Cobra-Ken? I Go G.I. Joe! Oh, and some stuff about storyboards too…
Christine and I went to Target to pick up storyboarding materials for the film. I passed the school/office supplies section and, much to her head-shaking disapproval, went for my favorite section of the store: toys. Particularly, the figurines. See, when it comes to drawing, painting or any other such mechanically-inclined activity, I suck. So, I figured: why not plastic figurines? I have a digital camera, plenty of green-screen material and some sort of slide-show-making program on my computer. Why not make a PowerPoint presentation for my beloved DP and comrades in filmmaking.
Obviously, I headed straight for the military/action-hero-themed figures and Christine for the Barbies and Ken dolls. There was some discussion (how can you show romance between two figures in camouflage? Yes, the guns are cool and all, but what about the female lead’s long blond hair?) I am happy to announce that ultimately we (or was it just I? Christine, help me out) decided on a military theme, using these really cool little my-generation-G.I.Joe-wannabe’s, Elite Force. And when I say they’re wannabe’s, I mean it. They have the whole swivel-arm thing, the twisty-torso thing and even the metal-bound-legs-with-plastic-crotch thing. The only real difference I can see is that the torsos aren’t connected to the body with a rubber band. (my argument to Christine as to why we should go with these guys: “Christine, I know this model like the back of my hand - I can modify them, Hell, I spent half my child-hood ripping these things apart, I can’t say the same for the Barbies**).
But anyway, I digress. My point is that for $20, I got everything I need to storyboard the entire damn movie. Everything, that is, except the time and patience…
** Though I was by no means a Barbie-savant, I did get quite good at tearing Barbie’s head off and replacing it with Ken’s in my youth.