Next week I'm going to be chatting to Alien: Covenant vfx concept artist Wayne Haag. I'm writing up some questions now but I wanted to ensure you all had the chance to submit any questions. Obviously Wayne wont be getting into any specifics about the film but if you have any non-spoilery questions you'd like to ask, now is the chance!
Cool sounds good. I'm not good at this stuff so hopefully this makes sense.
During the making of Prometheus, they didn't know what they wanted to do with the film. At one point it was an Alien prequel and then it wasn't, and finally in the end it was sort of a prequel but not really.
My question is this, was there a consistent vision for covenant through-out production or did Ridley's vision for the film change as it was being made? (like with Prometheus)
Makes sense and it's a great question. Thanks.
Bravo for the question, 426Buddy. (https://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.picgifs.com%2Fsmileys%2Fsmileys-and-emoticons%2Fapplause%2Fsmileys-applause-156875.gif&hash=7cf5fb66188b62baf36ce557eff215013dc446fa)
Does the story of Prometheus have some serious impact on the Covenant storyline or they ll just continue to make
loose connections and too vague explanations. Will there be one or two plain answers; simply said, is there some ultimate AGENDA for the story or they ll just continue to build the inner part of the house without building the foundation and the roof? ;D (I know he knows this, thats why i would ask him that)
Is Alien/Xeno still just a simple killer monster in a tin-can, or there is far more sinister background story attached to that organism, because Ridley said he wanted to elevate the story to another level?
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS (simple ones): Did something (conceptual and storywise) surprise him in a very positive way that he even said: Thats really cool!
What kind of design/illustration knowledge was of use to him on Covenant? Is there something he himself would have done differently (storywise and in design field)?
Spoler-free questions ;D ;D
My main question is pretty much story oriented so I dont think he ll
even try to say anything about that... He ll probally speak about designs, concepts,
some not-spolery ideas etc. NO STORY! :D
First question for Wayne:
I know from his Alien and Blade Runner days that Ridley was always very involved with the art department. In fact, he apparently micromanaged it to such a degree that no major production designer ever wanted to work with him. Is this still the case? Did you work directly with Scott or mostly through Cov's PD, Chris Seagers?
If you had direct interaction with Scott, what was he like? Is he still such a harsh taskmaster or is he more relaxed now? Did he allow you a lot of artistic freedom or was his instructions very specific?
Second question:
I take it the concept paintings you did were mostly for environments? Was it mostly for landscapes or mostly for spaceship/temple interiors? Did you get to design any of the film's vehicles/spaceships? Were you doing a lot of 3d modelling or were you just doing layouts in 3d and then doing paintovers?
At one point you mentioned you were working on some super-high-res images while they were still filming. Were those for scenic backings?
Regarding The Covenant ship itself:
Design wise... How big is it compared to Nostromo, Sulaco??, or Is it more close to the Elsyium ship from Pandorum?
Wayne confirmed that he didnt do any matte paintings for Covenant!
Quote from: The Eighth Passenger on Oct 11, 2016, 04:42:36 PM
First question for Wayne:
I know from his Alien and Blade Runner days that Ridley was always very involved with the art department. In fact, he apparently micromanaged it to such a degree that no major production designer ever wanted to work with him. Is this still the case? Did you work directly with Scott or mostly through Cov's PD, Chris Seagers?
If you had direct interaction with Scott, what was he like? Is he still such a harsh taskmaster or is he more relaxed now? Did he allow you a lot of artistic freedom or was his instructions very specific?
Second question:
I take it the concept paintings you did were mostly for environments? Was it mostly for landscapes or mostly for spaceship/temple interiors? Did you get to design any of the film's vehicles/spaceships? Were you doing a lot of 3d modelling or were you just doing layouts in 3d and then doing paintovers?
At one point you mentioned you were working on some super-high-res images while they were still filming. Were those for scenic backings?
Already got these covered, 8th.
Quote from: Enoch on Oct 11, 2016, 03:57:53 PM
Spoler-free questions ;D ;D
My main question is pretty much story oriented so I dont think he ll
even try to say anything about that... He ll probally speak about designs, concepts,
some not-spolery ideas etc. NO STORY! :D
Lol Yeah, I have included your last question but not your others. He wouldn't be able to answer them. Sorry, bro.
Which Alien film is your favorite? If you had to compare Covenant to one of the other Alien films, which is it most similar to in tone?
Quote from: Himmelblau on Oct 11, 2016, 04:50:31 PM
Regarding The Covenant ship itself:
Design wise... How big is it compared to Nostromo, Sulaco??, or Is it more close to the Elsyium ship from Pandorum?
Good one, but i dont think he will answer that.
If its as big as the Elysium it could be just another "Alien" movie.
Did any unused Prometheus concept art find their way into Covenant or perhaps was used as inspiration?
Question:
Looking back at Alien, the thing that makes the film so unique even today is largely due to the role and influence that Giger had as an artist in shaping the tone and motif of the film. How is todays landscape different for artists in comparison? Is there an appetite for artists to play a bigger and more influentual role in giving a film a unique look and identity?
Not very well worded but hopefulyl you get my point :)
Quote from: Enoch on Oct 11, 2016, 06:37:25 PM
Wayne confirmed that he didnt do any matte paintings for Covenant!
Yes, thank you professor. Backings are something else altogether.
Quote from: The Eighth Passenger on Oct 11, 2016, 09:16:00 PM
Yes, thank you professor.Backings are something else altogether.
Professor?? ??? :o
Maybe you are right, but he said only concept designs...
I guess we ll find out thanks to your question! :)
I studied fine and applied art myself, and I love the research phase before a project. I am interested to know who and what Wayne researched before diving into creating his work on Covenant. What other works influenced his design and concepts for the film the most and finally after receiving his brief so to speak at first from Ridley, what did Wayne bring to the table, idea and design wise. Hope these make sense, I've been working late and I'm exhausted :o
Good question! It seems you are not completely exhausted :laugh: ;)
:D haha thanks man 8)
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Oct 11, 2016, 01:01:45 PM
Next week I'm going to be chatting to Alien: Covenant vfx concept artist Wayne Haag. I'm writing up some questions now but I wanted to ensure you all had the chance to submit any questions. Obviously Wayne wont be getting into any specifics about the film but if you have any non-spoilery questions you'd like to ask, now is the chance!
Building on BONESAW's QUESTION -
If you get a chance, ask him what materials Ridley Scott might have given the visual artists working on the film to use as a visual reference! Often times there will be boards worth of images, artwork, possibly insects for the alien stuff,... For instance the Goblin Shark was used for the Deacon in Prometheus. Other times the director might ask people to watch entire films for their tone or atmosphere, and etc.
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Oct 11, 2016, 01:01:45 PM
Next week I'm going to be chatting to Alien: Covenant vfx concept artist Wayne Haag. I'm writing up some questions now but I wanted to ensure you all had the chance to submit any questions. Obviously Wayne wont be getting into any specifics about the film but if you have any non-spoilery questions you'd like to ask, now is the chance!
Could you ask him if working on Covenant changed how he perceives Prometheus? Did he have an "aha!" moment where Prometheus suddenly made a lot more sense?
Also, if Covenant's design had a unifying theme, and he could describe it in one word, what would it be?
Thanks, guys!
Qs for Wayne:
Q1: Hi Wayne! You recently tweeted about how beautifully grotesque the sets and set-pieces were, would you say Covenant expands on the visual design concepts and aesthetic of the original Alien? Has Ridley surpassed himself in this respect?
Q2: Did any of your artistic creations and contributions truly wow Ridley and exceed his expectations?
Quote from: The Eighth Passenger on Oct 11, 2016, 09:16:00 PM
Quote from: Enoch on Oct 11, 2016, 06:37:25 PM
Wayne confirmed that he didnt do any matte paintings for Covenant!
Yes, thank you professor. Backings are something else altogether.
Comeon 8th, no need for that passive aggressive.
Some great questions! Some I've already got, others I'm including at the end for "questions from the community" but keep them coming!
Is there generally a more prominent Giger influence/inspiration with regards to designs and aesthetics for this movie?
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Oct 12, 2016, 07:44:14 AM
Comeon 8th, no need for that passive aggressive.
I didn't take that as a negative comment. As people say, it takes all sorts... and
Eight is a bit stern and cynical but he is right, I am a professor ;D
New type of professor... professor of kindness and patience! ;) :D
He ll explain me everything about matte and backing differences ;D
P.S. Sorry for this off topic post!
How is a sense of scale (vastness vs cramped conditions) handled and reflected?
a - in relation to living organisms and their surroundings.
b- in relation to worlds, and open spaces within those worlds
(yes, I am fishing for info that may give hints about how suffocating and suspenseful situations may be, whether the mega giant jockeys are around, those huge tree trunks, and whether xenos are same, larger or smaller etc... )
What do you think is the extent of H. R. Goger's influence in the dimension of science-fiction and on a personal level?
Quote from: Enoch on Oct 12, 2016, 11:14:23 AM
Eight is a bit stern and cynical but he is right, I am a professor ;D
:laugh: I know, I know, I always were an asshole. But the Corporal can sometimes be such a nanny. :P
QuoteHe ll explain me everything about matte and backing differences
Matte paintings are created during post-production and composited into the film afterwards. Nowadays they tend to be full 3d virtual environments rather than just flat 2d images as was the case in the past. Usually where you see a greenscreen, a matte painting will later take it's place.
Backings are very large prints that are placed or hung on the set during actual filming. So for example, instead of a greenscreen behind a window you now have a very large canvas print of the exterior environment. Saves the trouble of later having to composite it in and gives the actors a more believable environment to work in than those rather unimaginative greenscreens. It does have it's limits however since you can't animate it or anything fancy like that.
The reason I asked Wayne about it is because he mentioned working on some image files with really crazy high resolutions and file sizes. Concept paintings and even matte paintings generally don't need to be that big unless you are going to make really huge prints out of them.
Quote from: The Eighth Passenger on Oct 12, 2016, 04:09:48 PM
:laugh: I know, I know, I always were an asshole. But the Corporal can sometimes be such a nanny. :P
QuoteHe ll explain me everything about matte and backing differences
Matte paintings are created during post-production and composited into the film afterwards. Nowadays they tend to be full 3d virtual environments rather than just flat 2d images as was the case in the past. Usually where you see a greenscreen, a matte painting will later take it's place.
Backings are very large prints that are placed or hung on the set during actual filming. So for example, instead of a greenscreen behind a window you now have a very large canvas print of the exterior environment. Saves the trouble of later having to composite it in and gives the actors a more believable environment to work in than those rather unimaginative greenscreens. It does have it's limits however since you can't animate it or anything fancy like that.
The reason I asked Wayne about it is because he mentioned working on some image files with really crazy high resolutions and file sizes. Concept paintings and even matte paintings generally don't need to be that big unless you are going to make really huge prints out of them.
I knew you would be kind to explain me this...
Many thanks, Eight! :) (https://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sherv.net%2Fcm%2Femoticons%2Fhello%2Fhats-off-salute-smiley-emoticon.gif&hash=e1ed922ee480c9d0e31a86155dc1bf74bbd30a4c)
P.S. I wouldnt be too sure about Corporal though! ;D
(https://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.makeagif.com%2Fmedia%2F9-13-2015%2F5PB-FU.gif&hash=ab814572dcb9efd6c14ca6e0a563dd55f92fc941)
Quote from: The Eighth Passenger on Oct 12, 2016, 04:09:48 PM
:laugh: I know, I know, I always were an asshole. But the Corporal can sometimes be such a nanny. :P
I prefer to think of myself more as a squad leader than a nanny but whatever tickles your pink.
Regardless, thanks for explaining it for folk.
Q for Wayne:
Wayne, what art (generally speaking) was the most influential on you in your formative years which made you want to be an visual artist?: whether it be books, movies, music, visual art etc?
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Oct 13, 2016, 08:31:47 AM
I prefer to think of myself more as a squad leader than a nanny but whatever tickles your pink.
Regardless, thanks for explaining it for folk.
Tickles us pink, or
our pink, like our delicate nether regions?
The nether regions option. :P Haven't you heard that saying before?
Never. Verbally it's always been the idiom "[to be] tickled pink."
Must be a British thing.
Round my parts in Ireland when propositioning someone with a possible plan of action you could often be faced with the response 'whatever tickles ye!" which means - 'yes, I'm up for that if you are.' :D
Quote from: BonesawT101 on Oct 14, 2016, 01:59:00 PM
Round my parts in Ireland when propositioning someone with a possible plan of action you could often be faced with the response 'whatever tickles ye!" which means - 'yes, I'm up for that if you are.' :D
I thought it was whatever tickles your fancy?
What part of Ireland you in?
Yes, you'd definitely be faced with whatever tickles your fancy that's for sure, haha I'm from County Antrim!
Quote from: BonesawT101 on Oct 14, 2016, 02:05:05 PM
Yes, you'd definitely be faced with whatever tickles your fancy that's for sure, haha I'm from County Antrim!
Different neck of the woods from me then, I'm Dublin!
@T Dog, Good to have another Irish man about these parts! I often wonder if there are many of us about here haha btw did you manage to catch the live score performance of Goldsmith's Aliens score at Bord Gais theatre last month? Back on topic, I'm really looking forward to the interview, any idea when you are thinking of having it done and online, Hicks?
Quote from: BonesawT101 on Oct 14, 2016, 10:51:03 PM
@T Dog, Good to have another Irish man about these parts! I often wonder if there are many of us about here haha btw did you manage to catch the live score performance of Goldsmith's Aliens score at Bord Gais theatre last month?
No I didn't make it out to it unfortunately. Didn't jump on the tickets quickly enough and was just too expensive when I looked again.
Quote from: T Dog on Oct 14, 2016, 03:48:46 PMDifferent neck of the woods from me then, I'm Dublin!
Completely off-topic, but I'm off to Dublin in May to see Iron Maiden. Wonderful city, been dying to go back!
As for the subject, not a question, but congrats Hicks on bagging the interview!
Quote from: BonesawT101 on Oct 14, 2016, 10:51:03 PM
Back on topic, I'm really looking forward to the interview, any idea when you are thinking of having it done and online, Hicks?
Will be recording on Thursday morning. I'm currently editing another interview to go out first as the next episode of the podcast. Wayne's interview will be the podcast episode after that and it's basically just however long it takes me. I really hate editing so I'm not really fast with them anyway but I'm pretty anal about cutting out as many of the uhms and loud breaths and etc as is possible.
Sounds great! Take as long as you need man. 8)
Hopefully this'll be posted soon. Just being reviewed at the minute.
Deadly, lookin' forward to it.
My question to Wayne:
Has Zdzisław Beksiński's work have any influence on you as an artist?
^ Great question, a fusion of Giger and Beksiński would be epic.
We've already recorded I'm afraid.
When are you going to upload it Corporal, I need more lol
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Nov 13, 2016, 01:47:43 PM
We've already recorded I'm afraid.
No Beksinski's question? Shit ;)
Quote from: Necronomicon II on Nov 13, 2016, 01:52:06 PM
When are you going to upload it Corporal, I need more lol
It's going up today! I've just got into work so let me settle down and then I'll get it up later.
Sooooooo......will you be doing a follow up spoiler interview Hicks or are things a little controversial right now?
It's still on the table. I'm waiting for the artists to release their artwork though and then I'll get to work on making it happen. :)