Chapter One
Into Two Worlds
One of Weta Workshop's preproduction responsibilities was to provide broad visuals to initiate design discussion and conversation about potential looks for the film. Working closely with Grant Major and Roger Ford, these responsibilities fell mostly on the shoulders of concept artist Gus Hunter, a specialist in dramatic, story-driven production art. Gus visited all the movie's major fantasy locations in his art, offering a range of options for how they might be portrayed. Christian Rivers also produced a number of rich and evocative mood studies of key moments.
Other Weta designers also shared their ideas and produced artwork for specific scenes, but most focused on the climactic battle sequence, which required a great deal of discussion and planning. The designers explored the dynamics of how so many diverse animals and fantasy creatures might go to war and what the broad setting for the battle might be.
Andrew Adam
Chapter One
Into Two Worlds
One of Weta Workshop's preproduction responsibilities was to provide broad visuals to initiate design discussion and conversation about potential looks for the film. Working closely with Grant Major and Roger Ford, these responsibilities fell mostly on the shoulders of concept artist Gus Hunter, a specialist in dramatic, story-driven production art. Gus visited all the movie's major fantasy locations in his art, offering a range of options for how they might be portrayed. Christian Rivers also produced a number of rich and evocative mood studies of key moments.
Other Weta designers also shared their ideas and produced artwork for specific scenes, but most focused on the climactic battle sequence, which required a great deal of discussion and planning. The designers explored the dynamics of how so many diverse animals and fantasy creatures might go to war and what the broad setting for the battle might be.
Andrew Adamson expressed his desire to explore strong seasonal themes in the film's visuals, something the designers would bear in mind while offering ideas for lighting and color.
The environmental design was also going on simultaneously in the US, with the production's Art Department in Los Angeles working directly with Andrew and other artists whose talents were tapped remotely from their homes elsewhere in the world. Thus it was a worldwide team, including accomplished artists like Justin Sweet, Craig Mullins, John Howe and Alan Lee, that would lead much of the environmental design of the film.
Later, as the production began moving forward and creative choices were made about what specific scenes and shots needed to accomplish, the production art became more focused. Weta's artists made use of specially provided location photography from intended filming locations as these were found, painting or drawing directly over photographic elements or stills from roughly animated block outs of scenes. Weta's artists would apply up to date designs and the most recently discussed ideas to show how they might come to play in the final film.
Continues...
Excerpted from The Crafting of Narniaby Ernie Weta Workshop Copyright © 2008 by Ernie Weta Workshop. Excerpted by permission.
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