PREVIEWSworld Movie Month: An Interview With Dustin Nguyen
May 01, 2015
Dustin Nguyen is a name that is fast getting on everyone’s radar these days as the book he works on with writer Jeff Lemire, Descender (JAN150567), was given the nod for a film treatment even before fans had a chance to chew on it. We were lucky to pin down the artist to ask him a few questions about his new shared property, and how he sees the synergy working between comics and film.
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PREVIEWSworld: Over the past couple of years, comics seem to be the new gold rush for Hollywood. What do you think it is about the comic book medium that has so many people running in the same direction? And why now?
Dustin Nguyen: Not to brag … but the comic industry is simply awesome. The majority of the books are pure, unfiltered, coming directly from the minds and talents of very few cooks in the kitchen, untainted by the hands of anyone not on the creative end. That's what makes comics what they are. I'm sure it's been going on for a while now, but maybe folks are finally realizing that there's more here than just silly juvenile pleasure. We're as serious at telling stories as any other medium. So there's my completely biased opinion.
PREVIEWSworld: When you sit down to write a comic, do you ever think to plot the story using a more concrete visual presentation? Meaning, more of a concentration on storyboarding for a keener focus on scenery, pacing, or plot device. Such an approach from the start would make the story more palatable to a screen adaptation, correct? Or do you think such an approach hamstrings your creativity from the beginning?
Dustin Nguyen: I'd say from a comic creator's point of view, or I suppose just from an artist's standpoint, I like to just make a really good book. The minute I feel like I'm using comics as a stepping stone to another medium, that's where everything can get diluted very easily and fall apart. Every medium has its own strengths and weaknesses, and I think to play to something you're not that familiar with or particularly strong in, you'll cheapen your product and it'll be very clear. Then no one wins.
PREVIEWSworld: If a comic is to be attractive for a screen adaptation (big or small), what elements about a story do you think producers find most attractive? In your opinion, what “sells” a comic the most for a screen adaptation? Or is this question impossible to answer because it depends on an individual’s taste, or gut instinct? Or does it depend more on “what’s hot in the market”?
Dustin Nguyen: It's hard to say, probably it’s a bit of everything – current trends, a studio/producer’s taste, and or even just pure hype. I think in the end, solid characters that can transcend the story/world they are placed in will always grab the attention of the audience, and hopefully the producers first.
PREVIEWSworld: Explain to us what some of your biggest concerns are for your property when someone buys it for TV or film treatments. How do you relay those concerns? What’s the nature of those conversations? How do you go about saying what you do and don’t want to happen?
Dustin Nguyen: This is super tough, as Descender is our first property out in the motion picture world, so I've yet to make the mistakes that would let me be as cautious as some friends who have. I guess you can ask me in a few years when I'm bitter and jaded.
PREVIEWSworld: There have been some editorials written that movies about costumed characters will diminish the importance (and demand) for high-profile actors and actresses. The thought is that the on-screen character is what matters to the audience, and not the stage name of the person who puts on the mask. Would you agree or disagree with this point of view?
Dustin Nguyen: I can’t say I have a real opinion on that, I just want to see great people perform well in great roles. Although, I sometimes feel that high profile actors and actresses could just as equally diminish the importance and believability of certain costumed characters we know and love. So there's that argument also.
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