Lauren Montgomery
Encyclopedia
Lauren Montgomery is a film
animation director
and storyboard artist
. She is noted for her storyboard work for animated television and DVD movie features. She has directed the Wonder Woman
animated film of the same name
, Green Lantern: First Flight
,, Superman/Batman: Apocalypse
and co-directing with Sam Liu
on Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths
and Batman:Year One
.
's School of Film and Television where she graduated in 2002.
. Montgomery has done Storyboards for animated television series
' such as Ben 10
from Cartoon Network Studios
as well as storyboard work for the critically acclaimed television series Justice League Unlimited
, for which producer Bruce Timm
praised her work as being quite versatile.
Lauren has also done storyboard work for the second DC Universe film production, Justice League: The New Frontier, based on the Eisner Award
-winning graphic novel
by Darwyn Cooke
, DC: The New Frontier
. She also worked on the Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow
and Hulk Vs
animated features, Marvel Comics
properties by Lions Gate Entertainment
. Moreover, she worked on the G.I. Joe
features for Reel FX Creative Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures
. She has also worked on the Emmy-winning series Avatar: The Last Airbender
for Nicktoons.
series, and was one of the three directors for the direct-to-video
feature film Superman: Doomsday
, directing the second act of the movie. In March, 2008, it was announced that she is the director for the direct-to-video Wonder Woman film
from Warner Premiere
. The animated feature was released on March 3, 2009. Furthermore, she is the director of Green Lantern: First Flight
, which was released on July 28, 2009. Subsequently, Montgomery co-directed Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths
(with Sam Liu
) and directed Superman/Batman: Apocalypse
.
) , and I started getting into anime, and some of the more subtle styles in anime drawing. The clothing is a little more detailed than the typical American animation – it's more believable, yet still simplified. It's the way they draw bodies and cloth that I kind of incorporate into my drawings, as well as certain aspects of how they would draw hair. So I'd say I have a few different influences in my art style.'
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
animation director
Animation director
An animation director is the director in charge of all aspects of the animation process during the production of an animated film or animated segment for a live-action film...
and storyboard artist
Storyboard artist
Storyboard artist is a profession specialized in creating storyboards for advertising agencies and film productions.A storyboard artist is able to visualize any stories using quick sketches on paper at any moment...
. She is noted for her storyboard work for animated television and DVD movie features. She has directed the Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
animated film of the same name
Wonder Woman (film)
Wonder Woman is a 2009 direct-to-video animated film focusing on the superheroine Wonder Woman. The plot of the film is loosely based on George Pérez' reboot of the character, specifically the "Gods and Mortals" arc that started the character's second volume in 1987. It is the fourth in the line of...
, Green Lantern: First Flight
Green Lantern: First Flight
# "Main Title" # "The Ring Chooses Hal" # "Hal Meets / The Flight of The Lanterns" # "Labella's Club" # "Going After Cuch" # "The Way I Heard It" # "Bugs in the Baggage" # "Teleport Pursuit"...
,, Superman/Batman: Apocalypse
Superman/Batman: Apocalypse
Superman/Batman: Apocalypse is a 2010 direct-to-video animated film based on the Superman/Batman comic storyline "The Supergirl from Krypton" and is a sequel to Superman/Batman: Public Enemies. The art style is partly based on that of Michael Turner, who penciled the Superman/Batman comic book arc...
and co-directing with Sam Liu
Sam Liu
Sam Liu is a Chinese American animation director and storyboard artist. He is best known for his directing on animated superhero films at both Marvel Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation...
on Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths
Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths
Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths is a 2010 original direct-to-video animated film released on February 23, 2010. It is based on the abandoned direct-to-video feature, Justice League: Worlds Collide, which was intended as a bridge between the then-concluding Justice League animated television...
and Batman:Year One
Batman: Year One (film)
Batman: Year One is a 2011 animated superhero film based on the four-issue story arc Batman: Year One printed in 1987. It premiered at Comic-Con on July 22 and was officially released October 18, 2011. The film was directed by Lauren Montgomery and Sam Liu...
.
Early years
Montgomery became interested in drawing as a youngster and developed an interest in animation. In 1998 she enrolled in the animation program at Loyola Marymount UniversityLoyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University is a comprehensive co-educational private Roman Catholic university in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions located in Los Angeles, California, United States...
's School of Film and Television where she graduated in 2002.
Storyboards
She got her start on the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe animated by Mike Young ProductionsMike Young Productions
Mike Young Productions LLC is an animation studio that produces children's TV series. It is named after co-founder and partner Mike Young, and is part of the Moonscoop Group...
. Montgomery has done Storyboards for animated television series
Animated cartoon
An animated cartoon is a short, hand-drawn film for the cinema, television or computer screen, featuring some kind of story or plot...
' such as Ben 10
Ben 10
The Omnitrix was originally created by a Galvan named Azmuth. The Omnitrix was intended to allow beings to experience life as other species in order to bring understanding and foster peace in the universe....
from Cartoon Network Studios
Cartoon Network Studios
Cartoon Network Studios is an American animation studio. A subsidiary of the Turner Broadcasting System , Cartoon Network Studios focuses on producing and developing animated programs only for and related to Cartoon Network...
as well as storyboard work for the critically acclaimed television series Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
, for which producer Bruce Timm
Bruce Timm
Bruce Walter Timm is an American character designer, animator and producer. He is also a writer and artist working in comics, and is known for his contributions building the modern DC Comics animated franchise, the DC animated universe.-Animation:Timm's early career in animation was varied; he...
praised her work as being quite versatile.
Lauren has also done storyboard work for the second DC Universe film production, Justice League: The New Frontier, based on the Eisner Award
Eisner Award
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
-winning graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
by Darwyn Cooke
Darwyn Cooke
Darwyn Cooke is an Eisner Award-winning comic book writer, artist, cartoonist and animator, best known for his work on the comic books Catwoman, DC: The New Frontier, The Spirit and Richard Stark's Parker: The Hunter.-Career:...
, DC: The New Frontier
DC: The New Frontier
DC: The New Frontier is an Eisner, Harvey, and Shuster Award-winning six-issue comic book limited series written and drawn by Darwyn Cooke, published by DC Comics in 2003-2004. It was then collected into two trade paperback volumes from 2004–2005 and then an Absolute Edition in 2006...
. She also worked on the Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow
Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow
Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow is a direct-to-video animated film. It is fifth in a series of animated films from Marvel Animation, based on Marvel Comics by Lions Gate Entertainment. It was released on DVD and Blu-ray on September 2, 2008. The project was originally announced under the title...
and Hulk Vs
Hulk Vs
Hulk Vs is a 2009 direct-to-video animated film from Marvel Animation and Lionsgate, featuring the Incredible Hulk in two short film battles, one against Wolverine, the other against Thor. Both short films have been rated PG-13 by the MPAA. The animation was by Madhouse, and Kaare Andrews provided...
animated features, Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
properties by Lions Gate Entertainment
Lions Gate Entertainment
Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation is a North American entertainment company. The company was formed in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1997, and is headquartered in Santa Monica, California...
. Moreover, she worked on the G.I. Joe
G.I. Joe
G.I. Joe is a line of action figures produced by the toy company Hasbro. The initial product offering represented four of the branches of the U.S. armed forces with the Action Soldier , Action Sailor , Action Pilot , Action Marine and later on, the Action Nurse...
features for Reel FX Creative Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
. She has also worked on the Emmy-winning series Avatar: The Last Airbender
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Avatar: The Last Airbender is an American animated television series that aired for three seasons on Nickelodeon from 2005 to 2008. The series was created and produced by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, who served as executive producers along with Aaron Ehasz...
for Nicktoons.
Directing
She made her directorial debut by directing several episodes of the Legion of Super HeroesLegion of Super Heroes (TV series)
Legion of Super Heroes is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation that debuted on September 23, 2006, based on characters appearing in the DC Comics comic book series. The series centers on the young Superman's adventures in the 31st century, fighting alongside a...
series, and was one of the three directors for the direct-to-video
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
feature film Superman: Doomsday
Superman: Doomsday
Superman: Doomsday & Beyond is a licensed novel, published in 1993, set in the DC Comics universe, written by Louise Simonson, and with illustrations from Dan Jurgens and José Luis García-López. It is a young-adult version of The Death of Superman comics storyline from 1992...
, directing the second act of the movie. In March, 2008, it was announced that she is the director for the direct-to-video Wonder Woman film
Wonder Woman (film)
Wonder Woman is a 2009 direct-to-video animated film focusing on the superheroine Wonder Woman. The plot of the film is loosely based on George Pérez' reboot of the character, specifically the "Gods and Mortals" arc that started the character's second volume in 1987. It is the fourth in the line of...
from Warner Premiere
Warner Premiere
Warner Premiere is the direct-to-video label of Warner Home Video, itself the home video unit of Warner Bros.In 2006, Warner Home Video announced they would enter the market of releasing original direct-to-video films, a market that has proven lucrative for studios over the past few years...
. The animated feature was released on March 3, 2009. Furthermore, she is the director of Green Lantern: First Flight
Green Lantern: First Flight
# "Main Title" # "The Ring Chooses Hal" # "Hal Meets / The Flight of The Lanterns" # "Labella's Club" # "Going After Cuch" # "The Way I Heard It" # "Bugs in the Baggage" # "Teleport Pursuit"...
, which was released on July 28, 2009. Subsequently, Montgomery co-directed Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths
Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths
Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths is a 2010 original direct-to-video animated film released on February 23, 2010. It is based on the abandoned direct-to-video feature, Justice League: Worlds Collide, which was intended as a bridge between the then-concluding Justice League animated television...
(with Sam Liu
Sam Liu
Sam Liu is a Chinese American animation director and storyboard artist. He is best known for his directing on animated superhero films at both Marvel Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation...
) and directed Superman/Batman: Apocalypse
Superman/Batman: Apocalypse
Superman/Batman: Apocalypse is a 2010 direct-to-video animated film based on the Superman/Batman comic storyline "The Supergirl from Krypton" and is a sequel to Superman/Batman: Public Enemies. The art style is partly based on that of Michael Turner, who penciled the Superman/Batman comic book arc...
.
Illustration
Montgomery has released a sketchbook with comic book/animation artist Eric Canete entitled Beauty and the Beast published by Black Velvet Studios. She has also done various freelance illustration work such as illustrating a cover for Nickleodeon Magazine and a press release illustration for the Avatar series.Style
According to Montgomery : ...I was definitely influenced by the Disney films. Those were the drawings I was tracing and sketching during my early years. I would study each and every one of the princesses and draw them until I had them all down by heart. My facial features are still influenced somewhat by Disney characters. As I got older, I was definitely influenced by Bruce's style in Batman (referring to Bruce Timm and Batman: The Animated SeriesBatman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series is an American animated series based on the DC Comics character Batman. The series featured an ensemble cast of many voice-actors including Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Arleen Sorkin, and Loren Lester. The series won four Emmy Awards and was nominated...
) , and I started getting into anime, and some of the more subtle styles in anime drawing. The clothing is a little more detailed than the typical American animation – it's more believable, yet still simplified. It's the way they draw bodies and cloth that I kind of incorporate into my drawings, as well as certain aspects of how they would draw hair. So I'd say I have a few different influences in my art style.'
External links
- Artist art site Retrieved 15-12-2008
- Interview on Superman:Doomsday Retrieved 15-12-2008
- Interview on Wonder Woman Retrieved 15-12-2008
- Talking to Lauren Montgomery Retrieved 14-02-09
- Blast Magazine Interview Retrieved 28-02-09
- Green Lantern Interview Retrieved 10-04-09
- Superman/Batman: Apocalypse Q&A With Lauren Montgomery Retrieved 04-10-10