MICHAEL JACKSON BAD 3D DIGITAL PROJECT

[[MICHAEL]]

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW ATILLA CEYLAN (3D CHARACTER CREATURE CONCEPT ARTIST)

For Michaelmania magazine we had a chat with the "3D Character Creature Concept Artist" Atilla Ceylan. He told us about his new 3D project and being a Michael Jackson' fan.

1. Hi, we always start our interviews with a short presentation to our readers, how would you introduce yourself to those who don't know you?

Hello and thanks for this great opportunity. I am Atilla Ceylan (“Il flagello di dio”). I am of Turkish descend but was born and raised in Vienna, Austria, where I got my education in 3D Arts and Animation. Today, I live in Vancouver, Canada with my son, Temujin, and besides being a (single) father, I also am occupied as a 3D Character / Creature Designer for Feature Film and Television Productions. If I should find some time for myself, I pursue my own projects (like the Michael Jackson Project and a newly started one on Jackie Chan). I love and value cultures, traditions and religions. I am a very righteous man and hold righteousness up high.

2. On your website atillaceylan.com you define yourself a 3D Character Creature Concept Artist. What exactly do you do in your job?

In short, I make monsters.I visualize a (movie-)director’s idea and wish of a character or creature’s look (in 3D). My work usually stays digital and gets animated and rendered within but sometimes they use my work to build a practical suite (worn by an actor) or a maquette for other purposes within production.

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3. Judging from the photos online, you look very young, yet you seem to have a respectable curriculum. Starting from the passion for super heroes you became a reference for important television and film productions. It been a difficult process? And how did it happen?

Thanks for the kind words. I’ve always been drawing my monsters and hero type of characters ever since I was a kid. Always wanted to do something in that direction for a living but never had a clue of what that could be. Until I discovered 3D. Digital sculpting to be exact. It felt so natural to me and I feel very blessed and grateful of to be able to make a (good) living with a job I love doing. My father used to tell me that one should always stay occupied and motivated. And THAT I have been doing. Once the motivation is in place, nothing feels (too) difficult.

After graduating from college (for 3D arts and Animation) in Vienna, I freelanced as a 3D Character Artist here and there for local studios, who were specializing in video games (-cinematics), mobile games and commercials. I rejected quite a lot of full-time position offers back then, for my hope was to get to an English-speaking country (preferably North America). I wanted to get out of Vienna badly and invested my entire free time to polish up my portfolio so I could start to apply for studios abroad with confidence. It even got to a point where friends and colleagues tried to give me a “wake up call” and that I should stop “dreaming”, since I would never make it. Well, I absolutely love the challenge and this challenge was now on more than before and soon after I left for Toronto, Canada to start my new position as 3D Character Artist at Mr. X Inc.

4. Working for important productions, making your dream come true is something, we suppose, very exciting. Is there a project you are particularly attached to? And do you have any kind of preference at work?

Working on a big movie project is very exciting indeed. Especially when it is a Guillermo Del Toro (GDT) project. How Michael Jackson is the King of Pop, Bruce Lee the King of Kung Fu, Jackie Chan the King of Action, Guillermo Del Toro is the King of the Monsters. No words in the world can describe how it feels to be able to work WITH such a caliber. And I say WITH explicitly, because even though I worked “for” GDT, he always treated me with such dignity and showed so much interest in me and my work, I was immensely honoured.

GDT is a perfectionist (that’s a positive) and very demanding (that too is a positive). After 4 projects with him I gained so much experience, I might have not gotten in a whole life-time. So, THAT is my preference at work. To be respectful to others, to hold up your colleagues higher than yourself and to work with heart and soul until it’s “perfect” (or a producer tells you to stop, since you are way over budget, LOL). One of my dreams and goals in life was that one day I’d be able to show my children a movie poster with a creature on it, which I worked on. I feel like with “Shape of Water” I have accomplished that.

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5. Working in highly competitive environments like yours presupposes the desire to continually get involved and the ability to keep up with new software and new techniques. The entertainment industry is constantly evolving, what advice would you give to those who have the same passion and want to start a job as a 3D Character Creature Concept Artist?

The answer is pretty much in the question. It is a competitive environment and one needs to constantly stay up-to-date with latest software and technologies and produce work. Generally spoken though - create “good art”. Not just something you do for yourself (only). Make the art you want to create be appealing to others. You can’t please them all but if you know your target group well enough, you’ll get closer to do so. Don’t hide (your work). Put it out there and collect feedback and criticism. It helps you grow as an artist and gets you noticed. I will be giving classes at Vertex School starting August 9th 2020 on Character Creation for Film (https://www.vertexschool.com/workshop-atilla-ceylan-1)

6. That as regards the profession, but what you do, or you can do in your free time? What are your interests?

As mentioned, I am a (single) father. I absolutely LOVE spending every single moment with my son and naturally try to engage him with some of my interests (without neglecting his of course). I taught him (to sing) my favourite Michael Jackson songs and rap with him our favourite Hip Hop tracks. We are both into Horror movies, even though we are both so scared after watching and we both share a vast interest in arts and create a lot of arts together. Hopefully one day, I can have a Creature Shop together with my son and make a (good) living with it. Apart from that I love football (soccer). We kick the ball together outdoors and when he’s asleep and I am overworked, I turn on Pro Evolution Soccer.

7. In your portfolio we noticed a project that impressed us for the attention to details, the creation of a virtual Michael Jackson, how was the project born? And, we suppose, you're working with a team...

Firstly, thank you. It started with disappointment actually. I had bought a Michael Jackson collectible doll, where I wasn’t happy with the head.
I initially wanted to sculpt the head only, 3D-print it, paint it and replace it but one thing led to another (incl. a disappointment in a certain hologram) and I decided to do the entire body incl. outfit. My colleague, Jim Su, offered me to rig Michael Jackson (rig = to give it a virtual skeleton, so we can move / animate it). That’s where the both of us started to collaborate. I take care of the art side of things (MJ’s 3D Model, backgrounds, lighting, camera, edits, music mix, etc.) and he takes care of the technical aspects (rig, face rig, hair dynamics, cloth dynamics, etc.). And as Graham Qually offered us to make use of his Motion Capture Facility, we hired dancer and actor, Michel Issa Rubio, to get us as close as possible to the King’s dance moves and mimics and he did an outstanding job. If there are any people out there who would want to join Jim and I for this project, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

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8. Inside the website you stated that this personal work is a tribute to Michael Jackson "who had a great impact on my life, a project from a fan for the fans". How long have you been a Michael fan and why did you choose the BAD era for your project?

I was almost 4 years old as my father showed me the Bad music video. Ever since that day, I am a fan. I even have a tape recording from that time, where I sing Bad, the entire song (I think the only words I got right were “who’s bad” and “cha’mone”). That’s also why I picked that era (and that specific song), because that was the first time, I consciously remember Michael Jackson and I am emotionally very attached to it.

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9. We don't remember any animation/3D Character or digital work about the BAD era. A few projects around the world we know represented Michael in "Thriller" or the "Dangerous" era. This is the first time we see something about Bad, the album, and, of course the videoclip. We think it's a great idea and fans will love it. What place does the Bad album and the shortfilm occupy in your fan memory?

The Bad Album is the one I grew up with, the one which left the biggest mark on me, let alone “shape” me. I love Michael’s looks from that era, his costumes, his confidence, attitude, message, Moonwalker, everything. The short film (by Scorsese) of course is a masterpiece in its own right. I love the contrast it delivers, a contrast I could relate to myself (especially in my later years).

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10. We discovered you're working on a short video... Have you ever thought about showing/sending your work at the Michael Jackson's Estate? People who are now in control are always searching for new opportunities to spread the King of Pop's legacy inside the entertainment/game/visual industry. Maybe could be the big occasion... nevermind.

It would certainly be a dream come true being able to work together with and for the people who are in control of the Michael Jackson Estate.
I would love to share and fulfill my visions and ideas I have - to create new and fresh content for the fans. Content leveraging new technologies (e.g VR). Maybe this interview will open the doors for a potential collaboration.

See the exclusive preview videoclip here:
https://michaelmania.com/2020/08/02/mic ... d-project/

11. Going back to talking about your being a fan, do you have a favourite memory about Michael Jackson? Did you ever meet him, been to one of his concerts or any other occasion?

I have never met Michael Jackson in person. I did want to go to the Dangerous concert in Vienna but was too little, plus I’m sure the tickets cost a lot of money. Money, we didn’t have. I did watch it on TV later though (Dangerous Concert in Bucharest) and was blown away. Thankfully we recorded it and I abused that VHS tape with pause, rewind, pause, slow forward, play, rewind, etc. to learn MJ’s steps and mimics.

One of my favourite memories I have of MJ is his acapella of “Who is it”, which he performed during the interview with Oprah Winfrey. No microphone, no synthesizer, or other equipment used for professional recordings - pure Michael Jackson, unplugged. It displayed his knowledge and skill on the spot. How he literally feels the music, lives it, uses his entire body to express himself - THAT BEATBOX. Just magical.

12. Unfortunately, as we all know, Michael left us in 2009 before his concerts for "This Is It" in London. What do you remember of that period and how did you learn the sad news?

I was on my way home to purchase a ticket for “This is it”. I had saved enough money and wanted, needed to see the King live, at least once in my life. I stopped for some take-out dinner as I received my food and the terrible news. I was already carrying huge pain with me, for I had just lost my father a few months prior to Michael Jackson’s death. Also, to a cardiac arrest. You know, as I said before, it was my father who introduced me to Michael Jackson, my father bought me the cassettes, magazines, T-shirts, shoes and what not. He encouraged me to listen to Michael Jackson, he was the one who recorded my voice when I was singing Michael Jackson.

I lost my father, a man I looked up to, I adore, respect and idolize and shortly after I lost Michael Jackson, another figure in my life which meant a lot to me. There was a big void, an emptiness for a long time in my life but you know what... on August 29 2012 (on Michael Jackson’s birthday), I became the proud father of my son, Temujin Ceylan (If that's not some sort of message from above, then I don't know anymore).

13. Following Michael since 1985, we realize every day how he influenced entire generations. People of every order and degree, artists and ordinary people. Your new project is just another example of how much this extraordinary artist was loved. What do you feel like telling fans like you to end this short interview?

Go watch (again) Rev. Al Sharpton’s speech he held at Michael Jackson’s Memorial. If one must summarize a legend’s life with a few words, Rev. Al Sharpton says it all.

© 2020 Michaelmania.com / Pictures courtesy of Atilla Ceylan.

[soulmum]

Amazing, thank you for that.

[[MICHAEL]]

Amazing, thank you for that.

you're welcome. I think it could be an amazing project.

Daniele/MMi