Yay! We're thrilled to announce that Frank Cirocco has joined the IWW team as Senior Art Director for VFX. Frank will be quarterbacking our concept illustration work on a number of our most important VFX.
In-World War has well over a hundred separate VFX shots, with more than 20 distinct designs needed, so this work will be crucial to establishing the look of the film's unique futuristic vision.
He'll be working with a team of upcoming illustrators and designers (if you're interested in helping provide concept illustration, please send us a link to your online portfolio: team @ studiolomismo.com).
On Hollywood blockbusters, concept design typically starts long before production, but we didn't have the luxury. Instead, we focused our energy and meager finances on getting the film shot. That was enough of a challenge. We decided (and hoped) that visual effects could be designed later on when we had the time and resources to focus on it, in post-production. So here we are.
As you may know, Frank is a titan of science fiction and fantasy illustration and has worked with some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. He is renowned for his precise linework (often invoking Maxfield Parrish and classic Art Nouveau poster art from the Belle Epoque). His comic book panels could have been composed by a seasoned cinematographer.
Frank's artwork has been present on the art collector's market and in a number of gallery shows for years. His first fantasy-themed limited edition art prints and portfolios were published in the late seventies (including Land of Shadows and the Seven Dreams of Sinbad from Schanes & Schanes). In the mid-eighties, Frank was a regular cover artist for Marvel Comics and eventually partnered with old friend Carl Potts (at Marvel's creator-owned Epic division) to create The Alien Legion comic series along with writer Alan Zelenetz. Over the years, the sci-fi property has had a loyal fan following and a successful series of runs. Currently, Alien Legion has been licensed by Jerry Bruckheimer and Disney, where a live-action motion picture is in pre-production with release scheduled for 2014.
Frank has worked extensively both in the fine art market and the entertainment field for more than 30 years now. In his commercial endeavors, he has worked as a production artist, designer, art director, writer, editor and creative director. Frank was an art director at Rocket Science Games where he worked on PC game versions of comic titles such as Mark Shultz's Cadillacs & Dinosaurs. He currently co-owns Lightsource Studios, a commercial art house providing freelance illustration, design and animation services to companies such as Dreamworks, Disney, LucasArts, Marvel Comics, Microsoft, Yahoo!, Electronic Arts, LeapFrog, Mattel, and Universal Studios.
On a personal note, Frank and IWW director DJ Bad Vegan go way back to the mid-80's, when BV was an awkward teenage nerdling. Working as a volunteer "go-fer" at Bay Area comic book conventions, BV proudly ran around getting coffee and snacks for Frank and other big name comic book creators on the local convention circuit. It's a fanboy dream come true to work together.
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