PRINCESS OF MARS, LILLY'S LIGHT, SAN DIEGO MURALS, RAMONES

music: Definitely The Ramones! Gabba Gabba Hey!
mood: Anger over ANWR and Artists as Wusses

WHEW! It’s really been awhile since my last blog entry and I’ve got so much news to share. First, though, on a personal note --- and I promise to keep this rant short --- I have to express how disappointed I am that the proposed drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) is a big step closer to becoming a reality. Please contact your representatives in Congress and do whatever you can to stop this destructive and idiotic idea before it’s too late.

At the risk of alienating my red state fans, I have to say that even though I consider myself a conservative (as in wanting “to conserve”) Republican I am not blinded to the fact that George W. Bush seems to be the absolute worst President in the history of the United States. His attacks on our Constitutional rights and his forcing the drilling of ANWR after two prior defeats on this issue in Congress pushed him down below even Warren G. Harding in my eyes. Now that all of the moderates have left his side, Bush is left with an administration filled with what I consider to be heartless human monsters.

I guess he’s great if you’re rich, though!

Now let’s jump right into some much less important matters:

WILLIAM STOUT HIRED FOR “A PRINCESS OF MARS”!
That’s right --- you heard it here first! I was hired to be a key designer (along with Bernie Wrightson, Michael Kaluta and Ian McCaig) to be a part of the team designing Edgar Rice Burroughs’ “A Princess of Mars” movie for Paramount. The director is the amazing Kerry Conran; the production designer is Kevin Conran. Together they created the astounding “Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow” feature, so you know that ERB’s classic is in good hands.

WILLIAM STOUT LEAVES “A PRINCESS OF MARS”!
That’s right --- you heard it here first! After working for six wonderful hours on the film I had to walk away. Paramount would not allow me to keep my original art nor would they allow me to reproduce any of the original art during my lifetime --- even in retrospectives of my career! After making over 30 feature films I’m not about to start cutting myself worse deals on a movie. I’ve been keeping my original art on films from the very start of my film career, even when I was unknown in the business. I am at the point in my career now where the art I produce for a film can be sold for more than I was hired to draw and paint it in the first place. Plus, original art is not necessary to make a movie --- good copies will do just fine.

Nevertheless, I wish that fine team the best of luck and hope that they make a motion picture that surpasses our collective dreams.

(April 13 Post Script: I should make it clear that although Bernie Wrightson is still on "A Princess of Mars", Michael Kaluta is NOT! Mike ended up working on the show for about as long --- or as short, if you're a pessimist --- as I did. We all hope that Mike gets the "...Princess..." gig once the film kicks into Phase Two of development)

This isn’t the first time this has happened. I was forced to walk away from “Harry Potter” and the forthcoming “Ant Bully” for the same reasons. Someone has to take a stand. Unfortunately in my fight for artists’ rights in the film business most of the time I seem to be standing alone. I hate to say it but most artists are total wusses when it comes to standing up for their fair share of rights. That attitude breeds contempt --- not respect --- in the people that hire them. No regrets, though, friends and fans; another dream project will come along...

STOUT SIGNED TO TWO NEW DREAM PROJECTS!
Well, how about that...the day after leaving “A Princess of Mars” I was offered two things I’ve always wanted to do. I just designed a wonderful children’s television show (it will probably end up on PBS) entitled “Lilly’s Light.” It stars the multitalented Sherry (“Home Improvement”) Hursey as Lilly. I designed the exterior and interior main set (and set dressing) for the show’s pilot. Lilly will be the Captain Kangaroo and Mister Rogers for the next generation of kids. I feel so lucky to be involved with such wonderful, talented people.

STOUT TO PAINT MURALS FOR SAN DIEGO!
The other dream project I was referring to is my all-time favorite kind of work. I have just been hired to paint twelve large (the largest being 35 feet long!) murals depicting the prehistoric life of San Diego for the new San Diego Natural History Museum “Fossil Mysteries” prehistoric hall. They will debut to the public in the spring of 2006.

STOUT TO DO RAMONES E. C. COMICS COVER!
In my spare time (in the evenings) I’ve agreed to draw a cover for a Ramones comic that will be part of a big Ramones box set for Rhino Records. They want the cover to be done E. C. comics style. Hey --- I’m your guy! My friend Sergio Aragones will also appear in the book, along with other great comic book artists.

For the younger fans out there who don’t know my Ramones connection --- I did the movie poster for the movie “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School” in which they appear and for which they did the soundtrack album. We met while they were making the movie --- great guys all!

Bill on 03/17/05 @ 02:33 PM PST
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