When it comes to movies, it’s easy to overlook some of the small things that actually make a big difference. While it’s often the Director or Writer who gets the most credit (arguably so), there are often 100s of artists who work painstakingly behind-the-scenes to make sure that every element on screen comes to life. From the science fiction setup of Joe’s room in Super 8 to fake cereal boxes in Wanted, designers play a special role in making every scene in a film feel “alive.”
Today’s guest, Jeremy Gillespie, is one such designer in addition to being a writer/director in his own right thanks to being part of Astron-6 (Father’s Day, Manborg) – who recently announced a Manborg comic for later this year.
Okay, Jeremy, let’s start at the beginning. How did you come into this world?
On March 3, 1969 the United States Navy established an elite school for the top one percent of its pilots. Its purpose was to teach the lost art of aerial combat and to insure that the handful of men who graduated were the best fighter pilots in the world. They succeeded. Today, the Navy calls it Fighter Weapons School. The flyers call it: Jeremy Gillespie.
…okay. Let’s try something more direct. How about telling us how you got started in graphic design instead.
I played in bands for years and everyone always needed posters designed for their shows. I had access to a photocopier and some super rudimentary, Photoshop-like software, so I decided to give it a shot.
Most designers end up doing editorial design, marketing, web design… stuff like that. What made you go in the direction of film graphics?
I did start in the editorial / marketing agency world. I never went to school for design, so that was my education. I basically lied my way into it and learned everything as I went.
Did your involvement with Astron-6 play a role in that or is it a different beast altogether?
I’ve always been into film, but once I started making things for the Astron shorts it definitely steered me in the direction of working in it professionally.
So aside from budget, how does your experience with Astron-6, let’s say working on Manborg, differ from working on Hollywood films, like the upcoming Robocop remake?
Well there’s obviously more resources available on bigger projects. What would be done digitally in Manborg out of necessity could be created physically on a big budget film. The deadlines are certainly a lot tighter when working on a “real” film as well. Manborg wasn’t really scheduled in the traditional sense, but more open ended. You don’t fuck around on a scheduled project.
But you would be surprised how similar small and big budget films can be sometimes. You encounter a lot of the same issues, just on an exploded scale.
Since I brought it up, what’s your role been on the Robocop remake? Is it designing titles, logos, props, interfaces… all the above?
Every movie is different, which makes it fun. It’s really anything that needs to be done. Logos, props, building facades, motion graphics, neon signs, concept stuff, etc. There’s one particular film poster I worked on for Robo that I’m hoping appears in the final film…
Anything you care to tease us with? Or are there any elements or concepts being re-used from the original film?
Sorry, can’t talk about it.
Fair enough. Okay, so who would win in a fight between Manborg and Robocop (original version)?
Robocop, no contest. It would be a Paul Verhoeven-style massacre, like the scene where ED-209 shoots that executive.
Cinematic gold! Hey – just had a thought… what are the chances that Omni Consumer Products (OCP) is really a subsidiary of Cyberdyne Systems?
Which is a subsidiary of Weyland Yutani… which is a subsidiary of the Tyrell Corporation… which is a subsidiary of Silver Shamrock! Holy shit!
DUDE! You’re blowing my mindhole! Okay, before my head pops Scanners-style, you also worked on this summer’s Pacific Rim, right? What elements did you contribute to that production?
Again, all kinds of things. I did a helipad which got a nice shot. A large section was painted full size on a stage floor, which was pretty unreal to see, and difficult logistically to execute. A bunch of the signs in Hong Kong. A neon one in particular outside of Hannibal Chau’s place I think turned out pretty well. Some of the animated screens in the Shatterdome mission control room. A lot of the stuff for Mako’s flashback in the streets of Japan. There was no shortage of work on that show. I did some blueprints you can see hanging on Mako’s wall that ended up getting reworked with the final robot designs to become those teaser blueprint posters advertising the film.
That’s a good point. Film graphics often add small, detailed nuances to a movie. Do you feel that these elements are often overlooked or under-appreciated?
It depends on the intention. Sometimes they’re the feature of a shot which is always the dream. Sometimes if they’re working you shouldn’t necessarily be noticing them at all. I don’t think most people think about it honestly. Maybe other designers do. It felt good working on Total Recall and hearing everyone talk about how good the movie looks, even if they didn’t enjoy the story side of it.
I’ve had my work crushed by giant monsters and machine-gunned to pieces. So that’s something I’m proud of.
As a movie fan and a designer, what are a few of your favorite films?
In terms of design, probably a lot of obvious ones. Blade Runner basically goes without saying at this point. Alien (I’m a huge fan of Ron Cobb). 2001. Zodiac. The early Star Wars movies. In The Mood For Love is beautiful. I really enjoyed Beyond the Black Rainbow for its minimalist look.
Ridley Scott, Stanley Kubrick, and David Fincher are all directors who seemed to understand how design can really enhance a film. They’re all pretty recent. Just so I sound cultured, Tarkovsky, Kurosawa, Antonioni, and Douglas Sirk had seemed to have amazing control over what they were doing visually.
As just a movie fan, I love almost anything by John Carpenter, anything Ray Harryhausen was involved in… The Shining, Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail, The Vanishing, Shogun Assassin, The Beyond, Suspiria, The Wrong Guy, Rolling Thunder, Bring Me the Dead of Alfredo Garcia, Andrei Rublev, My Neighbor Totoro… I could go on forever.
Are there any other designers in film graphics doing working you admire?
I’ve been very lucky to have worked with a lot of amazing people. Graphic artists in film don’t generally get a lot of recognition, but John Moran, David Best, and Tim Peel are all really talented people that I’ve learned a lot from. David Scott, who did Tron Legacy was great to work with. Prologue Films and Josh Nimoy [also] do really impressive motion work.
One of my favorite people was Patrick Tatopolous, the production designer on Total Recall. He has an amazing eye and was really inspiring.
Alright, before we unchain you… er, I mean, let you go, what’s the strangest thing you can remember doing as a kid?
I remember getting hassled by some kid in school. One day I followed him home while wearing a hockey mask painted with a demon face on it, which scared him to death. That would probably get me arrested or shot today…
