Batman Fan Film - Digital Artists needed

[P J Wares]

This forum was recommended to me by one of the artists currently working on our Batman fan film. Now having seen the level of talent that resides here, I can see why.

I am the Director/Producer/Writer of the unoffical and unsanctioned by Warner Bros and DC Comics - fan film; Batman: Prologue. I'm here looking for talented digital artists to help bring our vision to life.

The film is set weeks before the events of Tim Burton's Batman '89 and exists in the same continuity. The intention is to produce a homage to Tim Burton and Anton Furst's work wonderful work on that motion picture. As such the 22 minute film will be a stylistic and literal 'prequel' to Batman 1989. The movie that set me on my path to becoming a filmmaker.

The film has been in active pre-production for the past year and we have already produced some quite exiting images. Shooting will begin in earnest late summer 2006 with a view for release late 2006/ early 2007.

In order to fully realise this vision I need artists to produce a variety of digital matte paintings that will be used as establishing shots and as background composites to our miniatures and CGI. All of these mattes will be of Gotham City and all will be based on Anton Furst's award winning production designs.

As with all projects of this nature, there is very little money. In fact I am completely funding this project myself and because it is a fan film of a copyrighted character, no profit can be made from it. Therefore, everyone involved is working for credit and for the challenge only. I wish I could afford to pay even a token amount, but unfortunately for this project it isn't possible. I can guarantee your work a lot of exposure though, as the film is being planned as an internet release.

Every effort is being made to ensure the film meets the highest standards and everyone so far involved is having a lot of fun along the way.

If you would like to be involved and would like to volunteer your talents, please contact me for a script at paul (at) nameless (dot) fsnet (dot) co (dot) uk or darkknightpj (at) hotmail (dot) co (dot) uk

I have plenty of behind the scenes stuff that we are currently working on to share with serious participants. Thanks for your time.


Paul Wares

[robbla1981]

I'm intrested in learning more about this project, and potentially getting involved. is there a site with more info?

[Kyole]

I 2nd that is there a site or images of what you have so far?

[P J Wares]

Hi guys and to anyone else still interested. I had to put the project on hold for a couple of months due to a death in the family, but the production is back up and running.

You can find more details here http://www.batmanprologue.com/

Clicking on the logo will take you to the message board where you will find more images.

I still need mattepainters and CG Artists/animators. If you contacted me previously and are still interested, please get in touch again.

Hope to hear from you all soon

Paul

[in7es]

Hello to everyone! first of all, Sorry about my english, I'm a portuguese fan of tim burton's version of batman. I dont have experience in mattepainting but I belive i have some drawing and sculpture skills! if you are interested in see something, please reply!!
unfortunatly the portfolio that I have on line is only vector art, most of all, l cartoon but i can send you other things just ask!

thanks and good luck for the film

[P J Wares]

Please get in touch, we'd love to see some of your stuff.

Paul

[visualeffects]

Hi. I'm from VisualEffects.ro (efectespeciale.ro) team and I'll be glad to help you with your Batman project. Our team make visual effects, 3D animations and characters, matte painting and compositing for commercials, movies and tv shows.
Please contact me at contact@efectespeciale.ro or contact@visualeffects.ro

Daniel.

[P J Wares]

Hi folks,

After a few months off for various personal reasons, the film is finally back up and running and will now be released next year to coincide with the 20th Anniversary of Batman 1989.

I had a lot of interest and support from a few members here, but unfortunately lost almost all of your details when I had a computer meltdown last year. I'm hoping you all will still be interested on working on this.

The website http://www.batmanprologue.com is nearly back up and running and I have some video up on my youtube page http://www.youtube.com/pjwars

If you would like to work with me to help breathe new life into this project, please contact me. All of the contact details can be found in the first post on this thread.

Thanks again folks.

[P J Wares]

The following images are Anton Furst's designs for Gotham City and provide examples of what I need to create/recreate.

The first three images I need to recreate as matte paintings, with some minor changes.

The first pic needs to be recreated both with and without the tallest tower.

http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/6756/antonsdcgothamql7.jpg

In the shot without the tallest tower, the following designs needs to go in it's place.

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/7843/cathedralfy1.jpg

The following needs to be created so that the shot can crane down closer to the road as a CG car speeds toward camera *ASSIGNED

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/4949/financialdistrictix5.jpg

The next shot only needs to have the background buildings recreated, the foreground has been built in miniature.

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/2344/waynetowerbx8.jpg

The following design has been completely modelled and now needs to be texture mapped and lit. A few changes need to be made to it too

http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/2705/gardneroverpassqr3.jpg

Here's the pre-viz for that sequence

http://www.youtube.com/v/HU1mN2fVPqk&hl=en

Finally I need to have the the matte painting section of the following shot recreated and improved (a' la 'Dove' mattepainting in Blade Runner Final Cut). The Cathedral section has been built in miniature.

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/8478/pdvd038rl2.png

There is also a need for a few original shots of my own design to be created, but I'll share those off board, with those that are interested.

[robbla1981]

not for nothing, but I've seen this posting pop up several times in the last year or so. are you actually at the point where you can seriously bring on matte painters?

[P J Wares]

Hi Rob,

Yes, unfortunately the project stalled twice. The first time because of the death of a very close family member and the second, simply because my work load was too great and I couldn't pull the elements that I needed together in the window of opportunity that I had.

Third time's a charm ;)
Seriously though, the project is being shot in the summer, but because we need to recreate the whole world of Gotham and because there is no pay available (per my original post) I need to kick this off now in order to give plenty of time for completion. I'd like all the initial shots that I've described completed within the next six months, with a view to completing approx 5 more after principal photography.

I'm hoping to engage one artist per shot so they can complete it from start to finish so they can use it as a portfolio piece as well as it feature prominently in the film.

I am doing as much as I can myself, because there is no pay, but I recognise that my VFX skills are limited and I need to focus on the larger production as a whole. What I can guarantee is worldwide exposure.

Here is a scene that is nearly complete, that was produced solely by me (except for the performances and the music).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VShHbr3vkzg

I still need to composite a miniature foreground into the first shot, but overall it's a completed scene.

[7th Dimension]

Hi. I'm from 7thDimension team and I'll be glad to help you with your Batman project. Our team make visual effects, 3D animations and characters, matte painting and compositing for commercials, movies and tv shows too
Please if u need assistance, contact me at executive@sevendimension.com

Italy is poor of this movies, and me, like u, i'm projecting something about your film.....so i'll very happy to help u.

Luca