What exactly was your role on Prince of Persia - The Sands of Time? I was part of the team of illustrators of the film, with Peter Popkin, Kim Frederiksen and Neil Ross. My job was to take the designs of production designer Wolf Kruger and adapt them to the locations determined by production. From these drawings it was possible to determine what should be built on the shelf and what should be added in postproduction. I also worked on the layout of the palace and more widely on the underground section of the finale Film, in close collaboration with the art director Rob Cowper.
How did you join this team?
Initially, they appealed to me as an artist, storyboard working in the London offices of production, but in Marrakech, they realized they were in desperate need of visual and as they knew that I also did the artwork, they asked me to join them on site for two weeks. Four months later, I was still there!
How did you work with Wolf Krueger? We do
not fit his vision. It adheres quickly. Wolf had a very clear vision and a great team. His office had prepared the ground carefully by bringing all sorts of references and iconographic it guides you through each idea carefully decorated. It is extremely accurate. You know immediately if you are wrong. It makes you very clear. By doing so, he really brings out the best of me.
Have you worked on eventually deleted scenes?
There is a particular scene that was deleted, that of the "Piston Room." It was a great machine that Dastan stone was run. I worked on for quite some time. It was a very complex machine with all kinds of Indian inscriptions. Everything was mapped in 3D, textured and verified. But this scene was replaced by that of the Sand Room on which I also worked in depth.
How did you approach the architecture of the sacred city of Alamut? As I told you it was a mix of real locations and designs Wolf's ideas. I made some preliminary sketches to give a general idea to production and then Peter Popkin Tino Schaedler is specifically working on the layout. The end result is exactly the vision that Wolf was largely inspired by the famous painting of the Tower of Babel by Bruegel.
It also feels Indian influence. The city of Alamut was supposed to be geographically closer to India. That's where these influences come from their amazing water palace, details Red Fort in New Delhi, Fort Jodpur Saraswathi and temples in Rajasthan.
How did you manage to find the right balance between realism and fantasy?
The key is, I think the scale. While ensuring that the details ring true. In my case, I have invented nothing stylistically speaking. It was really a question of adapting details borrowed from ancient monuments to the structures of a surreal level.
Have you referred to the original game?
Not at all. When I have done, I had no access to a console. I saw some screenshots, but in the end, I confined to the ideas of Wolf. I understand that the game designers were pretty happy with what they saw. These are the characters who were really close to those of the game
What is your favorite illustration? Hard to say. I am generally pleased with what was done. Of course, when I look at my drawings, I tend to see my mistakes first. I leave it to others to choose the most successful. That said, I tell my first 3D version of the Piston Room, mainly because the reaction of Wolf has been very positive.
What was the figure most difficult to achieve?
Again the Piston Room, by its complexity. There was also the Room of Sand by the time we had to do it. I wish I had the dagger at the end of the shoot!
A word about Clash of the Titans, which you also participated as an illustrator? A great experience. Soon, many freedoms. Martin Laing was the chief designer. Someone very well. We met on the Batman of Tim Burton. I'm mostly occupied with Olympus, whose design has changed many times during production. Initially, Martin wanted an Olympus opened on the elements, but it would have cost a fortune in terms of effects. Weird, because everything has radically changed in postproduction.
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