The Artist

Try to picture Pan’s Labyrinth without its contrast of rich oranges and cool blues or Sin City minus those violent stabs of red and yellow, and you’ll find it’s impossible. Color can transform a movie into a living, breathing work of art, and in an instant, it can set the mood of an entire film.

That’s why Sherard Jackson currently has the largest canvas of his career before him. As the storyboard artist and art director of On the Wire, the 33-year-old Nashville native will play a pivotal role in shaping the look and tone of the movie.

“I've never worked on a project like this, where I've had creative control of the overall look of a feature,” he said. “It's exciting!”

Sherard has more than 10 years of experience in graphic design and has earned an associate’s degree in commercial art and advertising. Although he has recently been interested in animation, he works mostly as a sequential artist (comic books) and a freelance illustrator. Looking for freelance work led him to On the Wire.

“I saw an ad on Craigslist for an independent movie in need of a storyboard artist, specifically, one with comic book experience,” he said. “I replied to the ad, and Brian and I set up a meeting. We started talking about action movies, and found out we were on the same wavelength about a lot of things. It seemed like a natural fit.”

Brian walked away from the meeting with the same impression.

“When Sherard and I first met, I knew he'd be perfect for On the Wire,” Brian said. “We were into the same movies and comics, and he's been equally as enthusiastic about the project as I have, which is rare considering the complexity of the whole process. He’s always contributing new ideas, and his talent and creativity are endless. I look forward to seeing each new piece he turns out, and I can't wait to start the actual pre-production for the film so we can sit down and start storyboarding these scenes I've been pondering for almost two years."

As the art director and storyboard artist, Sherard will create concept art for the costumes and sets, artwork for the film proposal and storyboards for the scenes.

“I LOVE the idea of working on an independent action film,” he said. “There aren't enough of them, especially the one that Brian has planned--balls-out action and gritty realism.”

Just like Brian, Sherard cites sci-fi and action movies as his biggest influences, in addition to comics and anime.

“Personally, I'm a fan of the look of the original The Crow,” he said. “All the colors were completely washed out to the point of being near black and white. It made you feel the mood of that film. Also, I love the look of Michael Mann's films. Collateral and Miami Vice are friggin' masterpieces!”

Through his storyboarding, he plans on infusing On the Wire with a similar aesthetic.

“I've always been a fan of cooler colors; lots of pale blues, dark reds, and shades of gray,” he said. “On the Wire has a tragic element to it, and those three colors work best for that mood.”

Using this palette, Sherard has already created storyboards for several action sequences in the movie, which can be seen at www.pnaproductions.com/onthewire.html. He has also been involved in other elements of pre-production, including the cast’s first table read.

“I was really impressed the first time I read the script,” he said. “You have a guy on his chosen path to becoming a hero, and you see the hell he goes through and how it destroys the lives of his family and dearest friends. By the end, you're frightened by the choices he’s making as this hero.

“I've always believed the best stories were ones that focused on the consequences of one's actions.”