Having studied martial arts, Warren Drummond understands how to draw action and exactly what is needed when shooting a scene. He’s worked on over fourty feature films including The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and Bourne Identity.
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June 17, 2009
Let me see now.
In the last week and a half, I have been hired on to do some pre-pre-production work on a film called NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH.
The director is a very cool guy named David Dobkin who did THE WEDDING CRASHERS. Everything has gone fine so far.
Once again, I can’t discuss the film as I WILL GET FIRED, but it looks to be fun.
David likes to start with thumbnails and work from there. He has a good sense of story and character arcs and is quite open to contributions. David made me feel relaxed as soon as we met, as did his assistant, Seth.
I had to go home to NYC, as my Uncle, a great man named Rueben Holder passed away. I really loved him. He married my mother’s first cousin, and we all just called him “Uncle”. The exact relation never mattered, which is just as I believe.
Family is who loves you and whom you love.
After coming back from the funeral, I am grinding away on the boards. I am very happy not to be using paper as when you work digitally, you can reuse shots and make some wider or tighter.
After approval, I can either draw on another layer or just add detail to the sketches. Tomorrow, I hope to get in a quick workout, take my son to school and start drawing. I have three scenes to do by this coming Monday.
Yes, I am having a lot of fun, I might add.
June 1, 2009
I just went through the always-fun interview process as I look for a new gig. The interviewer was a very nice producer named David Crockett.
If I get the gig, I’ll give a little more detail.
Meanwhile, as work is extremely slow, I did a few “freebee” frames for a director friend and did a LOT of writing whenever I could to finish a script.
I’ve also been doing a little animation design work to flesh out a concept I might try to sell.
When work is slow, you really have to put your time to creative use, especially if you are married with a kid and you don’t know when you might have this kind of time.
Not that I love a lot of time off, as I don’t. As a freelancer, I am always in fear of not working for too long. As I am not single, I can’t piss away time. There is always something to do around the house. I actually try to straighten my home office a little. Dust is ALWAYS a problem. Always.
Many of my illustrator colleagues are looking for work. A chosen few have moved on to new features. They deserve it. I do as well, but until I land one, I must move in a forward direction.
Through Facebook, I have re-connected with a number of my HIGH SCHOOL OF ART AND DESIGN classmates. Some of them (yo, Terri Bracchi, Vilma Alvarez, Steve Carr etc) are still in the arts and even have there own businesses.
I’ve been working out a lot as well. I’ve always sucked at pull-ups, as I never had a chin up bar. I bought one this spring. Now that I have been on the PX 90 (one month in and counting) workout program, I’ve pushed myself to ten pull/chin ups. The Kempo karate dvd workout that stopped half way when I started, I can now finish.
Thankfully, I always took care of my body with weights, so my climb isn’t as massive as it could be.
If only there was a PX GET A JOB workout, too.
May 19, 2009
The last few weeks have been spent finishing boards on the Adam Sandler film “GROWN UPS” (the 2nd A.D. Mark just called me as I was writing this blog) as well as trying to get some writing done. The original plan for me was to do maybe 2 weeks on the show, but my friend and the movie’s director, Dennis Dugan got me a lot more work than than.”DD” or “Doogie” as he is known by many, likes to have me to bounce his visual ideas off him, and he knows I can pull some good gags and concepts out. This film has not been as stunt heavy as “YOU DON’T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN”, but I’ve had CGI moths, prat-falls and a comedic impaling to illustrate. Good stuff.I have one more scene to do, but we don’t know when it has to be done, so now is the time I look for more work, as the bills never stop coming. Unfortunately, I didn’t get my dream jobs on the “GREEN HORNET” or “GREEN LANTERN” films to follow this gig up, so I better start hustling now.In the mean time, I am doing some pro bono boards for another director friend, which is not something I usually do at all, but he isn’t rich at all, and the project isn’t back yet financially. Plus, this director was great to work with on a low budget horror film a few years ago.Again, I WILL take money if you have it. I’d love a job, so I can by more Alan Hughes sketchbooks. If only,
April 28, 2009
Helloooooo….
Well, I am wrapping up work on my current Adam Sandler project (“Untitled” so far) and will be hitting the streets looking for some gigs.
The money must keep flowing.
The director, a very cool gentleman named Dennis Dugan has given me additional scenes to do than the original plan. Thank God, as another film I had going fell apart (for the time being) and I need the income.
Dennis often has to “sell” his vision and ideas on scenes to Adam, who is a smart businessman and knows what he wants. Dennis knows how many frames he needs to sell his point. Some people want to see a lot. Adam and his crew have so much going on that little is good and filling.
I’ve been working on boards for mostly gags. Certain scenes in this movie have mild to mid stunts attached in addition to C.G.I. or “practical” or on the set special effects.
Just last Friday, Dennis let me sit on a meeting with he, his first A.D. and a C.G.I. company vying for a job on the show. Very informative. The company was previously sent a copy of my boards for the scene that needs C.G.I.
From there, they can plan their bid and figure out how long the shots would take to produce.
I am still storyboarding on the STORYBOARD PRO program and then turning the frames into JPG’S. From there, I can set the frames up as I wish, add type or any use of PHOTOSHOP or PAINTER.
If I get some more down time, I will get back to my passion, screenwriting. BIG IF. I want time, but not TOO much time.
I visited my wife, BETTY K. BYNUM on the set of my previous film, DEATH AT A FUNERAL. It stars Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence, Tracey Morgan, James Marsden, Luke Wilson and others. The director, another friend of a few years, Neil LaBute gave Betty a few lines in the film and her one day of filming turned into three.
Betty got to know Chris Rock a little and from what I have seen and heard from many, Chris is one of the NICEST and down to earth people in the business. Eats with the crew, DOESN’T cut the line, and never plays the “star” role. He, Will Smith and George Clooney probably have the best reputations in the business.
So, I must now get back to cracking.
April 7, 2009
Currently, I am working on a new project during the day and another during the nights and weekends. The night/weekend gig is something that doesn’t need super tight drawings, and so I can let the storytelling carry the load.
Storytelling is something that has to stay strong or else one gets fired.
When I find myself overloaded and I can’t do all the work, I do what many artists in the comic book field do . In other words, I have to sub-contract to a trusted artist who can add some shading to my work or add a little line work.
I still have to take all meetings, do all the layouts, and make any corrects the director needs.
If you can avoid it, do DO NOT double dip, unless you are young, don’t have a wife and kid, and know just how to work it. This has only happened as one gig was looking for financing and had an approximate date. The other came into being just as I had free time before the upcoming job.
I couldn’t pass up a job, and I also didn’t know if the second gig would come through or not. Plus, both jobs had people I really wanted to work with.
It’s either feast or famine and I am very tired. But, it beats being broke.
