The Energon Pub

News Credits: 6188 · Mon Dec 01, 2014 10:55 am

The Age of Extinction isn't over yet, as concept artist Emiliano Santalucia returns with another blog post, this time looking at some ideas and art behind the fourth Transformers film. This is the first of a number of potential posts, depending on Hasbro, but read on below and here for a look at a behind the scenes art for the final battle in the movie.

Just a couple of months ago I received approval on showing at least one piece of the work I did for Transformers Age of Extinction movie.
This is one of the craziest piece I did for the fourth Transformers movie and it was a lot of fun to work on.I did it under the direction of the mighty Aaron Archer who gave me a ton of details to fit into one single image.
I started with a couple of simple composition/mood studies, and then went into the full rendering.

Mon Dec 01, 2014 12:21 pm

these are pretty sweet

Mon Dec 01, 2014 1:32 pm

That Drift looks perfect. It's like IDW, but as a Bayverse design! Why did they change it?!

News Credits: 13 · Mon Dec 01, 2014 1:54 pm

Slug looks awesome, well for a Michael Bay movie. Maybe that's why the designers changed him. 500th post. Cake's on me.

News Credits: 462 · Mon Dec 01, 2014 2:13 pm

Metro Prime wrote:That Drift looks perfect. It's like IDW, but as a Bayverse design! Why did they change it?!

You can see Drift in all that mess?

News Credits: 1 · Mon Dec 01, 2014 2:48 pm

Concept art is always beautiful for the movies.

News Credits: 3 · Mon Dec 01, 2014 7:26 pm

Drift is AWESOME!!!!!!!!

News Credits: 2 · Tue Dec 02, 2014 6:44 am

Metro Prime wrote:That Drift looks perfect. It's like IDW, but as a Bayverse design! Why did they change it?!

maybe in blue wasn't looking that nice for that shape, too similar to jolt, so they went more "samurai"... besides I still think Springer could fit better that triple-changer spot instead.

Thu Dec 04, 2014 12:47 am

I'm honestly fine with the design for Drift we have in the movie. Besides even if they did use a more IDW inspired design most people would still bash it for looking too alien or looks too much like scapmetal or just being in the movie,etc which is pretty much what goes on for the movies. They just can't win many fan's respect no matter what decision they make good or bad for anything.

Thu Dec 04, 2014 4:28 am

Honestly, Age of Extinction's Drift depiction was flat out stereotypical/racist. Even Shane McCarthy called it out in an Empire of Stone related interview.

News Credits: 2 · Thu Dec 04, 2014 7:24 am

I still don't understand why everyone is claiming Drift is racist. He's adopted the Samurai way of life, and thus dresses as one. What is it about him that's upset everyone?

News Credits: 462 · Thu Dec 04, 2014 8:35 am

Downbeat wrote:Honestly, Age of Extinction's Drift depiction was flat out stereotypical/racist. Even Shane McCarthy called it out in an Empire of Stone related interview.

He's one to talk.

News Credits: 37 · Thu Dec 04, 2014 11:29 am

Downbeat wrote:Honestly, Age of Extinction's Drift depiction was flat out stereotypical/racist. Even Shane McCarthy called it out in an Empire of Stone related interview.

Because Michael Bay had a single thing to do with him, he's automatically a racist character, right?

News Credits: 1350 · Thu Dec 04, 2014 11:39 am

It's the writers fault not bays, also the fault of the producers etc since they were okay with these developments.

Thu Dec 04, 2014 12:39 pm

SlyTF1 wrote:
Downbeat wrote:Honestly, Age of Extinction's Drift depiction was flat out stereotypical/racist. Even Shane McCarthy called it out in an Empire of Stone related interview.

Because Michael Bay had a single thing to do with him, he's automatically a racist character, right?

Except that nobody was talking about Michael Bay. Drift in AOE was pretty stereotypical, Bay or no Bay.

Thu Dec 04, 2014 2:00 pm

Insurgent wrote:I still don't understand why everyone is claiming Drift is racist. He's adopted the Samurai way of life, and thus dresses as one. What is it about him that's upset everyone?

I think it's because some people felt annoyed that the way Drift is designed and sometimes acted isn't subtle about him being a samurai which in a way I can sort of see where they're getting at. Still like you I'm not seeing how Drift is Racist exactly. He's not designed in a highly offensive manner and doesn't act as such either also aside from the Haiku line and him calling Optimus sensei he doesn't play up the Samurai sterotype at all. If anything he acts and does things that the Samurai code doesn't allow Samurai to do which seeing how he's a former Decepticon like in IDW in his toy bio it makes sense that he still has some Decepticon like habits leftover despite being reformed.

I've also heard people say that it was stupid that Ken Watanabe voiced Drift which I never got at all. Would people find it problematic if Drift wasn't voiced by someone of Japanese descent? It's like either way Drift is going to be called racist if he's voiced by someone who's of Japanese descent or not.

In a way I sort of find it ironic that Shane McCarthy accused AOE Drift for being a sterotype when IDW Drift when he first came out was accused of not being any different even be called a Gary Stu character. Maybe Shane wasn't understand how to properly do Drift's character at the time and now he's wiser about it but again I'm not seeing how AOE Drift is racist exactly.

News Credits: 7 · Thu Dec 04, 2014 3:14 pm

kaijuguy19 wrote:I'm honestly fine with the design for Drift we have in the movie. Besides even if they did use a more IDW inspired design most people would still bash it for looking too alien or looks too much like scapmetal or just being in the movie,etc which is pretty much what goes on for the movies. They just can't win many fan's respect no matter what decision they make good or bad for anything.

Sadly true.

Downbeat wrote:Honestly, Age of Extinction's Drift depiction was flat out stereotypical/racist. Even Shane McCarthy called it out in an Empire of Stone related interview.

Are we talking about the same comic Drift that a few years ago was bashed by many people for being a cliche cool guy with the big sword?The topics are still here to look,just go back to the older pages.

Whats stereotypical about him?The accent?Many Transformers had accents since G1:german,russian and others.Is it the haiku?Sky-.Byte has been doing that for a while now and nobody said anything.How about the swordsman with honor attitude?This was done before,many times.

So,no,I'don't see why people think he is racist.

I swear to you,sometimes people just want to pick this movie appart.

News Credits: 6188 · Mon Dec 08, 2014 5:42 am

Here's a curve ball for you to start the week: Paramount are campaigning for Transformers: Age of Extinction to be considered for the Academy Awards as Best Picture 2014. Not only that, they're also pushing for Michael Bay and Ehren Kruger to be nominated for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay, and a whole other legion of categories for everything related to the movie. To be fair, they are nominating most of their movies for most categories, from Noah, to Interstellar, to Hercules - but what do you think of their selection? Let us know in the Energon Pub!

News Credits: 3 · Mon Dec 08, 2014 5:46 am

Well,please fix the loopholes!

Mon Dec 08, 2014 5:53 am

Look, even though I thought AoE had the tightest plot out o fthe TF Films, I wouldn't go calling it the best adapted screenplay.

As for Mr. Bay, I don't think he's the best director. I liked his earlier films a lot, but lately he's been dragging out his movies with useless filler and stupid jokes.

If the movie was gonna get an award, why not lobby for something like Best Special Effects?

News Credits: 3 · Mon Dec 08, 2014 5:57 am

Nemesis Maximo wrote:Look, even though I thought AoE had the tightest plot out o fthe TF Films, I wouldn't go calling it the best adapted screenplay.

As for Mr. Bay, I don't think he's the best director. I liked his earlier films a lot, but lately he's been dragging out his movies with useless filler and stupid jokes.

If the movie was gonna get an award, why not lobby for something like Best Special Effects?

Well said!

News Credits: 1350 · Mon Dec 08, 2014 6:03 am

Surely the jokes come from the writer. I would love to see Bay get an Oscar that being said, as it would be good to see the look on the other directors faces, especially Nolan.

Of course I would also love to see James Gunn get the award but I sadly know he won't. Comic book movies seem to be exempt from all but best special effects.

Mon Dec 08, 2014 6:09 am

only if M.Bay stops in the middle of his acceptance speech to very slowly drink a branded beverage.

News Credits: 2 · Mon Dec 08, 2014 6:12 am

ZeroWolf wrote:Of course I would also love to see James Gunn get the award but I sadly know he won't. Comic book movies seem to be exempt from all but best special effects.

Oh yes, Guardians of the Galaxy deserves to be getting alot of awards this year. Comic book or not, I don't think I've seen anyone say anything bad about it. Even the guy I work with who hates comic book films loved it.