Ok, ok, the blog entries dwindled after Comic-Con 2011 for a moment, but I am back in the game with more inspired perspective. I am excited to announce a new collaborative photography project, “Clint Eastwood: Master Filmmaker at Work,” a coffee table photo book packaged by Lisa Fitzpatrick of Swan Studio and published by Abrams, New York.
This a dream design project and important archival piece of literature created for one of America’s most likeable legends. And by the way, he never stops working—busy in the studio completing “J. Edgar” with art collector/actor Leonardo DiCaprio and movie remake, “A Star is Born” featuring Beyoncé.
Ironically, Clint Eastwood is one of the first people I met face to face in front of the San Jose courthouse on North 1st Street, days after arriving to Northern California in 1999. At that time, Clint Eastwood was making headlines for defending himself in a civil, nonsense case looking for quick earnings. Mr. Eastwood coolly shared his misgivings about the case with me and we hung out for a moment, as I found myself face-to-face with one of my all time favorite heroes.
We chatted for about 10 minutes, mostly I listened. I was completely in awe, wished him good fortune and kind thanks, “It means a lot to me to have bumped into to you this morning. I recently moved to California and this is one hell of a way to embark on this new chapter of my life. Amazing. Thank you for a lifetime of inspiration, your characters, your films…Your films mean a lot to me. I’ve grown up watching all of your movies and your work is so appreciated. You are a genuine inspiration. Much continued success to you Mr. Eastwood. It’s been an honor to meet you…Good luck today and I look forward to checking out your next big project!”
We shook hands and I handed him a Murphy Design business card. I had let him know that I recently set up shop right down the street and would love to help him out some day. (Shared space with Dan Hardin of Whipsaw for a year before moving to Southern Cali. Dan Hardin was a big industrial designer from FROG, and we worked on the AURA perfume package and design with American Eagle).
Ten years later, Lisa Fitzpatrick contacted me with this amazing opportunity to collaborate, design and help shape, what looks to be an amazing collection of never seen before images of one of America’s finest talents—Clint Eastwood.
(I must admit, I had a Naploean Dynamite moment and voted for PEDRO some time ago. He has made my dreams come true. Sweet!) More soon on Clint Eastwood: Master Filmmaker at Work featuring essays by Morgan Freeman, Steven Spielberg, written by Michael Goldman and edited by Lisa Fitzpatrick and additional support from Robert Hoffman (VP, Marketing of Technicolor).