Monday, December 30, 2013

2013 Howard M. Shum Awards

If people made “best of” best of lists, my list would mock that. To present my annual awards here is a drawing I did of model Martha Hunt.

Film - “Gravity” Written by Alfonso Cuarón and Jonás Cuarón. Directed by Alfonso Cuarón. Gravity is why there is cinema. It is why no matter how large a television screen you have at home, it will not compare to the majesty of seeing this film on a huge theater screen in 3D. You can only get that immersive feeling of wonder in a cinema.

Director - Alfonso Cuarón “Gravity” Cuarón is a filmmaker who does not follow the easy route. He understands cinema, innovates, do things that are hard, takes chances, overcomes obstacles and all this shows in his storytelling.

Foreign Language Film - "The Grandmaster" Directed by Wong Kar Wai. This is a stunningly gorgeous kung fu movie.

Actor - Chiwetel Ejiofor, “12 Years a Slave” After watching this movie, you will feel as if someone punched you hard in the stomach which is how all dramatic movies about slavery should make you feel.

Supporting Actor - Ben Foster “Kill Your Darlings” I have seen Ben Foster in a bunch of movies. I know what he looks like. While watching "Kill Your Darlings," I wondered, "Who's that actor doing a great job playing William Burroughs?"

Actress - Sandra Bullock, “Gravity” The bulk of the movie is just her and she carries it well.

Supporting Actress - Lupita Nyong'o “12 Years a Slave” It is interesting that a British filmmaker and mostly non-American actors made a film about slavery in America that many would rather you think were happier times.

Breakout Performance - Brie Larson "Short Term 12" This is a powerful performance that is going to lead Brie to even more great roles.

Screenplay - “Before Midnight" by Richard Linklater, Ethan Hawke, and Julie Delpy. After extolling the visually cinematic virtues of "Gravity" how do I pick a film that is nothing but people talking as Best Screenplay? Because I know how difficult it is to make a good movie that is nothing but talking that's why filmmakers don't make movies like that. It's hard to shoot, write, and act in that kind of movie and when it is done exceptionally well, it must be celebrated.

Cinematographer - Emmauel "Chivo" Lubezki “Gravity” Chivo is the best cinematographer working today. The phenomenal long shots with great compositions in Gravity help add to its grandeur and tension. His work on Terrence Malick's "To the Wonder" is also something to behold.

Animated Film - “Frozen” Directed by Jennifer Lee & Chris Buck. Disney makes the most beautiful animated movies. Frozen had a nice story and songs to go along with its wonderful visuals.

Television Show Drama - "Breaking Bad" This stayed at a high level from start to finish. How many shows can say that? Very few, only the best, which this is.

Television Show Comedy “South Park” Trey Parker and Matt Stone are the best satirists on television.

Television Actress - Tatiana Maslany “Orphan Black” Tatiana plays a minimum of six characters on this show and she gives them each a distinct personality, voice, body language, and mannerism. It is impressive to watch.

Talk Show - "Inside the NBA" This show is never not entertaining. I'll watch even if I didn't see or care about the teams that played before it. It's fun hanging with Chuck, The Jet, E.J. and Shaq (and sometimes C-Web).

White Guy Speaking Chinese - Kiefer Sutherland “Jose Cuervo commercial” I’m pretty sure Kiefer Sutherland doesn’t know Chinese (Cantonese), but he speaks it with a perfect accent in this commercial. I have heard so many non-Chinese speaking actors mangle the language (such as Harrison Ford in “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”. If I was on that bridge at the end instead of Short Round, after Indy yelled in Chinese I would have said back, “What the hell did you just say, Indy? You sound like you’re drunk.”) that I must point it out when done well.

Monday, December 16, 2013

Anchorman

Here is a drawing I did of Steve Carell, Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, and David Koechner as Brick Tamland, Ron Burgundy, Brian Fantana, and Champ Kind from Anchorman.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Thursday, December 05, 2013

Melissa Rauch

Here is a drawing I did of Big Bang Theory actress Melissa Rauch based on her Maxim photo shoot.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Sleepy Hollow

Here is a drawing I did of Nicole Beharie and Tom Mison as Abbie Milles and Ichabod Crane from Sleepy Hollow.

Check out this interview I did with Sports Illustrated about my art.

Monday, November 18, 2013

Ally and Ashley - The Amazing Race

Here is a drawing I did of Ally Mello and Ashley Covert from the Amazing Race and the L.A. Kings Ice Crew Girls.

Monday, November 11, 2013

Tuesday, November 05, 2013

Scarlett Johansson

Here is a drawing I did of Scarlett Johansson.

Here is a new short written and directed by me. Although it is a comedy, while shooting I was inspired by Terrence Malick, Emmanuel "Chivo" Lubezki, and Wong Kar-wai.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Haim

Here is a drawing I did of Alana, Este, and Danielle Haim. Check out their music if you haven't already.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Samantha Gradoville

I saw model Samantha Gradoville sporting this expression in a photo and felt compelled to capture her look in a drawing.

Here's a new comedy short written and directed by me.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Vampire Lana Del Rey

Here is a drawing I did of the beautiful and talented Lana Del Rey as a vampire.

Monday, September 30, 2013

Monday, September 23, 2013

Monday, September 16, 2013

Monday, September 09, 2013

Star Trek - Assignment: Earth

Here is a drawing I did of Robert Lansing as Gary Seven and Terri Garr as Roberta Lincoln from the Star Trek episode "Assignment: Earth".

Monday, September 02, 2013

Burn Notice

Here is a drawing I did of Jeffrey Donovan as Michael Westen and Gabrielle Anwar as Fiona from Burn Notice.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Monday, August 19, 2013

Monday, August 12, 2013

Nikki and Sara

Here is a drawing I did of Nikki Glaser and Sara Schaefer from "Nikki & Sara Live". Watch their show on MTV.

Tuesday, August 06, 2013

Angelina Jolie

Here is a drawing I did of Angelina Jolie.

Check out a new digital short I did at the San Diego Comic-Con.

Monday, July 29, 2013

Alexis Knapp - Wonder Woman

Here is a drawing I did of actress Alexis Knapp (Pitch Perfect, Project X) as Wonder Woman. She would be a good choice for the role, be it in a possible Justice League movie, Superman-Batman, or in a stand-alone Wonder Woman film.

Check out my new digital short "Girlfriend."

Monday, July 22, 2013

San Diego Comic-Con 2013

I had a lot of fun at SDCC 2013. Here are some of the caricatures and drawings I did at the con. I also got to go to the Vikings party. The actors are a bunch of super nice guys. Be sure to watch the show on History Channel.
Travis Fimmel (Ragnar Lothbrok) and me at the Vikings party.
Me and Clive Standen (Rollo) at the Vikings party.
Actor Doug Tait is under that makeup. Gustaf Skarsgard (Floki) and me looking goofy at the Vikings party.
Wong Kar Wai at a screening of The Grandmaster. It's a beautiful kung fu film about Ip Man who taught Bruce Lee martial arts.
Me and Alexis Knapp from Pitch Perfect and Project X at SDCC.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Lord of the Ring Evolution - Commissions

Here are a bunch of Lord of the Rings Evolution sketch cards commissions I recently did. I'm going to be at the San Diego Comic-Con July 17-21, 2013 in Artists' Alley Table CC-12.

Tuesday, July 09, 2013

Monday, July 01, 2013

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Monday, June 17, 2013

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Game of Thrones - Dragonstone

Here is a drawing I did of Stephen Dillane as Stannis Baratheon, Carice van Houten as Melisandre, and Liam Cunningham as Davos Seaworth.

Tuesday, June 04, 2013

Game of Thrones - Hodor, Bran, and Osha

Here is a drawing I did of Kristian Nairn as Hodor, Isaac Hempstead-Wright as Bran Stark, and Natalia Tena as Osha.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Game of Thrones - King's Landing

Here is a drawing I did of Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark, Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister, and Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister.