Danny's Diary
 
 
Saturday 2nd August 2008
 
Dear Diary,
 

Kerner Optical on Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Kerner Optical's Model shop currently has one of the biggest films playing in theaters now.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Ok, I must say this movie was pretty damn cool to work on. We got to build three different shots. The Doom Town exploding was one massive and amazing shot. There were two different angles so we had to build many houses with a lot of detail. We copied all the mannequins and cars to specific styles and shapes.
In one day we set up the shot. With our fearless leaders Brian Gernand and Nick D’abo the set was ready to blow up! With the right amount of cannons and the fine work on the pyro department with Jeff Heron at the helm, this explosion was perfect. It looked amazing on film.
The next amazing project was the temple, we called Akatar Temple. I basically started working on this model with Trevor Tuttle. We discussed ways to speed the process with keeping constant detail. We never want to affect the artistic stability and quality of work when we have a very short execution time. So the integrity of our final model will hold up on film. I did some concept details for the temple wall brick pattern. I came up with several different interesting primal but artistic techniques to create a realistic age theme. I designed about five hero pieces, then we agreed on two hero pieces, we decided to sand blast the first pass of the design on the foam. We laser cut several pieces of styrene and sand blasted the final design on every surface of the temple that will be on screen. This gave us a perfect cut line of both designs at any angle. After all the sand blasting was done, we started to sculpt out very small but heavy tight detail on every wall. Each wall pyramid level was built separately until we needed them to be glue down. And the corner pieces as we called them "out houses" was done with the same care and speed. With all the right greens and dressing the temple looked perfect.
Seeing it on film was a blast. I am very proud of that model.
The last but huge model we did for Indy was the ending shot with the dam breaking. This was a huge undertaking. Although this dam was not 1:1 scale, it was a big-ature. And very heavy, it took 6 forklifts to lift it and a crane to move it.
These rock pieces were built from Styrofoam, sculpted in specific shapes to give a realistic earth-aged characteristics. Sealed with FGR and laid on a frame welded together by Heron’s team for a huge amount of rock/rubble formula that was headed by our casting specialist Micheal Jobe. Each rock was specially casted to be able to break away and crumble with the force of the water breaking through. With the aid of a binder type of formula, was mixed up to create a look of rock so it could be blended into the rubble rock that was used. The first shot was set up as a test. The test looked great, on the cue "action" the water flowed down crashing through the boulders and rubble, relieving the outside sculpted rocks on the sides.
After the test we set up the other two shots and painted everything with acrylic paints, then added greens.
Heron’s team filled up the tanks of water and on cue they said action. SWOOSH!!!!!!! It was an amazing shot to see in person. It looked and felt like a real flood.
The only part I dreaded was cleaning that mess up. I remember we all started to go home and they said 'hold up ! Wait!'
We need an overtime crew to clean up. You should have heard the moans……I think I lost 10 pounds cleaning up.
Some of those huge rock boulders we placed in the wall actually broke through the metal frame we'd put on the slabs outer barriers for safety reasons! At least no one was hurt. When we completed the tasks on Indy 4, I was very proud of all that we accomplished. These shots look amazing and I loved the movie. It was a fun ride. And the icing on the cake - I actually got credit too!! YAHOO!!
To make things even harder for me I actually started an Indy 4 t-shirt for the crew and it turned in to a massive undertaking but everybody loved them. In the end I am very glad I did it.
 
Thursday 13th March 2008
 
Dear Diary,
Me with whole entire collection of the my Harvest t-shirts!
 
Blue Harvest - Horror Beyond Imagination 1983 holding
Blue Harvest - The Really Big Special Edition - Horror Beyond Imagination Again 1997 on wall
Red Harvest  - The Horror Continues 2002 on wall
Black Harvest - The Horror Finally Ends 2005 on wall
Green Harvest - Profit Beyond Imagination 2006 wearing

 Of course this is a private collection not for sale
 
Saturday 8th December 2007
 
Dear Diary,

THE BEGINNING OF THE END
 
Working on the last Star Wars film was delight and heartbreak all at the same time.
The end of an era. I am very proud and honored to be a part of this franchise and story. To contribute some of the most imaginative special effects this business has to offer and share this experience with a crew of people that share the same passion and love for the art as I do.
I said to myself in the past, in the early years of my career...I wish I was born earlier to have worked on the original Star Wars and create creatures using transformation techniques in the 80's. That would have been so cool...
I certainly will always admire those effects and be inspired by them but I feel now I have experience such a mass of wonderful things in my life so far I feel that I should be 80 instead of 40. I certainly packed a lot of things in my head and learned a tremendous amount of skill, techniques and procedures that I understand and believe I am truly honored and lucky to have been born at all.
I made it as a true professional and was still be able to contribute practical effects during the CGI era, which was a very hard thing to do!
As for the Star Wars films it was the beginning of the end for those movies.
But now it’s the beginning of a new company called Kerner Optical and it will Kick ASS!!! 
 
Thursday 6th December 2007
 
Dear Diary,
 

The Star Wars Experience - Revenge of the Sith – 2005
 

JAK Art Department Episode 3
 
Man! What a crew, working with Ryan Church and Erik Tiemens, two of the best concept artist in the world! It was a very special treat and honor to be a part of this crew again. This time I was hired to do sculptural concepts of Ryan and Erik’s beautiful Star Wars environments. This time I was also working with the very talented Ian McCaig, Michael Murnane, Robert Barnds, John Goodson and some of the crew that was on Episode 2.
 

MR.FABULOUSO
 
Mr Lucas has a little stamp for the concept art and models for every Friday meeting.
Some get updates to do changes and some get stamped.  Usually they get an ‘OK’ stamp but one in a while they get Fabulouso!
During my stay at the Art Department I was receiving great feedback from George for the work I was doing. Most all of my concept sculptures were receiving Fabulousos. I was so amazed and happy to receive such a response from the legendary director.  Even after the wookiee tree was done someone said ‘Well, what do you think?  Another fabulouso?’
By the time I came back to ILM Brian Gernand called me Mr. Fabulouso.
It was funny.
 

The Whole Show - Jakfilms and ILM model shop
 

JAK PRODUTIONS CONCEPT MODELS: ENVIRONMENTS

 
Basically my job was to build 3 dimensional representative concept models of the new Star Wars environments for Episode 3.
Proceeding execution with Illustrations from Erik Tiemens and Ryan Church

REVENGE OF THE SITH CONTRIBUTIONS
The Grato Chamber

Scale - 1/72 1 inch = 6 ft

UTAPAU LANDING PLAFORM ARCHITECHTURE

Landing Platform Scale - (1/ 144 ) 1 inch = 12 ft
UTAPAU SINK HOLE Scale - (1/7200 ) 1/8 = 75 ft

UDAPAU PLAZA ARCHITECTURE
WALL CLOSE –UP Scale - 1/480 ¼ = 1 ft
KASHYYYK (TREE) Scale - 1/200 388 feet high in real life
KASHYYYK HALWAY - CONTROL ROOMS Scale (1/96 ) 1/8 inch = 1 ft
Mustafar 1/4800 scale 1/8 = 50ft

ILM MODEL SHOP

This is everything I worked on long and short-term

Polis Massa– Crater Planet  
Feluccia  - Aayla Secura’s Planet  
Utapau - Sink hole  
Utapau - Close-up wall  
Mustafar  - Lava sets and ILM maquette  
Dagobah - Swamp set  
Kashyyyk - Tree  

Makeup Applications
George and Katie Lucas Barron Papanoida and Eqway
Amy Allen Jedi Knight Aayla Secura 

Working with make-up artist Stephan Dupuis
Orn Free Ta – Senator  
Sasee Tiin – Jedi Knight  
Shaak Ti – Jedi Knight  
Eeth Koth – Jedi Knight  
Stass Allie- Jedi Knight  
Luminara Unduli - Jedi Knight  
 
Saturday 1st December 2007
 
Dear Diary,
 

The Star Wars Experience - Attack of the Clones – 2002
 
During the ending of my duties at the Ranch for EP2 I was called back to ILM to work on the sculptural design of the Scorpion King creature for the Mummy Returns. To make things very clear, I was the Sculptural designer for the clay maquette using Derek Thomson’s original 2-D Scorpion King design. This was done all before the CG department did their part.
I had nothing to do with the CG version.
It was very hard to leave the Art Department but I was told I was warmly welcome back.
As things worked out years later I was called back to the JAK Art Department for Episode 3.
 
ATTACK OF THE CLONES CONTRIBUTIONS

JAK FILMS - Skywalker Ranch
Concept model maker  
Fabrication, castings  
Modelling miniature parts for environments  

ILM Contributions
Sculpted maquettes for computer department  
Assassin Bug – Kouhun also painted it
Acklay also painted it
Massif  

Painter
On crew painting buildings for city case scene  
Dooku’s hanger bay and others  

Set Support
Support for battle ground sequence  

Make-up Application

Shaak Ti did all
Kit Fisto did all
Aayla Secura  
 
Thursday 29th November 2007
 
Dear Diary,
 

George Lucas's Skywalker Ranch Art Department
 
JAK films is on the Third Floor of the Main House.
What can I say... what a dream come true, I thought my first day at ILM on Ghostbusters 2 was awesome, but Holy Crap! I could believe my eyes! The Ranch is so beautiful. It’s not like a ranch you would experience on a farmers land with the cow's and horses. It’s paradise.  Meeting Doug Chang outside was a pleasure. It was delighted to meet him. Doug is one of the nicest men in the business. With a soft voice and tender mannerisms he guided me through the Main House and Art Department. I couldn’t believe my eyes.  The main house was designed and constructed with beautiful stair cases and huge display cases. We stepped into the elevator and went up. Even the elevator walls were carved out of wood and conformed into a beautiful serrel style. Passing the forbidden second floor we approach the third.
The second floor is another story...
The doors open...
STAR WARS LAND IN THE MAKING - all the concept art work and sketches you can imagine. Believe me I did pinch myself to see if I was sleeping!
The people were very nice and very talented. It was wonderful working with a crew of artists that are the best in what they do. I was hired to fabricate concept models with a small crew of other model makers. John Goodson, Kim Smith and Carol Bauman. We had a meeting every Friday and got feedback from George.
On our breaks we walked to Lake Ewok and had picnics or just a exercise walk to breath the clean Marin County air. Sometimes we walked far enough to see the future BIG ROCK.
 
Saturday 24th November 2007
 
Dear Diary,
 

The Star Wars Experience - The Phantom Menace – 1999
 
During at the end of Starship Troopers we were all hearing that we were going to work on the NEW Star Wars. Everyone was looking forward to be a part of it. I was excited and ecstatic!
It was the movie to be on, the new Star Wars film was finally here. Steve Gawley, one of the original pioneers was going to supervise it. I was thrilled.  Steve is a long time friend and we look at each other as brothers. I’m his little brother. We look the same but he is 6'2".  I’m 5'6".
At least he doesn't call me his mini-me.
With Episode One I was ready for a rollercoaster ride and that's what it was.  Working on any Star Wars film is like jumping on a sanding belt at high speed.  Keep your feet running and don’t trip! Keep your skills and quality or work in a high level at all times. Just work fast but don’t screw up. I was ready for it. I have a fast personality - I was set.
Little did I know I was able to use every interest in my career.  Sculpting, model making, painting, creature making and character make-up. It is so wonderful to know now that I contributed all those things to Star Wars.
 

THE PHANTOM MENACE CONTRIBUTIONS

Painting small scale (low-res) pods crew
Building small scale pods crew
C-3P0 Puppet Fabrication crew
Pod Hanger set crew
Building large scale pods crew
Built all the Pod binders for the large scale Pods crew
Battle Droids crew
Battle Droid Blaster I did all
Destroyer Droids crew
Theed statues sculptures (Humans) sculpted all
Jedi Senate sculptures (Jockametie style) crew
Ben Quad’s hands- close up shot I did all
Beggar’s Canyon crew
Waldo’s Grade crew
Ramp at Grade crew
Mos Espa Arena – crew / Rocks crew/ all the little dwellings I did all
Federation Landing ship crew
Naboo Swamp crew
Dud Bolt puppet sculpted and painted
Mars Duo puppet crew
Bib Fortuna – makeup With assistant
Aurra Sing guns I did all
Aurra Sing Makeup crew
Orn Free Ta With Assistant
IN THE MOVIE AS A CHARACTER
Pod Racer - Mawhonic During the race I get bumped by Sebulba and crash and die in the rocks.
Horax Ryder (Bonehead) Outside talking to Lorne Peterson
Senate members As a human, Rodian, Ishi Tibb
Mos Espa Arena observer
 
Tuesday 20th November 2007
 
Dear Diary,
 

The Star Wars Experience - Return of the Jedi - Special Edition  1997
 
For Return of the Jedi we did costumes for the dancers. The Jedi Rock scene in Jabba’s Palace was the major part of our contribution. I sculpted some creature hands and make-up appliances and Richard Miller sculpted a cool Greedo mask. I also was involved building the Rappertunie Frog creature that played a mumanicca during the scene. I was on the sculpting and fabrication team. When it came to painting it, I was all over it. I wanted to do so much on it but the paint scheme was on a tight schedule. I only had a day and a half, but it looked great. I painted the costumes and the masks we made. We also built a wookiee suit for the appearances and I think it was used in back ground scenes in the film.  I even had the original Chewbacca mask in my hands for reference to sculpt Chewie’s new face!
I was able to help on set and be a Rappertunie puppeteer. This is where I met George Lucas for the first time and shook his hand. It was nice being able to work on set with George and not be there as a fan for an autograph. Being there on a professional level is always the best.
 
Tuesday 13th November 2007
 
Dear Diary,
 

The Star Wars Experience - The Empire Strikes Back - Special Edition 1997
 

The major project we did for the Special Edition was the Wampa Suit - very cool! That was a blast. Lucky Howie got to play the large beast. I also added some cool Tauntaun skulls for the snow bed.  I also did a real fleshy severed head of a Tauntaun but they thought it was too bloody and gory for the film so they cut it.

You can even see the Skull in the snow in the scene while the Wampa is chomping on a bone.  It even made it on some game cards!
 

Saturday 10th November 2007
 
Dear Diary,
 

The Star Wars Experience - Special Editions - 1997
 

Star Wars! Just the name says something. To some it means an awesome sci- fi movie they saw in 1977 and some say 'Sorry I’m a Trekkie'. Some jump in a surprise and spring to attention at the words…as a true die-hard fan would do. As a special effects enthusiast and movie goer I loved it and it did change my life, just like a lot of other effects people.

When I was the tender age on 10 I loved all that stuff. Special effects. I focused on the Stop motion animation, model space ships, monsters and make-up effects. When Star Wars came out it had it all, and I mean all. Creatures, stop-mo, and models. I had no idea when I was older I would actually work on a Star Wars movie, even do all the stuff I was inspired to do. When the time came to do the new Star Wars films, for me and my comrades it was the special editions. But hey, I made it!  

Right when the CGI was getting popular the ILM model shop was gearing up for the Star Wars - Special Editions project. I knew there wasn't going to be a lot at first but it was Star Wars. As for the creature shop at ILM during that time, there were talents such as Howie Weed and Mark Siegel. They then moved over to the DARK SIDE as we call it - the CGI world. Alongside Weed and Siegel, there were Richard Miller, Don Bies, Anna Bies, Carol Bauman, Nelson Hall, Scott McNamara, Wendy Morton, Victoria Lewis, Mike Jobe, Erik Jensen and Tony Peseado - sorry for the other talents I forgot to mention.  Oh yeah and me! Boy, writing that way makes be feel like I’m at the bottom of the list! But we all know I’m not, RIGHT!?  HELLO?!
 
Thursday 4th October 2007
 
Dear Diary,
 
I want to mention all the talented Kerner Optical creature crew that worked on Pig Hunt.
Starting with our creature shop supervisor Erik Jensen a great leader who know who's the best at each task. Mark Walas co-supervisor a great knowledge in all aspects of effects.
Bryan Dewe a mechanical genius who made the Pig move with the cutting edge animatronics and worked out all the mechanical aspects of the project.

Carol Bauman a very talented artist who I've personal worked with many years, had a great contribution on the show, Lead Fabrication and body construction on the Ripper Pig. Also helped me sculpt the final Ripper sculpt. Along with Carol came Melanie Walas a talented member contributing fur work and body construction. Assisting them was Anna Bies a talented seamstress in her own right.

Nelson Hall a talented and strong contributor that worked on the other special effects props and help me with the Ripper victims. Aurore Bergere who was eager to learn makeup and assist me in my special makeup effects duties after the Ripper was finished.

Mark Buck and Don Bies who did a great job on location shooting another specially prop.
Perrie Maur who contributed puppeteering shots for an earlier part of the film..
Scott McNamara and Tim Gillette mechanical wizards in there own right lending services when ever needed. Mike Jobe a fabulous mold, cast and materials specialist and Sean Casey our very own Kerner optical photographer who lens his special eye thorough his magical lens to capture the true behind the scene magic that come to life before his very eyes!
If it wasn't for him, there wouldn't be any proof!
As for me contributing the Creature Sculptural Designs for this Ripper character and continuing on as its Lead sculptor and painter along with its eyes and teeth. Was only the beginning. I was fortunate enough to be able to serve as Kerner's special effects makeup artist for our makeup duties. Building Ripper victims and creating and applying special makeup prosthetics for primary shots in the film. If that wasn't enough I was able to join my dear friend Carol when I could to assist her with anything needed on the fabrication aspects of the Ripper.
When every thing was finished The Ripper Puppeteering crew (,Erik Jensen, Mark Walas, Carol Bauman, Alice Bryce and I , went to location in Boonville to Shoot the menacing huge wild boar. Boy what a wild ride! Shooting nights sleeping days and Getting bloody and wet. The entire Pig Hunt crew was very generous, happy and supportive. They all love the Ripper and was pleased to see it in action. It was a great  moment for Kerner optical to shine and we did proudly. We got kudo's from director Jim Isaac and Production crew on the set for the Ripper and its victims. As for the our makeup effects each effects worked out beautifully and were executed very nicely on film. There was even an instance where the DP can back to us and said that shot looked great!
So this concludes without the amazing crew this whole project would not become as successful as it did.
Thanks Jim for giving us an opportunity to serve you on your dark journey into the dangerous world of  PIG HUNT....
To a growing company that show tremendous ability for cutting edge special effects.
PIG HUNT our first and most mind blowing creature feature. May the effects pioneers of the creature shop of Kerner Optical and management continue to strive for excellence.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!  A job well done.
Meanwhile with other projects happening at Kerner Optical things a getting very busy.
3 projects are happening at the same time.
One of them I can't mention. Sorry! And the other one is a sequel to National Treasure.
The 3rd project is a huge beautiful model project that has a unbelievable time schedule that would make any model maker cry! But not Kerner Optical we are the best! and fastest!
 
Tuesday 2nd October 2007
 
Dear Diary,
 
I thought maybe I would share some of my awesome vacation stories. I when to London and Ireland. WOW! what a beautiful country.
I couldn't believe my eyes.
I was fortunate enough to travel with my best buddies Don Bies and his family. When I'm hanging out with them I'm Danny Bies! Along for the ride was Lorne Peterson.

Me and Lorne outside the British Museum
Really To be honest Lorne, Don and I were in London for the fabulous Star Wars Celebration Europe! Its was a blast! I enjoyed the show enormously. for the first time I also signed autographs it was wild. The three of us had a great talk interview on our work. Unfortunately I also had a great makeup slide show to present but it got cancelled!
After the Model makers presentation I stayed on the stage area to be a part of the tattoo competition judges. MAN! that was a first. Wild! I was afraid to tell them, but! I don't have a tattoo myself! Oops! I guess it didn't matter. Those tattoos where pretty amazing! That was the first time I was close to strangers and there skin with out putting any makeup on, funny!
Signing autographs on Sunday was a lot of fun, I was talking to a lot of people and got a whole new perspective on the other side of the table.
On my time away from the table I was able to walk around and enjoy the show. Behind the scenes I was able to meet Mark Hamill when he became available after signing. I was hanging out with the Bies family and other convention assistants and wait for Hamill to arrive. When he did it was nice. A quiet room and time to chat.
On the last day I was ready to rest but I was really glad I attend this show. A lot of great memories!
After that weekend I planned my first day in London, Man! where do I start! Well! To shorten things up I was planning to see Tower Of London, Jack the Ripper tour and museums.
During my travels and site seeing there happen to be the Art Of Star Wars right there in London, It was fun!
I got to see our models we built and some creature maquettes I sculpted for EP2 and I thought I would never see them again. Some day "I" will be in one of those glass cases on display as an old model maker "That used to be"!
Well I can go on and on about London but I don't have time.  After a week in London I visited Ireland.
I had never seen such a beautiful clean and green country before. I was lucky enough to visit my relatives there for the first time. They all were excited to see my work that I showed them on my lap top. I was also fortune enough to have a relative who knew the maker of the famous Hanna Hats I wear all the time. JOHN HANNA. He was a delightful man with a lot of enthusiasm. He was excited to show me around his company and I got introduced to his crew. I was so honored to receive two new hats from the man himself. What a vacation.
As I was planning to travel back home I got an email from work that we got National Treasure 2 and another movie I can't mention. I was excited to go back to work!
Man life is beautiful isn't it?
 
Saturday 18th August 2007
 
Dear Diary,
 

Well as for Pig Hunt its over now and I hope movie goers like it. The Ripper ( Boar) was a massive sculpt to do in 2 weeks. It was a blast seeing it come to life on location. Everyone loved him. Its a real pleasure puppeteering your creature and making it come to life. Of course with the help from the rest of the crew its menacing quality and evil essence of life was most terrifying during the creepiest dark moments.
As for Kerner Optical its been a year now and we are celebrating!! With a lot more exciting projects to come. As for me I'm sculpting currently on a stone cave style wall on a movie I can't mention.
For the near future we possibly will be doing more cool creatures!
Life in the KO model shop is going great.