"The Art of The Adventures of Tintin" is a sensational collection of photos, models, costume designs, concept art, and stories about the production of one of the year's best films. (Check out my review of the movie from the AFI Film Festival.) Written by Weta Digital's Chris Guise, the lead conceptual designer for the film, this book goes above and beyond similar volumes of its kind, providing specific details about the history of the production, the involvement of all the key players, featuring interviews with the cast and crew, and much more. It's a must-own not only for fans of Tintin and Herge (the artist who created the character), but for film fans interested in the process of performance capture technology or digital artistry in general.
With forewords from director Steven Spielberg and producer Peter Jackson, "The Art of The Adventures of Tintin" goes deep into the minds of the filmmakers and reveals their process for bringing Tintin's globe-spanning adventures to the big screen. Ever wondered how the tech from Avatar is being used in mo-cap films today? The team at Weta Digital breaks it down in an easy-to-understand way that's perfect for advanced film lovers and younger audiences alike. Why did the filmmakers choose this particular Tintin story to tell as a movie? The answer also lies within. (I'll tell you anyway - it's actually a combination of three different Tintin comics.) The film was intended to be shot in live action, but instead of just telling you that, this book SHOWS you what it would have looked like and explains why they went in a different direction. These are just a few of the insights into the creation of this film that the book explores.
In a "Note from the Author" section of the book, Chris Guise explains why this book is different from every other book out there. I'll let him tell you in his own words:
The way I've written this book is unlike most 'Art of' books out there. In the following pages you'll see many images for things that never made it to the final film. So many times I've read books where they show approved designs which closely resemble the final design, then they show a screen shot from the film. All the design work leading up to that final image is never seen by the public and, as a fan and an artist, that irritates the heck out of me! In this book you'll see a wide variety of imagery from all steps of the process. Some designs made it through, others didn't. But at least you can now see, and, I hope, understand how every design decision led to that final shot on the big screen.
Moulinsart - "the official organization that looks after the world of Tintin" - has provided Guise and his team with some of Herge's work to compare and contrast with the various stages of character and environmental designs throughout the filmmaking process. Side-by-side comparisons showing early conceptual renderings of the characters mimicking Herge's original panels are a highlight, and it demonstrates the passion of Spielberg and everyone at Weta for sticking to Herge's vision and bringing that distinctive style into a 3D world.
The book costs $39.99, but trust me - you'll get your money's worth out of it. Don't believe me? Check out this random video I found on YouTube of a guy flipping through all 200 pages of the book and see for yourself: there's a ton of amazing art that's worth displaying, and it's amazing how much detail goes into bringing Herge's creation from comics to screen and back to the page again. And here's a special bonus, accesible for a limited time only: "The Art of The Adventures of Tintin" is available right now on Amazon.com for only $24.88! It's a fantastic deal that would make a great gift for your geek friends or family members. Trust me - this is not something you want to miss.
(Image Source: WetaNZ.com.)