ESCAPE FROM PLANET EARTH                        PRODUCTION DESIGNER / ART DIRECTOR

Poster Design

This is the Color-Script for the entire movie. (the panels represent every time there is an emotional lighting change or a new location) This was the starting point for lighting

Characters and costume design:

When I came to "Escape From Planet Earth" as an Art Director the film had already been in pre-production for two years. It had just changed director and script-writer and it was going in a new direction. That meant that 95% of the earlier work could not be used anymore. The one thing, that I was told to use was the basic models of the main characters. I could however give them new textures and costumes (with some limitations)
Here are a few of my final turnarounds as starting point for texturing:

This was a pre-existing model. (not my design) But I could add a new look by giving him a fresh costume-texture. (with the help of Sylvie Lacroix)

movie still

Again, the face and hands are not my design - but I could give him a brand new super-suit.

Idea sketches

movie still

It had some pretty cool details (Thanks to Sunil Pant and Adam Vorous)

(face and hands not my design) It was fun to give him the kid-version of a super-suit.

movie still

I gave her a new face. Often I would just sit with the modelers and tweak the old models.

And this is what she looked like in the final film.

Location Design:

In the beginning of the movie, we are on the ice-planet Gnarl on a mission to save orphans from a crashed space-ship.

Planet Gnarl

sketch for modeling

look development for snow and ice

sketch for modeling

sketch for modeling

Inside the orphan-baby-transport-ship - movie still

Little blue babies (the babies are wrapped up so we didn't have to animate arms - one of a million shortcuts you have to take when the budget is very limited) - movie still

Planet Baab

Since "Escape from Planet Earth" is a reverse alien invasion movie - the alien planet (Baab) had to look alien (and technologically advanced) but at the same time it had to feel familiar and easy to relate to.

Concept sketch. Earth-like but with an abundance of energy.

Glowing streets. Design drwawings

And this is what it looks like in the movie.

(car designs by Young Yoon and Peter Chan) - movie still

The alien home

The family home on planet Baab had to be the most warm and relatable place in the movie. A counter-place for all the strange hostile worlds around it - but with a touch of "alien"

design drawing of the living room

These are flat colors sketches (without any light and shadow) so the texture artist knows what the exact colors of the objects are supposed to be

and this is what the living room looks like in the movie

movie still

This is a design sketch for the little boy's room

This is the un-textured model by Sander Dijk and Adam Vorous

and here's the final image

The alien space agency

Creating the space-ships and control room and launch bay was a big team effort. Special credit goes to Peter Chan for the spaceship designs

launch bay with rescue-pod - movie still

launch bay with rescue-pod - movie still

launch bay with cargo ship

control room - movie still

Earth

matte painting

the crash landing

concept art

workbook drawings

model (various artists)

movie still

Area 51

paint over (prop design: Sunil Pant)

The General's office as design drawing...

...and as movie still

color sketch for freezer room

freezer room - movie still

and then there is the escape of course... but go see the movie if you want to find out how

concept sketch

concept sketch

my favorite image:

design drawing

movie still