Two of the men most responsible for the final look and shape of “Terminator Salvation” are Concept Artist Victor Martinez and Story Board Artist Adolfo Martin. Here they give us a behind-the-scenes look and share the journey that brought them to the epic film.

Directed by McG the story is set in post-apocalyptic 2018. John Connor is the man fated to lead the human resistance against Skynet and its army of Terminators. But the future that Connor was raised to believe in is altered in part by the appearance of Marcus Wright, a stranger whose last memory is of being on death row. Connor must decide whether Marcus has been sent from the future, or rescued from the past. Connor and Marcus both embark on an odyssey that takes them into the heart of Skynet’s operations, where they uncover the terrible secret behind the possible annihilation of mankind.

 
As a Concept Artist, Martinez’s role is to work with the production designer to create the overall look of the film, the vehicles, the environment…everything.  He says, “I have to interpret the director’s vision and this story is different. It is a character driven film that tells what made the characters who they are.  It tells the back story and answers many questions.  This is a film that stands alone; you’ll get the story even if you haven’t seen any of the other films.” He continues, “I worshiped the film.  I knew going in that I wanted to pay homage and uphold the standards of the original.”  

Getting to this point in his career was a long process. “With a BA in Art from UCLA I was hired as a conceptual 3D digital modeler/set designer on “Minority Report” and then worked as a Set Designer/3D digital modeler for several years. Eventually, I transitioned into doing what I enjoyed most – which was being a Concept Artist.” He has worked on “Transformers,” “Eagle Eye,” and “Valkyrie,” and upcoming releases include “Avatar,” “Clash of the Titans” and he’s teamed up with McG again on his upcoming film “Captain Nemo” (based on Jules Verne’s “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”). His advice is simple, “Keep at what you’re doing and be persistent.  Network, meet people and create a website of your work and get people to see it.  This career takes drive and ambition.”  

Adolfo Martin is the film’s Story Board Artist and his job is to communicate the director’s vision with the whole team.  “I’m a fan of the Terminator films and in this version we try to find equilibrium between the past and the present.  This is the first film to take place in future and it reinvents the franchise.”   

Martin’s plan is to move on to directing and McG gave him opportunity to direct the 2nd Unit.  He says, “I want to direct more, produce; I want to leave a legacy.” 

“Terminator Salvation” received worldwide exposure when Christian Bale’s rant to a cinematographer was leaked to the internet.  Martin was on set and says, “Christian Bale is one of the most professional actors I’ve ever worked with.  Nobody knows his dedication to the work and it’s a shame that tape got out.”

Prior to “Terminator Salvation” Martin worked on “Alien 4,” “Charlie’s Angels,” and “Stuart Little 2,” among other films. He says, “Growing up in Spain this is something that never occurred to me. So I just say to anyone wanting to enter the film industry to try it, dreams can come true.” 

“Terminator Salvation” es la esperada nueva entrega de la franquicia “The Terminator”, y ocurre en el apocalíptico año 2018. John Connor es el hombre destinado a liderar la resistencia de los humanos en contra de Skynet y su ejército de Terminators. Pero el futuro para el que Connor se crió cambia, en parte por la aparición de Marcus Wright. Connor y Wright se embarcan en una odisea que los lleva al centro de las operaciones de Skynet, en donde descubren el terrible secreto de la posible aniquilación de los seres humanos. Dos de las personas responsables por el diseño y visión de esta película son el Artista de Concepto Victor Martínez y el Story Board Artist Adolfo Martin. Según Martínez “Esta película cuenta la historia de los personajes y dice que los hizo ser lo que son. Responde varias preguntas pero no es necesario haber visto las anteriores para entenderla.” Martin añade “Terminator Salvation reinventa la franquicia. Es el puente entre el pasado y el futuro.”     

www.terminatorsalvation.com