LMC: Do you find any particular discipline (sculpting, painting, design work, etc) more enjoyable than any other? 

SW:  I enjoy doing designs and sculpting more than any of the other aspects. Although, I do enjoy the entire process. The problem solving part of the game keeps you on your toes. My philosophy has always been to “innovate not imitate” and I always try to improve on ways to make whatever we build better.

LMC: Which other sculptors/effects artists do you admire and why?

SW:  That question is too complicated for me to answer; we would be here all day! Let’s just say that we have some of the best artists in the world working in this industry today and I am a big fan of a lot of them.

LMC: You’ve produced and directed quite a bit as your career progressed.  How do you feel you have grown in this regard?  Do you get more satisfaction from creating a movie from these different perspectives?

SW: I find that my priorities and focus as a filmmaker has shifted and also matured. What used to be so important to me does not matter to me as much anymore. I used to be all about the visuals, now after making a few films, I realized that character and story should always be the first and foremost focus of any narrative. Having great visuals is always a plus, but good visuals without a plot is pretty much a waste of time in my humble opinion.

LMC: Any filmmakers/screenwriters out there that can still write a good story?

SW: “Good” is subject to interpretation, And I dare not subject anyone to my opinions of what is good or bad. I think if you like a story or film, then it’s good.

LMC: What’s your favorite part of the directing/producing/writing business?                         

SW: The part where the money people leave me alone to do my job. I do my best work this way. A lot of studio executives and distributors do not know this, but they get the best results from their filmmakers if they are supportive of them, instead of always trying to control or second-guess them.

LMC: Guyver has been your “baby” and a cult classic.  Discuss that project and what it has meant to you?  What about some more of your own features you put a lot of heart into?

SW: Actually, I consider Guyver 2: Dark Hero my baby. The first Guyver film was a co- directorial with my good friend, Screaming Mad George. That film was not the film I wanted to make; I was forced at gunpoint on that one! LOL. But Seriously,  Guyver 2 is my favorite film that I made to date. It’s a little rough around the edges, certainly not my best film, but it was very special in that I had complete freedom to do what I wanted, within the tiny budget of $900,000 of course. I put so much sweat and tears into that film. I made about $300 a month for 15 months.  Safe to say, I did not do it for the money. The distributors all made their millions and I got nothing, not even a penny! Distributors are down there with Satan in my book!  Anyway, without getting too corny, I have a lot of personal emotions invested in that film and it brings me joy to watch it from time to time.

LMC: Are you able to watch it today without thinking about the production side of it?  ie. Enjoy it as a typical viewer?

SW: I think one of the downsides of being a filmmaker is that you can never watch your own films objectively. You put too much thought into every frame and you had to watch it a million times as you piece the pieces of the puzzle together. The only way I can really enjoy my own films is to watch it with an audience. Their reactions are usually genuine and if it’s positive, I can enjoy it vicariously through them.

LMC: How did you think the public would react to Guyver 2?

SW: I had hoped for a  more positive response. But the reality is that while a lot of the fans really liked it, the general public just didn’t get it. I don’t blame them, although it came as a bit of a shock for me. I was really proud of the film especially because we made it for soooo little money. You just have no idea what we went through to get this film made.

LMC: Any new stuff in the works?

SW: I am currently taking a break from films. The effects world is soooo busy that I usually roll from one project right into another without even a day off! Plus, with the budgets of independent films shrinking, the cost of shooting them rising. It has become increasingly more difficult to make movies. I do not have much of a chance to get the studio movies either, because I am not a high profile rock video or commercial director. That has been a trend for over a decade now and shows no sign of changing. The official word from me is that “I am waiting for the right project to come.” LOL!

LMC: Do you have an idea of what the “right” project would be (unofficially of course ;-))?

SW: It changed from day to day…LOL. The right project has to be a really good script with some substance and it has to have enough money behind it so I don’t have to compromise the quality of the film.

LMC: You’ve worked on some of the most recognizable creatures in the business and some big name projects: Predator, Aliens, Batman to name a few.  Which do you think you are best known for? 

SW: I would say The Predator and the Guyver. At least most of the fan mail I get mentions them.

LMC: How did you hatch those designs?

SW: Predator had elements of wolverine, samurai, Zulu warriors and some Masamune Shirow, (creator of Apple seed), Guyver was originally designed by Yoshiki Takaya, I just reworked the design and introduced the concept of bones and muscles to it.

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