In the realm of creative media, there are two opposing forces at work. As the PC becomes more and more powerful, and software for creating various effects in digital art, computer graphics, visual art and audio become more widely available to consumers, smaller studios are able to compete with larger studios in creating feature films. However, as the creative fields continue to expand and new techniques, tools and styles emerge daily, it also becomes harder to keep up with the growth.
However, occasionally, multitalented creative minds are able to work seamlessly between the fields, and Jack Moik of Magna Mana FX is an example of someone with experience in matte painting, visual effects, audio composition and art direction.
Check out our interview with Jack, and be sure to check out his feature film, Nydenion: http://www.nydenion.com/
- Your Name: Jack Moik
- Your Age: 43
- Location (City or Country): Frankfurt/Main, Germany
- Your website or portfolio: www.nydenion.com | www.magnamana.com
- Software you use: Adobe Photoshop CS, Eyeon Fusion, Avid Media Composer, Steinberg Nuendo
Thanks for taking the time to interview with us. First off, could you tell us a little about yourself?
I was born in Marburg, Germany, a university city with lots of students. Since my childhood I fell in love with Sci-Fi and visual effects. I was 10 when Star Wars, Star Trek and Space 1999 came in my life and completely changed it. It was the moment when I realized what I wanted to do. I took my grandmom’s 8mm camera, made my first scratch build spaceship miniatures and filmed them flying on wires.
My grandmom was a hobby painter and she taught me in some classic painting skills. That was a nice start as I often was surrounded by dozens of her landscape paintings. When I was 25 I did a 3 year media designer class and started the same time a job as motion control camera assistant and modelbuilder for motion picture and ads. There I could practice my skills as we had to do many classic painted backdrops and miniatures. It was late in the 90′s and the classic visual effects vanished for the digital age.
In 2007 after working 10 years in different media companies I found a home at my own company which is called Magna Mana FX.
How did you get started with digital art?
I had my first Wacom in 2001 and soon I realized the power of this new technology. I often was frustrated with the long process of classic painting, and the limitations that you have. But it changed from one day to another. I still had the classic skills for painting miniatures and I sometimes think that it’s good to know booth worlds. I still love to paint miniatures for motion picture and ads. Anyway, when I got the Wacom I immediately started to play around with matte painting techniques, but it was a lot of try and error. I think the first digital mattepainting that I have done for a motion picture was in 2005. Since then I did a lot of them, I actually did not count them, I remember there were more than 25 for just one music-video. You just get faster with practice.
What are your major influences? Any artists in particular who influenced you a lot, or other media such as music and movies?
First there is Ralph McQuarry. I simply love his accurate style, his ability to visualize film stills with dramatic angles. Ron Cobb has ben a master of conceptual techniques for many years and he has inspired my view of future technology from a logic point, same with Sid Mead. I love the space art of Peter Elson, I hope one day I can be a part of a movie with ships of his vision. Of cause there are hundreds more, impossible to name them all. As I am a soundtrack composer too, I do listen to a lot of film music while I work. Jerry Goldsmith is always on my playlist.
What film (or series of films) do you think had the best visual effects work?
Hard to say, as usual the best effect is the one that you do not see, so my first choice would be Contact and Forrest Gump. They have hundreds of visual effects and my jaw dropped when I saw the “making of” because I didn’t realized some effects in the films. The Lord of the Rings have some wonderful effects, because Peter Jackson is a model fan and they used all available techniques.
In 1985 Aliens worked great with those “low tech” effects, they simply didn’t have the budget for extensive bluescreen work, so they did very large miniatures and projections. For me that still works very good. Recently I was stunned by the seamless working effects in Terminator Salvation. Regarding TV the new Battlestar Galactica has some awesome FX. But I always love movies which large miniatures. Many studios still do it, but most people think all this is digital.
Are there any artists you look up to?
Douglas Trumbull. I envy him for all those unforgettable moments he created, starting from 2001-Odyssey to my most favourite movie which is Blade Runner.
From a creative standpoint, is it easier to work on personal work or client work?
That depends on the job. Usually you do not have so much time for a client work, but sometimes pressure keeps your mind open for unusual ideas and concepts. I am a perfectionist, personal work often needs a lot more time and patience.
Do you have a favorite work that you’ve done, or something you’re especially proud of? Why that work especially?
I recently have finished my first Science-Fiction feature film, which is called Nydenion: http://www.nydenion.com/
You can imagine it has tons of mattepaintings, set extension, miniatures and CGI. We worked for over ten years on that film, as it was completely independent and financed by ourselves while shooting. We later got financial help from the German film fund to finish the postproduction. We are all very happy that we have finished it now, you do not have feature films of this scale in Germany very often. We are also very pleased that the film will be distributed worldwide this year.
Do you use any external hardware such as a drawing tablet?
I do use a Wacom Intuos 3. I have one at work and one at home. I also do use the wacom when composing music with Nuendo. I am two times faster with it. Forget about the mouse.
Do you have any advice for beginning artists out there?
Practice painting whenever and wherever you can. I can not say that enough. If you do not have ideas for your work then adapt another work. You will get better with every stroke. I even have a small Wacom with me when I am on tour. I also have my complete reference library on the HD. And it’s vital for painters to have a good camera to shoot reference photos.
Where do you see yourself in the future, and how do you feel that you will be growing as an artist?
Hard to say. I am at a point where I do make a lot of photorealistic painting and photo manipulating for clients. I sometimes think I know the most vital things, but the biggest lesson for me is that I still have so much to learn…
