Devin Durocher
Venture313
Gilbert Family Foundation Ad
Propsmaster, Carpenter
Working with Woodward Original as the propmaster and as a carpenter, we created 2 major set pieces for this ad: A garage backdrop that split in 2 revealing a full barbershop, and a monolithic door frame that acted as the portal from small-time business into major economic player.
The Door
Literal Metaphor
A large door was fabricated to act as the portal for these entrepreneurs to industry players, thanks to Venture313's financial initiatives.
Garage Barbershop
To convey the transition from a young man's hair business from operating out of his mom's garage to a full service salon with a dozen hired stylists, we created a two-piece, puppet garage wall, operating on the heels of two wheeled workbenches.
The puppeteering was a delicate dance to slink into two recesses in the shop's wall, and use the stained oak back plate to seamlessly blend into the background.
OnStar Santa Tracker
OnStar National TV Spot
Assistant Art Director
OnStar and Woodward Original shot this commercial Downtown for their seasonal in-vehicle feature.
I worked directly with the Production Designer collecting and constructing a camera-ready Christmas for set pieces like a Mall Santa Booth, Window Display, and an Inner City Tree Lot.
Widowmaker
Carpenter Brut Music Video
Carpenter Brut's Music Video for the 2022 single The Widowmaker, starring Dylan Sprouse, filmed in Detroit at the Masonic Temple, Harpo's Concert Theatre, and various locations throughout the city.
Using InDesign, I recreated a late 1980s style yearbook design that was then printed and woven into a hardcover book, which the main character passionately destroys. Other graphics and photo manipulations were made to put the actors into the world of Carpenter Brut's fictional Midwich University.
Propsmaster
Tired
Trey Connor Music Video
Editor, VFX Artist
Too Hot To Handle
Playing the roles of lead editor and VFX artist, I was tasked with getting a car to slowly engulf in flame. Working remotely with director Tomaki Boaz, I guided the team's set-up in order to give myself the best tools for making a believable and seamless effect. Using two high-powered lights flickering above the car, we captured in-camera reflections on the body of the vehicle as well as the wet concrete, and gave the smoke a realistic lighting effect to blend into the fire.
Aloof
Trey Connor Music Video
Art Director, Editor, VFX Artist
Walking On the Walls
As Art Director, I designed and constructed an entirely sideways set for this vertical oriented music video. Shot in a 9:16 aspect ratio, the illusion of our artist playing his guitar standing on his wall is accompanied by cutaways of him and his band playing a concert on a trash pile, which eventually consumes him.
Quicksand!
Bromantic Comedy Feature Film
Art Director, Wardrobe Stylist
Filmed in Traverse City, MI, this feature film is a grounded comedy featuring set pieces such as simulated sinking in quicksand, an epic car shoot-out, and a full-sized outdoor wedding.
On this, I worked as the Art Director, Wardrobe Manager, and Prop Master on a small crew trying to ignite a scene in the northern Michigan town of TC.
Quicksand was screened at the Austin Film Festival, and is now available for purchase on Apple TV
The Quicksand Rig
Mud Trap
This rig was a case of true movie magic. A 6x6x6 cube was dug out of the dirt, and a piece of plywood was placed over it with two holes cut to the size of both actor's shoulders. Additional plywood plates were cut to fit around their ankles, waists, and necks. Mud was relocated back on top of the wood, and leaves were feathered around the edges to blend the set to the natural world.
The sequence was shot having the actors standing on apple box towers of corresponding height, and then from below the wooden floor, they'd stand on their tip toes, bend their knees, and sink themselves deeper into the hole. We'd cut, change their clothes, lower the boxes, change the plywood cookie, and then they'd do it again, only now they're lower. Repeat until they're up to their necks.
Reggie
Sci-Fi Comedy Short Film
Writer, Director, Editor, VFX Artist
What happens when a robot gets fired?
This 15-minute film was made as my senior thesis within Michigan State University's Fiction Filmmaking program. The film was an amazing experience in creating something that blends visual effects with practical costuming. Intentional planning and testing was taken in order to make my life in post much easier when it came time to add in his animated eyeball.
The Regulator Drone
Early drafts of this script were about a futuristic line cook with an over-the-top, rude, robotic roommate. As the drafts went on, I realized the only character anybody cared about was the robot. So, I scrapped the original script and began work on a new one - one about a Robot who gets fired.
Him being a "Regulator Drone," set in a future based on the 1970s aesthetics, I felt like he needed a gloss finish - like electronics of the era - with some rough edges to show age. "Regulator Drone" was chosen as his designation for its ambiguous descriptor, hiding the reveal for the finale.
Development
Concept art was drawn up, and then a 3D model was designed and rigged for pre-visualization and promo posters.
Not all concepts made it to production. Originally, Reggie was going to have large wires connecting his head and limbs to the torso, in hopes of getting some secondary action from the actor's movements. But, this proved cumbersome and distracting in practice.
Foamsmithing
Reggie's costume was made out of 1/2" thick EVA foam, a black body suit, rubber wire, and a tinted acrylic plane for the visor.
It took 1 month to create all the pieces. Brandon Drap was chosen for the role, and a cast of his body was made and used to size the parts.
VFX Work
Because the lead actor was a robot with an animated eye, almost every shot in the film required VFX. Tests were done with the helmet to get the best tracking dot placement, determine the size necessary for the dots, and make sure the effect was easily repeatable over the course of hundreds of shots.
Other effects needed included sign replacements, set extensions, and motion graphics.
Test Footage
Tracking Dots
Reggie Vision
Interspersed throughout the film were shots from Reggie's point of view. The world is presented as a monochrome magenta with data intake and algorithmic identification software.
As a robot, while he may appear to have free will, he's still acting primarily on impulses driven from his central control panel. Which, if you think about it, aren't we all?
Additional Set Pieces
Other Drones
One additional robot was constructed for the film. Being a short on a low budget, we couldn't fill the world to the brim with non-human characters, but we needed at least one more to fill out the world.
A small, boxy puppet with a bolo tie, voiced by Bill Vincent, is a regular at the bar Reggie and Arri work at.
Holophone
A large, brick-like proto-cell phone was fitted with an LED, and later enhanced in post to feature a hologram projection talking from it.
The kind man on the phone had the pleasure of watching his colleague get the snot beat out of him in the finale of the film.