to take care of him, but ended up renouncing that commitment after seeing the downturn that his brother was taking. Indeed he, with the passing of years, became a marginal being with psychotic tendencies. For Mark, his twin is only a source of torment. He doesn't seem to forgive him for having been their mothers favorite, and even blames him for her death. Seemingly, the ways of the twins appear perfectly antagonistic, when actually they are inextricably dependent. When Mark meets a strange group of individuals, which seems to bring him closer to Caleb, it develops into something fatal.
When I committed myself to reviewing this film, I expected a version of "Maniac" or "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer ". In fact, "M O B I U S" brings up more than one aggressive David Lynch, and not in the manner of the typical psychopath film. "M O B I U S", here is an intriguing title. It borrows from a German mathematician and astronomer, answering to the name of August Ferdinand Möbius, known to have studied geometry, and more particularly, topology. Without launching into an explanation of this impenetrable discipline - of which I am in no position to explain - it is of paramount importance to understand what this German scientist did, since it is the basis for this film. Furthermore, Möbius is the father of the very famous "Ribbon of Möbius" by which a spatial paradox is demonstrated. Indeed, the aforementioned infinite ribbon has only one face. By scraping the surface, one travels back in space. The creation of this object is very simple. Simply, cut out a paper band, which you then twist in half in order to bore it out. Then, by joining the two ends, one obtains the infinite ribbon in question (there are several alternates, such as the "infinity" sign). Thus, what is the relationship between this German mathematician of the XIX century, and Joaquin Montalvan's film? The connection is not of top priority, since the full-length film of the American is neither a biography of Möbius, nor an analysis of his work. The connection is in fact, at the psychological level in this film, which is built like the ribbon of Möbius. Difficult to imagine? Then, to understand, consider this! "M O B I U S" resembles a second reading of the psychotic Alice In Wonderland, yoked to David Lynch.
The central subject of the film is thus the gemellity, and obsessions of the two brothers involved. Here the approach to the subject is understood by the ribbon of Möbius' two faces, which are in fact only one and the same, when one tries to define their limits. Indeed, Mark and Caleb seem, at the beginning, to be two clearly distinct individuals. However, as the film progresses, the differences between the twins seem more and more hazy. Thus, each face of the ribbon is differentiated by the use of a different color. Mark operates in a world sometimes close to the tone sepia, in which the image is then flooded with the color ochre and amber. As for Caleb, things appear in black and white, and often slightly over-exposed. During travel, Caleb meets an old American Indian who gives him the keys of his appeasing through an enigmatic philosophical tirade. The wise old man thus guides him on his way to the cross. Whereas his brother seems to retravel the same path, Mark, which until now seemed the more balanced of the two, seems to sink. Indeed, his thoughts were poisoned by a group of strange characters, a little too curious in this connection. Life then seems to slip inextricably on the other side of the ribbon.
With the vision of "M O B I U S", the viewer finds a film with contours that aren't always very clear. It is not the sign of an awkwardness of realization, but rather of a party taken on behalf of the scenario writer. The work of Joaquin Montalvan, is indeed at the cutting edge of film, but never completely falls over the edge. One however finds significant elements, the presence of hallucinated protagonists, and various visions... As for the narrative screen, it borrows on the side of David Lynch, allowing some freedoms at times, while tending to sow doubt for the spectator. "Is this a phantasm? Which is the character of reference?" Measuring thus functions a little like a dream, in turn clear and cloudy. "M O B I U S" also recalls the films of Jodorowsky, in its use of iconographic characters like the old Indian - and its metaphorical operation. The film is not understood in a single or superficial viewing, but rather, requires to be plunged into, to decode the profound. The phantom of the Mexican genius hovers, and is made to be understood in the last half of the film, where the use of a purely iconographic language replaces any other form of expression.
Speaking musically, the film shows its limits, during the scene in which Mark meets the strange characters who dope him without his knowledge. The scene seems right out of a synthesizer of passably doubtful quality. The style is moreover, rather indigestible, between jazz and easy listening. But "M O B I U S" makes honourable amends by proposing a stripped score, of a simplistic beauty, and of extreme effectiveness in its last minutes. Joaquin Montalvan thus makes an almost full box with his second full-length film. If the image suffers sometimes, from defects due to the video, and certain framings that could be improved, the final result remains no less, than very great in quality. Nothing to waste. Certainly, the film is of a very great quality. Finally, the principal actor transcends his role, sublimely in the film; the realization emphasizes his game, and his presence.
Still, a nugget of American independent cinema.
by Colin VETTIER
NOW that you've read the review you can view the trailer!
"M O B I U S" Trailer NOW Up!
Apr 03, 2007 12:41AM
A Psycho-Spiritual Thriller from Director,
Joaquin Montalvan, which takes you into
the dark recesses of the human mind...
"DISCOURAGEMENT" & "ENCOURAGEMENT"
Jun 21, 2006 11:22AM
In response to a question on my blog...
Let me discourage and encourage you!
discourage: I got into U.C.L.A., but I did
not get into film school. I was accepted
creatively, but not academically due to
"B" grades. Of the 80 applicants, the 40
that were accepted all had "A"s.
encourage: It didn't matter. I took ALL the
film classes anyway, EXCEPT the one where
you get to make a film...but, I've been making
them since 1999.
What's my point?
The best film school is actually making a film!
So, if you're reading this, you're probably
already in film school. However, since it IS
important to keep growing, there ARE three
books I've found helpful over the years:
1) Sculpting in Time, by Andrei Tarkovsky
Why should one become a filmmaker?
Let me discourage and encourage you!
discourage: I got into U.C.L.A., but I did
not get into film school. I was accepted
creatively, but not academically due to
"B" grades. Of the 80 applicants, the 40
that were accepted all had "A"s.
encourage: It didn't matter. I took ALL the
film classes anyway, EXCEPT the one where
you get to make a film...but, I've been making
them since 1999.
What's my point?
The best film school is actually making a film!
So, if you're reading this, you're probably
already in film school. However, since it IS
important to keep growing, there ARE three
books I've found helpful over the years:
1) Sculpting in Time, by Andrei Tarkovsky
Why should one become a filmmaker?