Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1521244
1 8 P E R S P E C T I V E | M AY / J U N E 2 0 2 4 Godzilla & Kong The Cinematic Storyboard Art of Richard Bennett N E W S B Y D AV I D M O R O N G , E D I T O R ADG Senior Illustrator and Storyboard Artist Richard Bennett has taken his storyboards from a trio of films for the Legendary Pictures MonsterVerse and collected them into a volume demonstrating the narrative power of his work. Drawings from Godzilla vs. Kong, Godzilla: King of Monsters and Kong: Skull Island are presented in various formats, from quick line drawings exhibiting the action to more polished shaded keyframes, along with some final film images that show how the sequences were actually shot. Some of the most interesting elements are the drawings of scenes that were not included in the final films. A good number of the examples show story ideas and alternate plotlines that were changed or dropped from the finished release, and these become a kind of "unused scenes" feature that provides an inside view of how these films were developed and shaped. More than anything, these images demonstrate the power of visual storytelling. There are no lines of dialog or scene descriptions here. Bennett gives a short introduction to the sequence and some notes on his workflow and where the scene falls in the story, and lets his exceptional drawing skills do the rest. In an afterward to the book, Production Designer Stefan Dechant notes: "Each frame represents a moment of expression relying on Richard's experience as a comic book artist, film lover and observer of people, places and things. Years of cataloging, sketching and film viewing become the medium from which Richard can express a director's intent through framing, action, or performance." A. GODZILLA & KONG BOOK COVER. B. STORYBOARDS AND FINISHED FILM FRAME FROM KONG: SKULL ISLAND. KONG PACKARD ATTACK SEQUENCE. A B