A concept artist is a little-known, yet very important profession in the film industry. Vilius Petrauskas, who has worked on big-budget, world-famous films such as “Wonka” (2023), “Jurassic World” (2018), “Marvel”, and “Vesper”, can tell many interesting stories about this exotic job. One of his latest projects is “Wicked,” which is gaining more and more attention and is currently taking cinemas by storm. Petrauskas tells the Vilnius Film Office about the behind-the-scenes work of a concept artist, the implementation of the most unexpected ideas, and how the Emerald City was created.
Could you tell us about your first steps in the film industry? What fascinated you, interested you, and encouraged you to continue your creative growth in this field?
As a child, I saw the film “The Never Ending Story” (1984), and it changed my life. I realized that fantasy has an unexpected power to influence people and transform their lives. Then, I started to dream of creating something similar to what I had seen.
People say that in childhood you can fool around, but then the time comes when you’re supposed to grow up and get realistic with your dreams. I have a problem—I am a concept artist, and this profession can never grow up. My job is to dream and to project my dreams into images every day, and cinema is one of the best mediums for doing this work.
Tell us, what does a concept artist do? What is this job about?
Concept art is a very peculiar profession; we do not have an exact name for it in Lithuanian. My task is to visualize the director’s creative ideas before they become reality on the set. During the project, I collaborate with many people: directors, producers, and cameramen, who describe their vision, and I try to convey it as accurately as possible in 2D and 3D computer graphics.
With my work, I provide “weapons” in the fierce battle of artists and their ideas. In the film industry, visuals give people inspiration and a topic for conversation. A battle of ideas is constantly brewing on the set, and often a well-developed concept—a sketch illustrating how a scene might look—can become the decisive argument that helps win this battle. The film set construction cost millions, so how the money is spent matters a lot. Often the director has his idea, while the production designer and cameraman have theirs. This is how the preliminary rendering of film scenes helps the team to agree. Important action scenes, interiors, exteriors, the film’s characters’ looks, the looks of fantastic creatures, etc., are easier to imagine because of what I do.
You worked on the films “Wonka” (2023), “Wicked” (2024), “Jurassic World” (2018), and “Marvel” sagas abroad, and in Lithuania, you joined “Vesper’s” team. Why do you like the fantasy world? Is it because it allows you to implement certain ideas or because it gives you more freedom?
Fantasy and sci-fi films require a lot of work compared to other genres because we have to visualize places and events that are impossible in the real world. Other planets, civilizations, and even different laws of physics make you think hard when creating a new, completely fictional yet convincing environment or scenography. In the Lithuanian film “Vesper,” it was exciting to envision a dystopian future with genetically modified creatures and drones.
My and the filmmakers’ work is to convince the audience and immerse them in the film’s world. Ultimately, a fantasy world is a space where both I and the viewer can escape from reality and believe, at least for a while, that everything is possible.
What have you learned while working on these big-budget films made by world-renowned film industry professionals? Was there anything you didn’t expect that surprised you when you entered the “real cinema kitchen”?
The bigger the project, the more planning, and the more planning, the more work there is for me. I was surprised by the order and speed of decision-making. The walls are covered with plans, Excel spreadsheets, scene descriptions, and concepts. Fierce discussions take place on those walls, but decisions are made quickly; there is no looking back. Everyone has their responsibilities and tries to help the team. The desire to be part of a team is one of the most important traits of good filmmakers.
I was also amazed by the speed at which sets are built and how quickly and mercilessly they are dismantled.
How did you end up on the creative team of “Wicked”? How many people worked on this film? How many were in your department? Who did you communicate with most of them—the director, the cinematographer, or representatives of other departments?
The film’s producer invited me because I have experience in musicals. I worked mostly from Lithuania; I would meet with the creative team via Zoom calls. There were only a few concept artists, and each of us shared separate scenes. I worked with a production designer and set designers.
For example, I would sit down and decide with a set designer what furniture would suit a goat who, besides being a goat, is also a university lecturer. What does a goat armchair look like? The next day, the question is how to make an ice aquarium on the ceiling. On the third day, you hang long moss on branches and watch the last rays of sunlight play on them. Is it fun? It is.
The film “Wicked” is part of the well-known, magical world of “The Wizard of Oz” envisioned by L. Frank Baum. How were visual decisions made in the film? How did you reconcile the desire to stand out and, at the same time, to stay loyal to the original idea, which has become a classic?
Frank Baum’s work has been freely interpreted for a hundred years. Books, films, and musicals are being created all over the world.
Several visual solutions were inspired by the Broadway musical “Wicked,” on which the film is based. It seems that currently the musical genre is being rediscovered and reliving its golden age. The film’s director, Jonathan Murray Chu, a virtuoso of the genre, spent months polishing the set design, meanwhile, our art department quietly did its work—we developed the environments and interiors. We only partially relied on the older visuals of the works; many of the environments were born in search of new forms of expression. The director and the film’s production manager wanted as many realistically manufactured sets as possible, where hundreds of people could move and dance freely. To present the interior and exterior environments, we used painting as well as models printed using 3D technology. It was very important for the creative team to see the set in person; it didn’t matter that it fit on a table. We even had a real moving train built for the film.
Are there any visual elements in the film that have a deeper symbolic meaning, such as the color palette or the design of specific locations?
Yes, every scene is carefully thought out—the upcoming action, the mood, the colors, the textures. I will take the emerald stone as an example. It has a beautiful green color and a bit of transparency. But what does a building or bridge made of emerald look like? If the entire city is green and glimmering, won’t it look boring? What materials are used to build emerald interiors? You can’t build from real emeralds, because it’s too expensive. Very different materials were used to convey the grandeur and beauty of the Emerald City.
Can you tell us about the most complex decisions that required the most work and creativity? How did you manage to implement them?
Creating the dwarf town “Munchinland” was very difficult. We tried many variations, blending Dutch, Moroccan, and African architectural styles. The oddly shaped houses approved after long discussions were a builder’s nightmare because each house was completely authentic.
The story of the town that followed is more interesting. The scenery of the Mankinland village was built on a real location, in the picturesque town of Ivinghou. For the sake of realism, quite extreme decisions were made. 9 million real tulips were planted in Norfolk! The advantage of such a set is that everything is real. The disadvantage is the set is installed outdoors, and when it started to rain, half of the village was flooded.
Do you have any professional dreams that you would like to fulfill in the future? Perhaps you are interested in working with certain directors or the opportunity to contribute to the production of specific stories?
For many years I have been fulfilling other people’s dreams, and now I am returning to my own. A year ago I founded “muona studio.” We work in concept development and film and game production. During the first year of our existence, we already contributed to the development of two virtual reality films.
The first one, called “Playing Life,” based on the paintings of Algis Kriščiūnas, was a success in cinemas.
The second one, “Angelų takais,” continues the project based on the work of Mykalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis called “Creation of Worlds.” It is still being developed and will be presented in early February. I invite you to come and watch it!
Thank you for your answers!
