Here Be Monsters is a book illustrated and written by Alan Snow that inspired the animated film, The Boxtrolls. The book is a rambling grab-bag of fun ideas, seemingly every idea that Alan Snow ever had up till that point. It is a very enjoyable read, but presented a problem to adapt into a 90 minute movie. There was so much material that the biggest job was to edit it. If you made a 90 minute movie of the Bible (almost as thick as Alan Snow’s book) would you try to sketch out the entire narrative? And what would that be? Or would you just show one particular part?
Most of my work on the film was in the early period, focusing on storyboards, but occasionally I’d attempt a design, such as these guys above; the Laundry Pirates, whose captain was a dashing rat. The book was full of such whimsical characters; such as the Rabbit Women, the Trotting Badgers, The Cabbage Heads, and weird little sentient cheeses that ran about the town, or were chased through the countryside by gentlemen on horseback (as in a fox hunt).
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This project was full of many lovely ideas that had to be cut, as there is only so much that you can show in only 90 minutes. Alan Snow’s book is brimming with eccentric characters and whimsical scenarios and has enough material for a TV mini-series, but with a film adaptation, there was bound to be some aspect of the book that was someone’s favourite part, but that had to go.
I had a lot of fun wandering about in Alan Snow’s kooky world. Working on the development of any movie is a fun phase to be involved in, although you do have to be philosophical about the possibility of up to 100% of your work being grist for the exploratory mill, and being deleted.
Awesome designs!
Thanks. It was a super fun project to work on. It presented a very rich and kooky world.
That’s a great illustration – I love that each one is so distinct from the other
I assume that the dragon tattoo runs all over the body of the Chinese swordman underneath his jacket. Awesome design as always!
I hadn’t thought about that, Pat, but I like your idea!
Excellent!
You should teach a master’s class in character designs
Awesome.
Yes James you should teach. I go to a Sudanese refugee centre each week and help teach sewing. It is good for my “spirit/mind/soul”. I’m not sure if either of those is the right word. You probably remember I was never a words person. I am still ok at numbers though!
Your relationship to words is probably a lot better than my (non existent) rapport with numbers, Lisa!
It must be genetics/ nurture. My dad was a penciller for a bookie. Yours was a history Prof ?? We both had mums with GIANT hearts and lots of kids!
If any of you are looking for a thick book for tweens to read, I recommend “Here Be Monsters” as some good nutty fun.
Jamie – Wyatt and I read Here Be Monsters when he was about 8 and we both LOVED it. Wyatt will do anything to avoid putting pencil to paper, but he even wrote a review for the town library for the summer reading program, which they displayed in the library. We’re big fans of the book, the new movie, and now your character designs! :)
Oh that is great to hear. I wish there were more such books to read when I was Wyatt’s age.
good old days
Yes; Team HBM!
I found a few more early scribbly thumbnail designs from this project that I just uploaded to this post.
These designs are fun as always Mr. Jamie!
Thanks, Rhode. It was a great project to work on. If you’ve not read it already, check out “Here Be Monsters”. So imaginative.
This makes me want to read the book too. It sounds like an interesting and whimsical world.
James Baker= Awesome.
Ha Ha! Jim Lujan=MAGNIFICENT
Showed Niki the drawings, he loved it. Reminded him of contemporary “One Piece” which he reads avidly from Japan!
Thanks for sharing!
Hey Jim & Niki! Thanks for checking out my blog. Now I’ll have to check out ONE PIECE.
Found one of my drawings from this post for sale online, for the astronomical sum of ONE entire dollar! http://m.ebay.com/itm/271764359039