Whilst searching for additional Concept Art that may as of yet eluded us, i came across an online portfolio page for a designer called Tony Hsu, which features two alternate DVD packaging designs for VDT which he explains he "illustrated and brainstormed with fellow designers to come up with", presumably under the direction of Fox Home Entertainment or whoever was in charge of the DVD release.
Presumably these designs were rejected due to high costs and predicted low demand and so never came to pass (i at least have never seen them in real life and they don't seem to be on Griffle's List of Merchandise) but they are both pretty nice just to look at all the same:
http://www.behance.net/gallery/Chronicl ... ge/2250868
The designer explains that this version "was based on the idea of having a complete nautical kit for traveling on the crews "journey." , consisting of a map, journal, telescope, postcards, and compass. There is a standard resolution version of the map on his page, but i would love to have a large high-resolution version of that, if not the actual map itself, as unlike LWW and PC i don't believe they ever did a proper map of the movie universe VDT ocean (i.e. with the 5 combined islands of the movie rather than the 7 of the book)
The second set is not so extensive, but again much nicer than anything they ended up putting out. Such a shame that neither of these designs made their way into production.
Topic starter
Posted : February 22, 2012 9:06 am
Nice find! 
I really like the one above, with the little extra items along with it. Gives you a nice feeling of exploration, I suppose. I really wish the map was more in line with the book though.
The bottom one is cool as well. I think the casing for the DVD looks awesome.
Posted : February 22, 2012 10:17 am
Too bad, they look amazing, especially the first one. 
Posted : February 22, 2012 6:19 pm
I want the first one! If only for the telescope and compass (which probably wouldn't have been real, but still....)
"The mountains are calling and I must go, and I will work on while I can, studying incessantly." -John Muir
"Be cunning, and full of tricks, and your people will never be destroyed." -Richard Adams, Watership Down
Posted : March 4, 2012 3:36 pm
That map looks nice. The purple one reminds me of some packaging I saw for the audio CDs once. It's so annoying that they didn't produce these.
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AROOOOOOO!!!
Posted : March 7, 2012 7:45 am
Some more DVD concept designs, these ones by a company called "Menagerie Creative". There are five in total, all much closer in style to the design of the final packaging than the ones before. I'm not convinced the first two ever made it through to release, but the third one with the Reepicheep plush kind of looks familiar, and the fourth one (the "Trilogy" boxset) we have seen before, but only in French i think (i.e. with the words "La Trilogie" instead)? Either way, check them out at the link below:
Topic starter
Posted : March 9, 2012 6:07 am
Hey look at that! The Dawn Treader with her full sail! *isn't bitter at all about the current packaging* 
Seriously though, it looks really nice. And I like the Dawn Treader Puzzle thing.
Posted : March 9, 2012 6:16 am
^ Haha. That makes sense now... The version of the "Explorers Pack" they ended up releasing was that ghastly one with the half-sail / half-scaffolding Dawn Treader and the squished-face Aslan on it, wasn't it? lol.
I'm guessing the design in the first set of artwork with the compass and telescope was the original idea for the "Explorers Pack", the two in the second set of artwork with the additional bits and pieces were revised designs for it... with the final release being a terrible half-hearted compromise on all their earlier ambition. haha. oh well.
Topic starter
Posted : March 9, 2012 6:25 am
Wow, all these are great. The first is my Favorite. The texturing is great on it.
The Hobbit in theaters: 14 December 2012
Posted : March 16, 2012 5:58 am