The net is buzzing about the release of the Tron Legacy trailer that came out during last week’s Comic-Con. The trailer looks amazing and the excitement focused around the rebirth of one of Hollywood’s beloved movies is understood, but for me seeing the trailer spawned a different reaction. I have been patiently waiting to see visuals, a trailer, anything about this movie solely because Joseph Kosinski is at the helm, someone whose work has had a massive influence on me as a designer.
I first heard of Joseph Kosinski back when he was part of the 2-man team known as KDLAB. I was working in the design department of a large corporation doing everything from print work, to Flash and 3D animations. I was running OS 9, enjoying broadband only at work, marveling at site experiences such as the BMW film series The Hire, and trying to soak up as much design work as I could. I don’t recall how I came across KDLAB and their work, but it was one of those moments as a designer where you see someone else’s work and it immediately resonates within you, instantly becoming a favorite.
This video was probably the first I saw from KDLAB. What impressed me the most first off was just how polished everything was. The attention to detail was phenomenal. The camera moves/angles, pace, and audio worked harmoniously together. The way these visuals were being spliced together and presented reminded me of Stanley Kubrick, especially the camera moves and tempo.
I know I know, I have a “thing” for Kubrick.
But seriously that was a comparison I made at the time and I still hold to it today. It wasn’t apparent to me at the time, but the work coming from Kosinski was evidence of a director in the making.
Kosinski’s background is in design and architecture. He has a Masters in Architecture, so it’s no surprise that his work is impeccable and that he’s able to create environments that look photo-realistic. One of his earlier pieces was a promo for a fictitious Apple product call the iSpec. The short film, which you really should take the time to watch, shows a portable viewing device that places the user in an environment of their choosing. The example presented is the “Colorado Room” interior of the Overlook Hotel from The Shining (the Kubrick references keep on coming!). The rendering of that environment is unreal and even after several years of CG advancements it still holds up.
The rest of Kosinski’s work showcases his eye for design. One of his projects that I really enjoyed because of it’s art direction, but unfortunately is no longer available for viewing, was a piece he did for Nike called the “Tronathalon”. The image above is an example from that film. The video shows American triathlete Lokelani McMichael competing in a triathalon in a “Tron-esque” environment. It makes me wonder, now knowing that Kosinski is working on the next Tron film, if this project sparked his involvement. Maybe it’s coincidental, but seeing how Kosinski’s work translates well for the world of Tron, it’s obvious why he’s the perfect fit for the film.
In recent years Kosinski has directed several well-known commercials, his biggest possibly being the one he did for Gears of War. Looking at the credits to these newer projects it looks like he’s doing less direct design work and focusing more on directing, but it’s clear that his aesthetic has remained in tact.
It’s a little hard to narrow down the biggest reason for why I’m so inspired by his work because I could talk on and on about multiple reasons, but I’d have to say it comes down to his attention to detail. His presentation is so impeccable that it’s caused me to strive for a similar level of excellence. Each framed shot of his is worthy of printing out and hanging on your wall. While I don’t make films I do push for every designed element I create to be perfect. I want every pixel in it’s place and for all elements to live harmoniously together. It’s painstakingly hard, but it’s a worthy goal and thrilling when I pull it off.
In addition to Tron Legacy Kosinski is working on a remake of Logan’s Run. Those are the only 2 movies listed in his profile on IMDB, but judging by Kosinski’s career and the buzz surrounding the Tron trailer, I would imagine more work will be headed his way.
