Daryl Lindquist studied Fine Art more years ago than he cares to remember. He worked in comics for Inkspots (oz comic publication), then on and off doing graphics of various kinds for more than 25 years, including a number of covers and illustrations for books and magazines (mainly SF). He started to get into computer graphics around 15 years ago and has worked with various 3D and 2D programs ever since. Daryl made his first book trailer 10 years ago for the T’En trilogy. Daryl says, he’s still having fun!
Can you tell us about the history of R & D Studios?
R&D Studios has been around for around 12 years. It is basically an elaborate front that allows me to indulge myself in fun projects. I actually started out doing comics way back when for a local publication in Melbourne called “Inkspots” in 1982. It contained several ‘up and coming’ young artists from Melbourne at the time, including Fil Barlow, Chris Johnston, Stephen Campbell, and others. My wife was a partner in GASPP (a graphics studio in St Kilda in Melbourne in ’83 through to ’90). I was involved in the periphery of that. When we moved to Brisbane we set up R&D Studios as a side project from our main income streams. So it is basically me with some input from Rowena when she gets a chance. Now that I have retired from my day job, I’ll get a chance to devote more time doing the things I really enjoy.
Are you specialising in book trailers or is that one of the many services you offer?
Book trailers are one of our many services, although a major one. I’ve just completed a series of six book covers for example for crime writer, Sandy Curtis and ClanDestine Press. So our work covers the whole range of graphics. I actually started doing book trailers back in 2002 for the third book of Rowena’s trilogy. The digital revolution has certaintly come a long way since then.
What projects have you most enjoyed working on?
The King Rolen’s Kin trailer for Rowena, Death Most Definite for Trent Jamieson, and Angel Arias of course, which is the first time we’ve ventured into
filming, rather than 3D animation and animatics. Bascially the projects where the clients trust you to do a good job and gives you complete artistic freedom are the most fun.
Where would you like your skill base to take you?
I don’t have any lofty ambitions. I would just like to potter away doing the projects I enjoy, but always trying to push the boundaries of my ability. I guess I’m in the fortunate position of being able to pick and choose what projects I decide to do.
What are your thoughts on the New Media/Trans Media revolution?
The lines are getting very blurry. There is a voracious appetite for content out there, which will be filled but quality will always stand out. We live in a time where money is no longer the barrier that it used to be. For example, it is now possible to put together a feature length film for under $50K. Now that is a lot of money, but it is not out of the reach of a great many people who have the drive, the vision, the talent and the inspiration to do it. You can record your own album at home. You can do your own graphic novel and publish it. Write your own book and publish it. We are in the middle of a creative explosion where a great number of people can now realise their vision from their own desktops. The fact that all of this is being made possible by the web and computers means that the distinctions between media are disappearing. They are all using the same tool, so it can only converge.
Where can people contact you?
Email is good – daryl at rdstudios dot com dot au
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0U5uZbt052w
