US publisher Hermes Press has launched a Kickstarter to fund The Unseen Art of Hollywood Storyboards, what looks like a fascinating and wonderfully illustrated book detailing the history of film storyboards, by comics and storyboard artist Trevor Goring – whose credits include 2000AD and more – and his partner, the late Joyce Kaskey Goring.
The important and long-neglected art of storyboarding is given its due in this impressive-looking project which has the support of the Art Directors Guild, a book offering a comprehensive history of the art of film storyboards. First mooted back in 2014 the book has been in the pipeline from Hermes Press for some time, so it’s great to see it will hopefully now get published.
Featuring a genre-by-genre discussion of over one hundred great films and their storyboards, this visual tour features a full range of classic and contemporary films with examples of how directors utilise storyboards in the creation of their films.
Included in the book, designed by Robert Payne Cabeen, are examples of storyboards from over one hundred films, dating back as far as the 1930s, including SF adventure films such as Alien v Predator and Jurassic Park.
If successful, the Limited Edition The Unseen Art of Hollywood will only be available to backers, and via the Hermes Press website, if any copies are available after the Kickstarter ends.
Trevor Goring – who will be a familiar face to some as a US convention guest – has had the pleasure of working with a lot of great Directors, Production Designers, Concept and Storyboard artists down the years and continues to work on graphic novels and video games.
After receiving a BA in Graphic Design at St. Martin’s School of Art in London, Trevor illustrated comics for 2000AD (working on “M.A.C.H. One”, among others), House of Hammer and others, and established the comprehensive advertising art company Helicopter Studios in Soho, London, working alongside comic creators such as the late Colin Andrew and Gerry Dolan, Martin Griffiths and Sydney Jordan.
He moved to Los Angeles in the early 1990s and entered his new career, storyboarding films such as The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, X-Men 2, Watchmen, Twilight and Real Steel, video games, TV shows and advertisements detailed on his official web site, most recently working on films such as The Dark Tower and Shanghai Fortress.
He also continued in comics with, among other books, Star Trek, Outlaw Territory, What If? Fallen Son (Marvel), Iron Siege (IDW), Torchwood, and the upcoming Psychopomp.
He also collaborated on Ring Of Roses (Dark Horse/Image/Titan) and drew the original graphic novel Waterloo Sunset (Image). He is part of a virtual studio of illustrators, The BLvd.
The Unseen Art of Hollywood Kickstarter also offers film fans the rare opportunity to buy original storyboards by Trevor Goring from films such Entrapment, Fantastic Four and Logan’s Run, but do note these items are offered in addition to backing the book project.
On offer are hand-drawn original pieces of art used as the storyboards for their respective movies – one-of-a-kind drawings are available as rewards for backing the project, but do not include a copy of the book itself in the reward tier.
If you would like a copy of the book added to your pledge in addition to buying a storyboard, add either $75 (regular edition) or $125 (signed Limited Edition) to your pledge or contact Hermes Press to make arrangements.
The project, which includes a dedication to Joyce Kaskey Goring seems fast on its way to achieving its funding target, attracting the attention of fellow artists such as comic and Doctor Who storyboard artist Mike Collins.
“Trev was one of the first comics professionals I ever met,” says Mike on Facebook. “He went on to board so many big movies. This book isn’t just his work though, there’s some classic movies in there! I’m backing it!”
Hermes Press is one of a handful of US publishers which exclusively produces books and comic strip reprints focusing on the art and artists of the comics, cartoon and comic strips, pulp magazines of the 1920s and 1930s, art books covering science fiction, and popular culture.
The company has used Kickstarter to fund a collection of Frank Thorne’s Ghita: An Erotic Treasury, available here, and The Lazy Goth: A Graphic Novel, available to pre-order here.
• Back The Unseen Art of Hollywood here on Kickstarter
• Trevor Goring: Official Web Site
• The Blvd: www.theblvdstudio.com
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The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: Art and Illustration, Books, Crowd Funding Projects, downthetubes News, Film, Other Worlds
Trevor Goring’s “Storyboards: The Unseen Art of Hollywood” on it way