CBI
Well-Known Member
VLJ’rs
A few days ago Roberto “rob75IT” began a thread expressing his concern that someone was passing off his work (Roberto’s) on Red Tails as his own and that the same person was misrepresenting his work on the film. The person Roberto was referring to was/is me.
Roberto and I have PM’d many times and I have communicated with the VLJ moderators particularly Bill and JC. I have also been in communication with the head of costuming for the film.
In no way have I ever intended to suggest that Roberto’s work on the film was mine. My comments on working on the film were that I made some patches. I did incorrectly identify one of his patches as mine on a publicity photo as the aging looked identical to me as one of the ones I did however, seeing as how all of this work was done about 2 years ago, I had slept by then! My mistake. I have either corrected or deleted any posts along those lines. I have no interest in suggesting that anyone else’s work is mine of that my work is someones else's. (I have since found out that there have been other miss-ID’s by vendors).
Roberto’s patch and jacket painting work is on the star characters, mine would be on the supporting ones/background ones. I assumed this was the case more or less from the get go. I did in fact make about 50 patches to be used but neither I or anyone that I have visited with can tell me for sure how many were used. A number of them were not. There were also other painters involved in this work. Painters besides Roberto and I was new news to me.
I have re-confirmed however that I was and am considered part of the costuming help that involved many people with special skills. I will wait and see how things looks when the film comes out. So, again apologies to Roberto.
It’s funny however that there is a silver lining generated by this issue. I had contacted the head of costuming for some insight and clarification, she called me from her home in Scotland and we spent a terrific hour discussing many topics. I wish I could simply transcribe the talk as there was loads of information.
The one thing that I think I can pass on is perhaps the need in general to sit back and realize how cool it is that the Tuskegee story (or for that matter the story of any WW2 fighter squadron) is going to be told on a GLOBAL stage, that’s pretty amazing! The creation of the film was very fluid with MANY people doing their parts with enthusiasm and passion for the subject. To create the end result all elements were thrown into the mix: created, experimented on, changed, thrown out, re-done, filmed, multiple takes, (in the case of RT rather large additional, re-takes), all done over a 2 year period and now in the $100 million dollar plus range.
I took away the need to be a little less critical of everything (I am not however knocking Roberto’s concerns that I have addressed above). For example: there was a recent VLJ flap about Eastman and GW jackets in RT and how photos used by ELC were of GW jackets, etc. Quite a heated debate. Had we all had the working knowledge of what was involved in selecting the photos and how its done, there would have possibly been no needed discussion about it at all (except maybe the ELC as ‘the” supplier).
One more thing. As someone who was potentially on the wrong end of a misunderstanding that was brought into public, I want to thank the moderators, particularly Bill for jumping in and letting the two parties involved work it out. I was a little taken aback at some members criticism of his actions. Had these folks been in my position, they would have wanted the same thing. The interest in another “good fight” can in my view work against the credibility of the forum, especially to newer members.
Hopefully, this covers it and my apologies for possibly sounding a little “preachy” and getting “off topic” however after speaking with the head of costuming, Mr. Mitchell, saying that the landscape was re-adjusted is an understatement for sure.
Happy Holidays - “CBI” - John
A few days ago Roberto “rob75IT” began a thread expressing his concern that someone was passing off his work (Roberto’s) on Red Tails as his own and that the same person was misrepresenting his work on the film. The person Roberto was referring to was/is me.
Roberto and I have PM’d many times and I have communicated with the VLJ moderators particularly Bill and JC. I have also been in communication with the head of costuming for the film.
In no way have I ever intended to suggest that Roberto’s work on the film was mine. My comments on working on the film were that I made some patches. I did incorrectly identify one of his patches as mine on a publicity photo as the aging looked identical to me as one of the ones I did however, seeing as how all of this work was done about 2 years ago, I had slept by then! My mistake. I have either corrected or deleted any posts along those lines. I have no interest in suggesting that anyone else’s work is mine of that my work is someones else's. (I have since found out that there have been other miss-ID’s by vendors).
Roberto’s patch and jacket painting work is on the star characters, mine would be on the supporting ones/background ones. I assumed this was the case more or less from the get go. I did in fact make about 50 patches to be used but neither I or anyone that I have visited with can tell me for sure how many were used. A number of them were not. There were also other painters involved in this work. Painters besides Roberto and I was new news to me.
I have re-confirmed however that I was and am considered part of the costuming help that involved many people with special skills. I will wait and see how things looks when the film comes out. So, again apologies to Roberto.
It’s funny however that there is a silver lining generated by this issue. I had contacted the head of costuming for some insight and clarification, she called me from her home in Scotland and we spent a terrific hour discussing many topics. I wish I could simply transcribe the talk as there was loads of information.
The one thing that I think I can pass on is perhaps the need in general to sit back and realize how cool it is that the Tuskegee story (or for that matter the story of any WW2 fighter squadron) is going to be told on a GLOBAL stage, that’s pretty amazing! The creation of the film was very fluid with MANY people doing their parts with enthusiasm and passion for the subject. To create the end result all elements were thrown into the mix: created, experimented on, changed, thrown out, re-done, filmed, multiple takes, (in the case of RT rather large additional, re-takes), all done over a 2 year period and now in the $100 million dollar plus range.
I took away the need to be a little less critical of everything (I am not however knocking Roberto’s concerns that I have addressed above). For example: there was a recent VLJ flap about Eastman and GW jackets in RT and how photos used by ELC were of GW jackets, etc. Quite a heated debate. Had we all had the working knowledge of what was involved in selecting the photos and how its done, there would have possibly been no needed discussion about it at all (except maybe the ELC as ‘the” supplier).
One more thing. As someone who was potentially on the wrong end of a misunderstanding that was brought into public, I want to thank the moderators, particularly Bill for jumping in and letting the two parties involved work it out. I was a little taken aback at some members criticism of his actions. Had these folks been in my position, they would have wanted the same thing. The interest in another “good fight” can in my view work against the credibility of the forum, especially to newer members.
Hopefully, this covers it and my apologies for possibly sounding a little “preachy” and getting “off topic” however after speaking with the head of costuming, Mr. Mitchell, saying that the landscape was re-adjusted is an understatement for sure.
Happy Holidays - “CBI” - John
