Sockbaby 4 -Trailer from WesScog on Vimeo.
This week, the official trailer for the latest chapter of the Sockbaby saga (Created by out friends over at WestHavenBroook, and Mr. Douglas TenNapel) has been released, with some special surprises inside for fans of the original trilogy. Make sure to check out the vid above, and make sure to spread the link around.
But as an added bonus this week, I got an interview with Mr. Ronnie Cordova himself, John Soares, he talks a bit about the process behind it, and some of the harder parts of it making SB4.
Wes: It’s been almost 4 years since the last chapter of Sockbaby came out, what got SB4 finally in motion?
John: I think we were in San Diego hanging out with Doug TenNapel and a bunch of people one night during Comicon. Suddenly Doug took us aside and mentioned wanting to make another one. I was really surprised because I had always kind of thought he didn’t want to do anymore. A lot of time passed, though. Then just a few months ago, out of nowhere, Justin Spurlock and I recieved a script and the juggernaut began very quickly to pick up momentum again.
As Sockbaby progressed, you seemed to up the ante technically with each new installment, first with the animated sequence, then the CG monster and so on, are you doing anything really “new” for this project to up the ante again technically?
I think the project looks a lot better. It was shot in HD if that means anything to you. I suppose that could be considered a technical improvement. As far as effects go, I think most of them are a lot more mechanical than they were in the first three. Meaning they are effects we achieved on set in camera. (Which makes editting a lot quicker of course.) And I am sure that’s something the Indy Mogul peeps will enjoy. There is also the underwater stuff, but if you consider placing a camera in a fish tank a technical achievement, I suppose that particular effect might deserve a bit more mention.
From the trailer we know that the story involves Scuba Ninjas of some sort, is there anything else that you can tell us about the story at this time, or is it all secret until it’s officially released?
I THINK its kind of secret. I wouldn’t want to say anything I am not supposed to, but I can tell you that five years have passed since the ascention of Sockbaby and that Grays certainly aren’t the only terror in the coldesac.
I recall Doug saying that if a new chapter of Sockbaby was ever completed, it wouldn’t feature Sockbaby, and would only be called that for name recognition. We obviously know that your character Ronnie is going to be returning, but we didn’t see Burger in the trailer, is Cody Spurlock involved in this one? Also, are any of the characters from the original trilogy going to be returning in any way?
Yes. Doug explained to me once that the idea was called Sockbaby before there was ever a Sockbaby in the story. As far as I am concerned, it wouldnt be a Sockbaby movie if Cody Spurlock wasn’t appearing in it as Burger. . . I don’t know that I need to say more than that other than that this is definitely a Sockbaby movie. He has had some significant improvements to his costume as well.
You are bringing a lot of pretty well known talent into the project, Doug Jones, and Dan and Jon Heder. How did you get them to appear in the film, and are there any other surprises we can expect from the film?
I had been friends with Doug Jones for a while. He had actually agreed to be in my film before all this happened. Then, by whatever providence enchants such happenings, Doug TenNapel shared a panel that had something to do with Christianity in the comic book industry or something to that effect. I believe this intitial meeting between them that sparked the possibility and ultimate appearance of Doug Jones in Sockbaby 4. You would probably have to has Doug TenNapel about the Heder boys. I don’t really know how he met them, but they are all buddies. It was a very surreal experience meeting them for the first time by being thrown into the mix of combat with them five minutes after shaking their hands.
Watching the trailer there seems to be a lot of interesting stunt and effects work you’re doing, especially the underwater fight sequence, how did you accomplish such a difficult choreography sequence, and are there any effects that you’re particularly happy with how they came out?
The story of the underwater sequence is a little funny. I called Doug T. right after i read the script and he talked about what he wanted. I did my very best to understand, but I was always kind of nervous about it. There was always a bit of a question in my mind about whether it was going to be sort of slapstick or whether it was going to be incredibly violent and long. I never really got my head around it and it was a serious challenge. When it came down to it, what I had planned sort of went out the window and Dan and Jon Heder ended up saving the day on it. Being twins who grew up together, they had spent years of their lives devising underwater fight moves as kids (and maybe even as adults). I am not ashamed to attribute most of the movements you see underwater to them and their enthusiasm.
I think the effect I am most proud of is the fire breathing. . . because its not an effect at all. Doug researched how to do it and I learned it from him literally only a few minutes before we filmed it. Scary, huh?
Do you have any plans for more Sockbaby chapters anytime in the future? Would it depend on the reaction to SB4, or is this all you’re going to be doing for the foreseeable future?
There are never any plans for anything Sockbaby until we start preproduction on a project and I think that is kind of a general rule. It just sort of happens.
So now that the trailer has been released, what all can fans do to help spread the word, and what date can the expect the release of SB4? Have any additional release plans like a DVD release that you have planned in the future?
There is a High Definition version of the trailer that can be downloaded and then uploaded to every media and file sharing site in the universe.
You can also find it here at myspace:
And its also extremely easy to find on Youtube at this point since a ton of people have already followed instruction number one.
Sockbaby 4 will be released at Comicon on Sunday July 27 at 2:45 in Hall 6-A at its own Panel. You’ll get to see the entire original series, a panel featuring Doug TenNapel, Justin Spurlock, Dan and Jon Heder and myself, then finally, SOCKBABY 4!
We will be anouncing how you can get your hands on SB4 yourself at the Panel.
Viewers have been wondering about how progress has been on WestHavenBrook’s feature length project, do you have anything new to report, or something you’ll possibly be able to annouce about it soon? Other than you’re feature project and SB4, anything you’re working on recently?
We are working on a lot of stuff. We are still trying to get the Feature off the ground, but we more or less have decided that we want to resurrect our budget first. There are a lot of other projects in the works. I am actually answering these questions from Santa Cruz where Westhavenbrook is brainstorming the script for a new comedy we are working on.
Thank you so much John, a pleasure as always.
Make sure to swing by Westhavenbrook.com and Sockbaby.com to keep up to date on everything they have going on, it’s always fantastic stuff and well worth watching. If you haven’t seen Sockbaby yet, make sure to check it out before July 27th, once again, something you won’t regret.