Visualizing 'The Scarlet Avenger'

Old style pulp pin-up of The Skull, The Scarlet Avenger and his French spy girlfriend, by Toronto artist, Sam Agro

Hi, Avenger Fans...

It's been a while since my last update, but I have a good reason!:-) I've been busy cutting together previs for the 'Scarlet Avenger' feature. For those who don't know what previs is, it's short for 'previsualization', meaning I'm creating a rough version of each and every single shot in the feature, planning composition and motion in meticulous detail. It's a powerful filmmaking tool I learned a great deal about, during my time working on the feature film, 'Jumper'. While 'Jumper' and other Hollywood movies create previs with sophisticated computer animations, I'm taking a different approach.

I've downloaded thousands of reference stills and hundreds of film clips from the Internet, which I'm editing together in Final Cut Pro into scenes from my film. I'm primarily focussing on the opening 12 minutes of the picture, because I will be storyboarding it very soon and using it as a selling tool. It's one of the most ambitious sequences in the piece, so it's a good choice to focus on first. Plus, it's basically a stand-alone story: the Avenger's origin tale.

Previsualization is helping me see what shots I will be able to shoot infront of a green screen and which ones I will have to shoot on a set. For example, the sequence involves several horses riding up to a train, but because I will not have access to a real train I will have to composite a model (filmed against green screen) into a shot with live horses. Compositions from similar scenes in other films are helping me see how I can most easily achieve this. I'm borrowing from numerous train sequences in other pictures, including 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade','The Legend of Zorro', 'Octopussy' and many others, including a thrilling scene from the Bollywood classic, 'Sholay', which contains probably the most fantastic railway chase I've ever seen.

The previs is also helping me see the pacing of the entire film. Ideas for improving the script are coming to me at a dizzying pace, because I can visualize what moments are lagging dramatically, and which moments are too action packed and headache-inducing.

After I've settled on all the compositions for the opening sequence, I will show my previs to a storyboard artist, who will translate it into shot sketches, specific to my film. It's all very exciting!

On a different note, enthusiastic worldwide reception of the student short continues. I've just updated the mailbag section, so you can read many more fan letters here. One of the most memorable letters I recieved, regarding the short, was from an American military serviceman stationed in the Middle East, who really wanted a copy on DVD. I found it really touching that someone who was in the middle of a war zone would be so interested in having a copy of my old student flick. I sent it out right away, and the gentleman promised me he'd show it to all his shipmates. I became really worried about this guy's safety, but he assured me he's in a relatively safe area and will be okay. It was really neat sending the DVD to a secret U.S. military base location and picturing a group of servicemen watching my hero in action.

I've been connecting with a lot of other independent filmmakers as well. Paul Bunnell, the director of the upcoming feature, 'The Ghastly Love of Johnny X', sent me a DVD of his accalimed short, 'That Little Monster', in the mail. Scrawled on the cover were the words "Scott, make that movie!". I was completely blown away by the short, about a teenage girl hired to babysit for a grotesque alien toddler. It was fabulously shot and very funny. My favourite line occured when the girl says to the little monster, 'Don't bite the bedbugs". It was hilarious! The late great Bob Hope even had a cameo in the end credits!

Independent Filmmaker, Paul Bunnell's feature debut, the 1950s sci-fi musical comedy, 'The Ghastly Love of Johnny X'

Director Paul Bunnell: "Scott, make that movie!"

Through the Avenger short, I also met a fabulous Toronto-area artist, named Sam Agro, who drew the Avenger sketch at the top of this post. I was thrilled to discover that he used to work as an animator on such childhood favourites of mine as the 'Droids' and 'Ewoks' cartoon series. He's also a professional storyboard artist.

Retro poster by David Bird, of Fredericksburg, Virginia

One of my new favourite pieces of Avenger artwork comes from blogger, David Bird, of 'The Dork Dungeon'. I love his retro poster (seen above). He was inspired to create it after my last post, discussing The Scarlet Avenger's Canadian origin tale. I'm amazed that someone from the southern U.S.A (of all places) would make a poster for a Canadian superhero movie! I think I'm really onto something here!:-)

Me and my old Power Mac G4, the computer I finished Avenger on. I've since upgraded to a G5, but I'm still working on 'The Scarlet Avenger'!

So, I'm still working away on this monster project. I have no idea how long this journey will take me, but I'm making a little bit of progress each day and am having a blast doing it. For whatever reason, this was the film I was born to make. Until next time....

Best Wishes,

Scott