The Green Hornet: Part 2!

Just got my latest model back from the 3D printer!  Can't wait to paint him . . . if I can ever find the time!  #3Dprinting  #TheGreenHornet  #VanWilliams

My Latest Nerd Hobby!

It's the next adventure in my new venture.  There are two things that I really love: action figures, and the adventure shows that I grew up watching on TV.  Batman, Star Trek, The Green Hornet, Wild Wild West, Superman, Zorro etc.  Of course, they were all in re-runs at the time and there were no toys out there for me to further their adventures in the backyard!  

There were the action figures made by the Mego company - and I certainly loved my Mr. Spock doll, as well as all of my apes from Planet of the Apes!  But the other ones like Batman and Superman didn't look like they did on TV.  I wanted Adam West and George Reeves, not the generic comic book versions!  

Meanwhile, thirty-some years later I suppose little has changed.  I'm still that same kid and I still want my action figures!  My latest custom figure I have in the works is Guy Williams as Don Diego from Disney's 1950's Zorro TV show.  

I love this show and Guy Williams is perfect as Zorro. It's definitely my favorite portrayal of the character to date.  There are a few toys from the show that had come out during that era, but none that are cool action figures that really capture Guy's likeness.  

So using the rapid prototype process I began working on my own.  You can see more on the process in this post: http://imtoddgrimes.blogspot.com/2013/09/rapid-prototyping.html

I kind of like the way he looks in black and white.  Maybe I'll paint one like that!  Now how am I going to make that suit??

More Rapid Prototyping!

Below is one of my latest models created from the 3D printing process.   It's Bruce Wayne!!

More Batman!

Wow . . . it's been a long time since I've posted anything.  Here's some more bat-fun!

Fumblebums!

Another of my favorite episodes of Back at the Barnyard: Fumblebums!  I loved the kinetic vibe to this story (written by Jed Spingarn) and we had a lot of fun with all of the football action.   I know very little about the sport so I was lucky to have some super football fans on the team like Jason Dorf.   In addition to directing this one I also storyboarded the entire episode, and Jason had to explain to me all of the positions and players on the field in order for me to figure out most of the staging – thanks buddy!  

Production Problmes!

So how do I create a stadium of people on an animated cable TV show budget?   You make the bleachers up high!  I asked our production designer Phil Cruden to make the crowd seating begin at the top of a 15 foot wall – this way I was able to shoot a lot of the action on the field without having to see a crowd of characters in each BG.   Worked out pretty well!  

The Birth of Coach Coachman!

For years I had been doing silly caricatures of my fellow director TJ Sullivan and was always looking for a place to put him in to the show – or SOME show somewhere!  Well Coach Coachman was my opportunity!  You see, there’s always a little bit of friendly ribbing going on (mom jokes, etc.) and I wasn’t going to make TJ’s character just be some guy.  No, he had to look a bit . . . well . . . goofy.  Our character designer on the show was the great Bill Schwab, so in an attempt to mimic his brilliant visual style, I created my TJ-inspired Coach.  I believe it was our Modeling Supervisor Gerardo Orioli who created the actual 3D model of TJ . . .  er, I mean Coach. 

Graphics!

I always loved playing with visual style and incorporate fun graphics into the shows.  One thing I do know about football is that there are many flashy graphics when you watch a game on TV – so in doing a football episode, we HAD to have the Barnyard equivalent.  

Unfortunately, these elements aren’t often factored in to the production pipeline of a CG show.   Being a stylistically different approach, it’s hard to determine who will do what and where it will fall in the schedule.  But when you’re determined you find a way . . . even if it means you do it yourself . . . on the weekend.   My equally determined editor at the time Nick Simotas, agreed to bite the bullet along with me and help me get this bit in the show.  We agreed that I would do all of the graphics and Nick would animate them.  Now, does the result look like something two guys did in about two days?  Yeah, kind of . . . BUT we did it and it’s in the show!  That was all that mattered.  Check out the clip below.  You’ll also hear Nick lending his vocal talents as the announcer in the clip.  

1966 Batman Designs

Ok, so here are some from my favorite show of all time: Batman.  I grew up watching this show and have been obsessed with it for my entire life.  Back in the 70's and early 80's Batman was on TV every day - and I mean EVERY day.  It was just before the era of cable television, and at the time you had a choice of maybe four or five channels to watch.  Batman, Happy Days, Brady Bunch, Gilligan's Island, and Star Trek pretty much ruled the syndicated airwaves.  Needless to say, my favorite show to watch over and over was . . . . 

The Green Hornet

Below are a couple of designs I did back in 2008 of The Green Hornet.  I’ve been a fan of the show since I first saw it as a child, and was hoping to see it appear in animated form someday.  Looking back, I find these designs a bit traditional let’s say – or you can say “kind of boring” I guess.  Sadly, I don’t know how well received the character would be for modern audiences, so I don’t think he’ll ever see much of a resurgence.   One can dream!