• As a Director I deal with all facets of production, one of the most important is art direction. And although I'm schooled in many aspects of design, I can't do it all. I need to surround myself with top talent to help carry the vision to the screen. That usually involves giving a clear direction on how I want the story to unfold. I always try to surround myself with talent that inspires me. If I can give artists direction that makes their job easier, so much the better
• When I work out story notes from the script, I try to visualize the settings that best tell how the story is going to be told, not just for a setting, but for an emotional arc that defines how the story needs to unfold. I meet with my crew and discuss the images which may include small sketches of how I want things to evolve. Sometimes it's not much more than a thumbnail. other times it will be much clearer. When I'm satisfied that the artists understand what is needed, I let them loose to do what they do best and only modify when they go off topic.(which was alway rare with the artists that I worked with) 


• Below is some of that art from those shows featuring  talent from many of the best artists in animation
  

"PLANET HULK"

Prophesy Rock, during the alignment of Sakaars three moons. 

Fedja Jovanovich and Stephen Nicodemus

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Ansarr Village, another angle of Prophet Rock. by Fedja Jovanovich and Stephen Nicodemas.

"DOCTOR STRANGE"

Doctor Strange's office as a surgeon. I always feel it important that the background remain integral to the story. The cool tones and muted colors reflect the cold facade to Stephen Strange. Aloof and organized to a radical degree. It is all a controlled mask to bury his real identity in an effort to avoid feeling's of lose and pain in the death of his sister.

The "Sanctum Santorum" from MLG'S "Doctor Strange"

I was working one fall in Montreal and fell in love with the city. Aside from the strong Victorian architecture the city was just creatively compelling. One night while it was very wet and misty I was taking a midnight walk and when you looked up into the sky the buildings just seemed to melt into the mist. It was very surreal feeling. As an artist my mind was thinking of all sorts of fantastical situations where I could use such fantastic images. I cataloged it and put it away in my mind until I had something that I could use it with. A few years later I was working on a new "Spawn" movie and I had wanted to use the imagery but was unable to due to the project being shelved. Instead Dr. Strange fell my way and I was able to infuse that imagery with the good Doctor's Sanctum Santorum. It  was a great place to use it. There's just a flair of mystery mixed with dread and beauty that these images inspire. Again many thanks to Fedja Jovanovich and Stephen Nicodemus for their superlative work.

One of the things that sets movies apart from television productions is the use of color. With movies you have the time and budget to get creative in the ways that you can show sequences, with the characters and props you can key to match the background color. Most television shows you have to limit the color to night and day, often using nighttime color to act as shadow for day. Digital coloring has helped, but it is still time consuming for the colorist to come up with the proper treatment for each sequence, but the end result can be breathtaking.

"THE INVINCIBLE IRON MAN"

Fedja Jovanovich/Russel Chong

Russel Chong

Gary Montobano/Ellen Jin

Fedja Jovanovich/Frank Paur

Gary Montobano/Ellen Jin

Fedja Jovanovich/Ellen Jin

Gary Montobano/Ellen Jin

"HULK VS. THOR"

Sam Liu/Joel Chang

Frank Paur/Joel Chang

Fedja Jovanovich/Stephen Nicodemas
This piece was done for "Hulk Vs. Thor", It is Odin's sleep chamber. The crew grew bold and made me immortal by chiseling my face as the facade to the building. They then added the entire crew circumnavigating the structure with their own faces...sometimes artists just go a little crazy. Best just to stand out of their way when they do.