Star Wars: The Boba Fett Thing...

This year has been exciting in the movie world because Star Wars is in the air again. I am really looking forward to The Force Awakens coming out in December. It's been a lot of fun following all of the bits of information, the teasers and photos they have released so far. It looks so good, everything I've seen and heard has captured the Star Wars spirit for sure. I'm a fan of Abrams too so its going to be a thrill to see his version of Star Wars. I'm also looking forward to Episodes IIX and IX along with the Anthology films starting with Gareth Edwards' Rogue One.

Boba Fett has always been a favorite character of mine and when I heard about the Boba Fett Anthology film, my mind starting racing with ideas. It's been about ten years since I made a Star Wars film and so naturally I think the itch was there to make something in that universe again. Jason Mitcheltree and I came up with an idea that I got really excited about. We are both pretty big fans, Jason saw Episode I seventeen times in the theater. Yes, seventeen. One, seven. That is not a typo... in the theaters. So it's easy to say there was dedication going into this. I did everything I could to make sure it was as authentically Star Wars and Boba Fett as possible. I consumed Star Wars for months straight, diving further into the world than I ever had before.

I'm so happy with what we've done. It's the teaser of a Boba Fett movie I would love to see. The full story we have come up with is ridiculously cool, I get excited just thinking about it. Especially the end sequence because nothing makes a film like a good ending. It addresses every question and want that fans have for a Boba adventure movie. I do know that this satisfied that creative hunger for this piece of Boba on film even if it only lasts a minute. I also know there is a whole lot more I would love to explore. So hopefully Star Wars fans from all over will be able to enjoy this, especially those who need that Boba Fett fix, I know I do. Enjoy!

The guys at Boba Fett Fan Club did a great interview where I talk a little more about the story and making of. Check it out here.

More photos and behind the scenes here.

'Video' Goes to SIGGRAPH

Hello! SIGGRAPH LA is just days away and I'm happy to say that I will be presenting with Maxon for Cinema 4D. A few months back I released a short film on Youtube. It took us 3 weeks from start to finish to make the short. CG Society did an article on the process behind the scenes of the short - and actually Jason, Deep and I are excited about the extended story we have come up with for this character and plot. The story goes to a place that is seriously so incredible that it is hard to sit still with it in mind. Here is a trailer for the Siggraph presentation.

Maxon has asked me to present this year and I happily agreed. However, originally I had a completely different project that I was going to present and actually had it prepared. I thought the project would be finished in time to share the details of what went into the making but we are actually still working on it, adding a few things to it that are bringing it to that extra levels and I'm extremely excited to share it with everyone. I haven't shown ANYTHING for it yet and we have been working on it for just over two months. I can say it takes place in a galaxy far, far away... thats about it! Look out for that soon! So instead I am going to show a more in depth of the creation of the CG alien in this short film. I will be sharing how I sculpted, rigged, animated, textured, lit and rigged the thing in Cinema 4D. I'll also release the short on Vimeo during the presentation.

I'll be presenting Wednesday, Aug. 12th at 10:30am at the Maxon booth. So if you're going to be there and your reading this before hand, then come say hi! You can also watch it live at C4DLive.com. They are giving away prizes and things so check it out! ...and like I said be on the lookout for this new thing coming very very soooooon!

-Eric

This, That, and the Other

 

Hello! So yes, it has been a while since the last post. So what the heck have I been doing? 

After the release of 'Scorpion' I began working on a pitch for a Ubisoft video game trailer. About a month ago we finished up a short film which is currently growing into something bigger so now we are writing a feature film based off of that idea. The short film version will be released any day now. Last year I worked with Elastic on the prologue sequence for 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes', but the plug got pulled on that and we made this cool video game trailer instead. This was lead by Patrick Clair and I got to team up with the 3D guys I worked with on the 'Game of Thrones' titles, so that was cool! Check it out below.

A break down of this can be seen here.

I have spent the last couple months animating info graphics for a feature documentary about sound pollution in the ocean and it's effect on whales. So I guess for once I get to say i'm 'Saving the Whales'. That should be getting a release in the months to come. A couple weeks ago I started animating on a new project which is TOP SECRET, but it's pretty Marvelous ;) And then last Monday I was struck with an idea to make something I've always wanted to. I don't wan't to give anything away but we will be shooting in Buttercup Valley, and if you google that or know the significance of that place, you'll probably guess what galaxy we're going to. (it's pretty far, far away...)

Thats all for now, until the next post! 

Eric

'Scorpion' is online!

Recently I've been preparing to put my latest short film 'Scorpion' online. I'm so happy to finally share it with everyone and hopefully there are some mobster film fans out there who will catch it. The thing I like most about this film is that it doesn't have flashy visual effects or anything to hide behind. It is raw, out in the open and it is filled with dialogue. It's what I appreciate so much about Tarantino films, your able to just buy the characters and listen to what they have to say.

I found it really interesting thinking about the idea of being a fly on the wall in a common meet up room of an organized mob, eavesdropping on what they said and being able to piece together whats going on. What if there was some serious turmoil going on? What if they had no idea whats coming? 

You can check out some extras (photos, behind-the-scenes, and outtakes) on the web page here. Thanks for checking it out and I hope you enjoy it! I can't wait for all the things 2015 has in store!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

YHWH Project

I was contacted a few months back by Dan Stevers who was embarking on an adventure to bring twelve animators together to create a video. It was called the 'YHWH Project'. It started off as a beautiful poem written and performed by Sh'maya. I was one of the last members to be brought on and I didn't even flinch at the opportunity.

After a few months of twelve artists dwelling in complete free-form creativity inspired by the words of the poem, this film began to take shape. It started to grow into something of its own. Each artist adding a unique style and characteristic to the piece. All with the passion of creating something we all believed in. I believe this is the biggest thing i've worked on thus far. I like the quote by A.W. Tozer, "Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other?"

London!

I just recently visited London for the first time ever. As some may already know, our short film 'Scorpion' premiered at the Raindance Film Festival, so I flew out to join the festivities. I had an awesome time!

I had the pleasure of sitting in on an incredible discussion with director Mike Cahill for his process in making his latest feature I Origins. It was truly inspiring. Right afterwards I got to hear an interview with cinematographer Sean Bobbitt (12 Years a Slave, The Place Beyond the Pines). I wont go into great detail but all in all there were lots of amazing events and classes. I learned a ton!

While I was there I took some footage on my i phone and couldn't help but throw together a short clip which I posted below. It goes along with a slew of photos i've snapped from everywhere here and there. Enjoy!

Two things London had that i wish LA had:

1.) The Tube (an underground railway system), awesome transportation. AND--

2.) Clouds. LA is nice but man I wouldn't mind some more rain and cooler weather.

I took lots and lots of photos as well so here you go!