Visual effects studio the Aaron Sims Company was kind enough to do a brief interview with us in regards to the concept art that they did on G.I. Joe: Retaliation. The movie, which brings to life key characters from G.I. Joe’s action figure days, came out on March 29, 2013. In our interview, The Aaron Sims Company dishes out their influences and tells us exactly how they created characters like Snake Eyes and Jinx. Check out our Q&A session below.
What were your stylistic influences?
We had to use the world that was created in the first film as a springboard but the director had a great vision for a unique design. It was always using a little bit of what came before the film while striving to create something fresh and new that the audience hasn’t seen yet.
What exactly did ASC design for the film?
ASC designed many of the characters, like Snake Eyes, Jinx, and the Viper Guard. We also created the look of the costumes for many of the characters, as well as the Vehicles in the movie. Beyond that, we designed the COBRA island, which was one of our favorites.
How long did the design process take?
As always during big studio films like G.I. Joe: Retaliation, there are a lot of people involved, so the designing took many months to achieve. It’s an on-again, off-again process as things get changed and added to improve the overall look and feel of the movie all the way up until you see it in the theater.
What 3D software did you use?
We used a Zbrush, Maya, and Photoshop to design everything in.
What was the most useful piece of software and why? (Please specify what tools or features of the software made it vital to production)
Really it was Photoshop that was used the most, as we did more character and costume design. Painting was our most extensive design process, blending photos with other photos to create the eventual final product.
What advice would you give to aspiring creature/character designers looking to break into the industry?
My advice to anyone wanting to become a designer in the film industry is to just work hard in making your designs unique, create your own voice, also create a blog, or website to show your work. Post some of your work on popular concept sites if you can, and you will get noticed.
Make sure you guys visit the Aaron Sims Company to see more of their great work!
Link: asc-vfx.com
SORRY! CONTENT REMOVED AT THE REQUEST OF THE STUDIO. Check out more work from the Aaron Sims Company here.