Post by /\/\att on May 10, 2004 1:32:10 GMT -5
Thread started on: Nov 15th, 2003
Mr. Sandy Collora is the director of the fan film Batman: Dead End. This fan flick made a splash at the San Diego Comic Con 2003...and kept fans buzzing all summer!
---------------------
Here's the results of our talkback with Mr. Collora!
Enjoy!
LoG: The fan buzz surrounding 'Dead End' has largely included the age old debate on the garb of the Dark Knight. You chose to go with a costume that would more closely resemble the Alex Ross version of Batman, rather than the Tim Burton. Did you draw any influence from Alex Ross, or Frank Miller when working on the designs for the costume?
Sandy Collora: Of Course, Alex Ross and Frank Miller are two of my favorite artists to ever draw the dark knight. There's also a bit of Bisley in there... Simon draws him really well too, very big and intimidating. I also think some of the things I did with the costume were very original and unique to me. The belt, for example... Not only is it the pouch style from the comics, it's black. I've never seen that before. As far as I know, the treatment of Batman's eyes, as well, was the first time the white protective covering has been done in a live action version. What Tim Burton and Joel Schumaker did with the costume was cool, they're actually quite brilliant works of art, they just don't belong in a real Batman movie. The Dark Knight would never be encumbered by all that armor and thick rubber. The fact that Bruce Wayne would go out at night in a simple costume, dressed as a bat is what makes him so interesting. Batman is a very disturbed, brooding, emotionally damaged guy running around in the dark, making sure what happened to him doesn't happen to anyone else, and he's willing to put his own life in danger to do this. He's the best of both worlds I think... a dark hero. Absolutely fascinating.
LoG: A director showcasing his or her talents wouldn't normally chose Alien & Predator for their Batman film. The three way confrontation is, of course, every fanboys dream. Are you a big fan of the Batman comics / cartoon? If so, did you read the recent 'Hush' storyline? What are your thoughts on it?
Sandy Collora: Yes, I am a big fan of all those Dark Horse books, but I envisioned Bats fighting Predator long before they came out. I'm a big fan of Alien and Predator, and an even a bigger Batman fan. I have all the animated series on tape, as well as a lot of the older stuff. I read every Batman or related book that comes out. I LOVED "Hush" and would kill to make that into a movie. Jim Lee and Jeph Loeb are a phenomenal team... The new Azzarello/Risso book looks great too, very Frank Miller-esque. Some of my other favorite Batman stories are The Dark Knight Returns, The Killing Joke, The Long Halloween, and A Death in The Family.
LoG: It has been a few months since the San Diego comic con....has Warner Brothers or DC contacted you in any capacity thus far? How about Christopher Nolan?
Sandy Collora: Though I know all of the parties mentioned above, without a doubt, have seen the film, they have not contacted me or my agents at all. I have many friends that work for both companies, and that are working on the Nolan film, and I heard, un-officially, off the record, that they all thought it was fantastic. I've also heard from various inside sources that because of the immense, positive, reaction to the film, it's been easier not only for the film to actually get green lit, but for Nolan to coerce the powers that be to make the film a bit darker and more realistic. A lot of people in Hollywood are talking about how Batman Dead End has rejuvenated not only the Batman franchise, but Alien and Predator as well... I guess the studios are looking at it as free pre-publicity.
LoG: Your choice for Joker was fantastic. Andrew Koenig personified the Joker as well physically as Mark Hamill has verbally on the Batman cartoons. Was it hard to cast the actor that played Boner on the 80's family drama 'Growing Pains' as the clown prince of crime?
Sandy Collora: No, he came in and auditioned like all the other actors, but was the obvious choice... Andrew was absolutely fantastic to work with, he's a brilliant actor. His initial approach to the character was a bit more funny and over the top, but we worked together a lot on it, and he really wound up nailing the darker, more insane, grittier side of the Joker.
LoG: Do you collect any Batman toys? If so, which ones?
Sandy Collora: Of course, action figures mostly. I have pretty much all of the Batman figures that have come out over the past 20 years, the first one I remember getting was the Mego Batman. I still have all my mego's, they're pretty thrashed from playing with them, but they rule. I can't wait for the Hush figures to come out, they look amazing. Action figures and comics are pretty much what I spend all my money on, that and making independent short films.
LoG: The online fan reaction to 'Dead End' has been overwhelming. Comic book genre fans are the most critical and difficult to please, and yet you've managed to do in 10 minutes of footage what other famous directors couldn't accomplish in a decade. To what do you attribute that success?
Sandy Collora: Knowledge of, and a passion for the subject matter. Period.
LoG: Where would you like to see your career go from this point? Are you interested in being involved in comic book genre films?
Sandy Collora: Yeah sure, I'd love to make a feature film based on a Comic Book... I've got a few things in the works, we'll see what happens. The reaction from the studios has been just as overwhelming as the internet fan reaction. I'm pretty confident that by the end of the year, I'll have a deal to direct one, if not several feature films.
LoG: Will we ever see a sequel to 'Dead End'?
Sandy Collora: Not from me, no... That doesn't mean I'm not working on another fan film, however.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
For those fans that have been living under a rock, you can download 'Dead End' at the Force.net
www.theforce.net/theater/shortfilms/batman_deadend/index.shtml
~thanks to ScottManning.com for the pics!~
--------------------------------------------------------
Mr. Sandy Collora is the director of the fan film Batman: Dead End. This fan flick made a splash at the San Diego Comic Con 2003...and kept fans buzzing all summer!
---------------------
Here's the results of our talkback with Mr. Collora!
Enjoy!
LoG: The fan buzz surrounding 'Dead End' has largely included the age old debate on the garb of the Dark Knight. You chose to go with a costume that would more closely resemble the Alex Ross version of Batman, rather than the Tim Burton. Did you draw any influence from Alex Ross, or Frank Miller when working on the designs for the costume?
Sandy Collora: Of Course, Alex Ross and Frank Miller are two of my favorite artists to ever draw the dark knight. There's also a bit of Bisley in there... Simon draws him really well too, very big and intimidating. I also think some of the things I did with the costume were very original and unique to me. The belt, for example... Not only is it the pouch style from the comics, it's black. I've never seen that before. As far as I know, the treatment of Batman's eyes, as well, was the first time the white protective covering has been done in a live action version. What Tim Burton and Joel Schumaker did with the costume was cool, they're actually quite brilliant works of art, they just don't belong in a real Batman movie. The Dark Knight would never be encumbered by all that armor and thick rubber. The fact that Bruce Wayne would go out at night in a simple costume, dressed as a bat is what makes him so interesting. Batman is a very disturbed, brooding, emotionally damaged guy running around in the dark, making sure what happened to him doesn't happen to anyone else, and he's willing to put his own life in danger to do this. He's the best of both worlds I think... a dark hero. Absolutely fascinating.
LoG: A director showcasing his or her talents wouldn't normally chose Alien & Predator for their Batman film. The three way confrontation is, of course, every fanboys dream. Are you a big fan of the Batman comics / cartoon? If so, did you read the recent 'Hush' storyline? What are your thoughts on it?
Sandy Collora: Yes, I am a big fan of all those Dark Horse books, but I envisioned Bats fighting Predator long before they came out. I'm a big fan of Alien and Predator, and an even a bigger Batman fan. I have all the animated series on tape, as well as a lot of the older stuff. I read every Batman or related book that comes out. I LOVED "Hush" and would kill to make that into a movie. Jim Lee and Jeph Loeb are a phenomenal team... The new Azzarello/Risso book looks great too, very Frank Miller-esque. Some of my other favorite Batman stories are The Dark Knight Returns, The Killing Joke, The Long Halloween, and A Death in The Family.
LoG: It has been a few months since the San Diego comic con....has Warner Brothers or DC contacted you in any capacity thus far? How about Christopher Nolan?
Sandy Collora: Though I know all of the parties mentioned above, without a doubt, have seen the film, they have not contacted me or my agents at all. I have many friends that work for both companies, and that are working on the Nolan film, and I heard, un-officially, off the record, that they all thought it was fantastic. I've also heard from various inside sources that because of the immense, positive, reaction to the film, it's been easier not only for the film to actually get green lit, but for Nolan to coerce the powers that be to make the film a bit darker and more realistic. A lot of people in Hollywood are talking about how Batman Dead End has rejuvenated not only the Batman franchise, but Alien and Predator as well... I guess the studios are looking at it as free pre-publicity.
LoG: Your choice for Joker was fantastic. Andrew Koenig personified the Joker as well physically as Mark Hamill has verbally on the Batman cartoons. Was it hard to cast the actor that played Boner on the 80's family drama 'Growing Pains' as the clown prince of crime?
Sandy Collora: No, he came in and auditioned like all the other actors, but was the obvious choice... Andrew was absolutely fantastic to work with, he's a brilliant actor. His initial approach to the character was a bit more funny and over the top, but we worked together a lot on it, and he really wound up nailing the darker, more insane, grittier side of the Joker.
LoG: Do you collect any Batman toys? If so, which ones?
Sandy Collora: Of course, action figures mostly. I have pretty much all of the Batman figures that have come out over the past 20 years, the first one I remember getting was the Mego Batman. I still have all my mego's, they're pretty thrashed from playing with them, but they rule. I can't wait for the Hush figures to come out, they look amazing. Action figures and comics are pretty much what I spend all my money on, that and making independent short films.
LoG: The online fan reaction to 'Dead End' has been overwhelming. Comic book genre fans are the most critical and difficult to please, and yet you've managed to do in 10 minutes of footage what other famous directors couldn't accomplish in a decade. To what do you attribute that success?
Sandy Collora: Knowledge of, and a passion for the subject matter. Period.
LoG: Where would you like to see your career go from this point? Are you interested in being involved in comic book genre films?
Sandy Collora: Yeah sure, I'd love to make a feature film based on a Comic Book... I've got a few things in the works, we'll see what happens. The reaction from the studios has been just as overwhelming as the internet fan reaction. I'm pretty confident that by the end of the year, I'll have a deal to direct one, if not several feature films.
LoG: Will we ever see a sequel to 'Dead End'?
Sandy Collora: Not from me, no... That doesn't mean I'm not working on another fan film, however.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
For those fans that have been living under a rock, you can download 'Dead End' at the Force.net
www.theforce.net/theater/shortfilms/batman_deadend/index.shtml
~thanks to ScottManning.com for the pics!~
--------------------------------------------------------