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God of War, which is based on Greek mythology, we researched Greek art and found inspiration in the graphic red and black figures used on pottery—a language that was in direct contrast to the 3-D renderings of the game. Our cinematics—short movies within the game—were to function as dream sequences, so I wanted to connect to the core material, but in a more surreal way that wouldn’t necessarily duplicate it.
The same goes for brand films and commercials. One of my best research experiences was working with the agency Fairly Painless Advertising on a short video for furniture manufacturer Herman Miller. The piece, titled “Get Real,” was about the value of buying licensed furniture classics. Director Grant Lau and I visited the Herman Miller archives and factory to research original blueprints, ads and sketches by their designers: Charles and Ray Eames, Isamu Noguchi, Alvar Aalto, and George Nelson. When we went to the factory, we saw how well the furniture was made. We came away with not only amazing source material for our spot, but also
a deeper appreciation for the story we were telling.
How important is sound design in your work?
Sound design really can make or break a project. I like to throw in a few different options of music just to see what they do to the edit. For the title sequence of the TV series Boardwalk Empire, we played
the animatic—a rough edit of storyboard frames—to a wide range of songs. When we put in a song from the 1920s, it became too much of a period piece. That changed with a song from a psychedelic rock band, the Brian Jonestown Massacre, which ultimately became the theme. Tension and edge appeared between the visuals and the audio.
What skills besides design have you acquired in your career?
Getting the go-ahead to do a project depends not only on what you present, but also on how you present it. You need to generate enthusiasm and confidence for both the concept and your team. You have to get clients and collaborators to be able to look at something unfinished—your storyboard, a rough edit of references, a script— and be excited enough to want to bring it to life. So the better you are at expressing your idea verbally or through a written treatment, the better your chances of getting it made. Writing and speaking should be emphasized in every design education program—they are invaluable for pushing projects across the finish line.
How do you stay inspired?
I’m always reading nowadays—lots of children’s books to my preschoolers. What beautiful, funny, surreal combinations of words and pictures for introducing the world to kids! And you get to hold the printed book in your hands. I may have to go work in that universe after all. ca
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