Ryan Woodward Talks Spider-Man 3 & Much More!

Dragons Keep: Ryan, you have been part of some great projects, most notably Spider-Man Movies 2 & 3. In addition, you have also worked Iron Giant, Batman Beyond and your comic book creation Invincible Ed. However, I have to ask first what inspired you to become an artist/creator?

Ryan Woodward: That's what I have always wanted to do ever since I was a kid. There was no other option in my mind. I didn't care if I was going to living off of potatoes and water, I just wanted to draw and create stories. But I would have to give credit to Star Wars. I was 5 when it came out in theaters in 1977, and it made a huge impact on my mind and the type of adventures that I like.

DK: What was your first big break as an artist and how did that fall in to place?

RW: Space Jam was my first film I worked on. I started in a training program at Warner Bros. and when i passed all there criteria, they hired me on. I was so impressed with Michel Gagne's work, that I requested that I be mentored under him, so for the next several years, I worked with him in the EFX department. He is the one I credit to have really taught me good design and a passion for art.

From there I continued to take additional art classes in the evenings to keep sharpening my skills in other areas besides what I was doing during the day.

DK: Let’s talk Spider-Man 3! What has been the highlight(s) of working on Spider-Man 3 for you as an artist and fan boy?

RW: It was like a dream come true. AFter having worked on several big films, you'd think this would've just been another film, but this film was different. The team was amazing to work with and I felt like I was personally growing artistically and professionally every day of that film. Sam Raimi would give us so much creative control over our work that it would motivate us to work our tails off.

DK: What would you say is one of the challenges faced when bringing a comic book character like Spider-Man to life on the big screen?

RW: There's already a huge expectation from the audience and that's hard to meet. Comic fans especially, are very opinionated (Simpsons comic-store owner). It's also hard to separate your own tastes from what this film is all about. I found myself storyboarding scenes the way I thought would be realy cool, and portraying Peter Parker a certain way, then Sam to pull the reins back to who his character really is.

DK: If you could work on another major comic book/super hero motion picture that has not yet been brought to screen, what would that be and why?

RW: I don't know about comic super heros, but one of these days, before I die, I need to work on something Star Wars. AFter that, I can die a happy, satisfied man and have, "the force was with me" on my tombstone. There's something about the sound of those lightsabers that turns me into a 5 year old every time.

DK: What do you think Spider-Man fans will love about Spider-Man 3?

RW: It's aggressive. Peter gets a bit dark and prideful, and goes out cracking skulls. It's not the Peter that we're used to and it's kindof scary at times. Especially for kids. But the overall theme of the film, which was written on a wall in my office is, "The sin of Pride, the Path to Forgiveness". I know it sounds a bit religious, but it's a theme that everyone really does relate to in one way or another.