Frank Quitely
Documentary following Frank Quitely over the course of a day and a night, as he works on a page from his latest work, Jupiter's Legacy.
Frank Quitely is the alter ego of Glaswegian comic-book artist Vincent Deighan. As one of a group of British writers and artists who have reinvented the superhero genre, Frank's depictions of iconic characters like Superman, Batman and the X-Men have provided inspiration for some of Hollywood's biggest movie franchises.
In this film, we follow Frank over the course of a day and night as he works on a single page from his latest work, the epic superhero saga Jupiter's Legacy.
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The CCTV Sequence
Duration: 01:00
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Frank Quitely at work - computer versus pencil and paper
Duration: 00:49
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Glasgow at night
Duration: 01:14
Frank Quitely
Frank Quitely the alter ego of Glaswegian comic-book artist Vincent Deighan, part of a select group of British writers and artists who have re-invented the superhero genre. Frankβs depictions of iconic characters like Batman and the X-Men have thrilled generations of readers the world over and have provided inspiration for some of Hollywoodβs biggest franchises.
Jupiterβs Legacy
Following Frank over the course of a day, this film reveals the painstaking work it takes to create just one panel of a comic book. We follow him as he draws his new work, ββ, set in a world in which the grandsons and granddaughters of old superheroes have become Paris Hilton-esque celebrities, more concerned with lucrative endorsements than saving the world.
Comics and Social Trends
Frank discusses how comic books often reflect societal trends: βSuperman sells better in times of economic depression and Batman sells better in good times...When things are bad, people are looking for a God figure or a father figure. Whereas in the 80s for instance, when everyone was making money and people felt powerful and self-assured, then Batman seems to fit the zeitgeist better.β
Deadlines and Commitments
The film follows Frank at work in his Glasgow studio, and we see how the conflicting pressures of mounting deadlines and his commitment to quality push him to the limit. He eventually calls it a night at 04.30am, sleeping in his studio, as he does regularly.
Despite the long hours and stress, itβs clear that Frank holds a real passion for the unique medium of comics and what they can do.
Visual Narrative
βIβve become fascinated by the visual narrative,β he says, βthe way it works, the way it flows. In a comic, youβre putting something down that doesnβt really work in a film, doesnβt really work in prose. The more I understand about how they work, the more I realise how unique they areβ
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Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Director | Joseph Briffa |
Executive Producer | Richard Bright |
Broadcasts
- Tue 4 Mar 2014 22:00ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Two Scotland
- Tue 18 Mar 2014 22:50
- Wed 19 Mar 2014 02:20
Frank Quitely: Comic book artist at work
The Scottish artist who produced depictions of iconic characters like Superman and Batman
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