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P E R S P E C T I V E | J A N UA RY / F E B R UA RY 2 0 1 7 135 milestones JAYMES HINKLE 1953 – 2016 Jaymes Hinkle had just completed production on the Rob Reiner film Shock and Awe, assisting his friend Chris DeMuri, when he went in for heart surgery to correct a prior condition. He tragically passed away the following day, Thanksgiving, with his family near him. Jay was born and raised in a family of writers, sculptors and artists on the Texas Gulf Coast. He grew up playing tennis and surfing, developed an interest in graphic arts at an early age, and learned to silk-screen T-shirts and pinstripe cars. While attending high school, an innovative English teacher helped plant the filmmaking seed with an assignment to create a short film. That film, The Way of the Arrow, won first place in animation at the first Texas Film Festival held in Austin. It also earned honors at the Kodak High School Film Festival, which gained the attention of the De Menil Foundation at Rice University in Houston, where he was given the opportunity to make animations and short films at the Rice University Media Center. The idea of a Hollywood film career became a reality at the age of sixteen when he got the chance to work as an intern on Guns of a Stranger, a Universal film shot in Arizona. After graduating from high school, he left Texas for Southern California to continue his education at Art Center College of Design. He landed an apprenticeship in the paint and sign department at Paramount Studios while still attending Art Center, and worked at Paramount for five years on many films that are now considered classics— Chinatown, The Day of the Locust and The Godfather II. After leaving Paramount, he freelanced on Blade Runner, Heaven's Gate, Thief, 48 Hours, Lethal Weapon and Die Hard as a Scenic Artist and graphic designer, moving up to Assistant Art Director and eventually, Art Director on the first season of the HBO series, Tales From the Crypt. As a Production Designer, starting with Joel Silver's Parker Kane pilot for NBC, he designed more than forty features and television shows. Among them are Ricochet, Passenger 57, starring Wesley Snipes, National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon and A Texas Funeral. Jaymes collaborated with director David Ellis on the films Cellular, Snakes on a Plane, Asylum, Final Destination 4 and Shark Night 3D, and director Brian Robbins enlisted his experiences growing up in Texas to design Varsity Blues. Jay also created commercials for American Express, Budweiser, Coke, Pepsi, Lexus, Lincoln, GMC and numerous music videos over the years for various artists, like Dave Matthews, Bon Jovi, Metallica, Megadeth, Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson and Seal. Between film projects, he remained busy painting contemporary landscapes and restoring Airstream trailers. He and his wife Voni, a hairstylist in the film industry, divided their time between homes in Southern California and the French Quarter in Louisiana. He continued to surf and play competitive tennis. Guild President Nelson Coates writes: "Jay served as Art Director for me on Hot Pursuit in New Orleans. Every day, he made me laugh and worked long hours to make sure everything was correct. He was greatly admired by everyone in the Art Department, and the crew. He was one of a kind—someone who shared his love for the art of filmmaking, and his knowledge and skills with those around him. His son Jaymes Jr. was on the swing gang, and his daughter a set dresser. Having two generations of his talented family working together was a privilege and great fun. He was proud of the many people he helped, trained and guided. A big man with big feelings."