DAVID LOWERY INTERVIEW
JURASSIC PARK TRILOGY & JURASSIC WORLD STORYBOARD ARTIST
A FOUR-PART VIDEO INTERVIEW SERIES
Featuring Never-Before-Seen Storyboards
Conducted In January 2022
Join Derrick Davis on a lengthy and engaging discussion with David Lowery! He was the storyboard artist on the entire 'Jurassic Park' trilogy and the first 'Jurassic World' film. His talents were also part of the productions for 'Honey, I Shrunk The Kids', 'Rango', 'Solo: A Star Wars Story', 'The Mandalorian', and many others. Included in the interview are a myriad of David's storyboards, with some that have never been seen before! Click here for the full playlist!
PART ONE - JURASSIC PARK
Watch directly at YouTube
There are four parts to the interview, with each one focusing on a different film. The first part delves into how it all began with 'Jurassic Park'! David explains how he got involved with the film, what it was like to shape classic sequences with Steven Spielberg, why certain scenes were cut, and a lot more! Newly-revealed storyboards show Robert Muldoon attempting to tranquilize the Tyrannosaurus Rex after it has escaped from its paddock; a scene inspired by the novel that was never filmed! There is also a drawing featured that was made by Spielberg himself!
PART TWO - THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK
Watch directly at YouTube
In Part Two, David recounts his memories from working on 'The Lost World: Jurassic Park'. Before the film even began, he first helped Spielberg create a new studio: DreamWorks! From there, his role expanded in the first 'Jurassic' sequel, working even closer with Spielberg and storyboarding many sequences, including: the thrilling Stegosaurus meeting, the terrifying trailer attack by the Tyrannosaurs, and the divisive San Diego chase (a bigger climax that was created due to pressure from the success of 'Independence Day' the year prior)! For the first time, we also get a look at the full storyboards for the Rex raid on the hunter camp and the raptor attack in the long grass! He also details how the film's paleontologist advisor, Jack Horner, helped shape the look of a shot involving footprints that was left largely unfilmed!
PART THREE - JURASSIC PARK 3
Watch directly at YouTube
The third part of the interview touches on 'Jurassic Park 3', and what it was like shifting to a different director: Joe Johnston. David remembers what it was like being at the extraordinary indoor jungle sets! He also details the challenges he and the production faced to please eager audiences with the anticipated film. The story went through many changes, with several never-before-seen storyboard sequences featuring a group of kids as they are faced with Isla Sorna's fierce inhabitants! We also discuss the interesting change of the film's lead dinosaur from Baryonyx to Spinosaurus; something that was evident in an early logo!
PART FOUR - JURASSIC PARK 4 / JURASSIC WORLD
Watch directly at YouTube
In the final part of the interview, we discuss the early storyboards David did for 'Jurassic Park 4', which would eventually become 'Jurassic World'. Many of the sequences he storyboarded either didn't make it into the film or were tweaked in various ways after he had left the project. He explains what the original opening of the film was before Colin Trevorrow came on board to direct, and it definitely sounded... interesting! Despite leaving the film during its production hiatus to work for Jon Favreau on Disney's 'The Jungle Book' remake (leading David to eventually storyboard for the highly-praised 'Star Wars' Disney+ show, 'The Mandalorian'), he was thrilled with how the film, and largely the series as whole, turned out. At the end of the interview, we are treated with a video "animatic" of David Lowery's "Opening Montage" storyboards from the film, fan-made by Bernard A. Kyer (beginning with footage from the fantastic computer game 'Jurassic Explorer')! It shows a vastly expanded version of what the opening to 'Jurassic World' could have been!
I'd like to thank David Lowery for taking the time to reminisce about his experiences working on the 'Jurassic' films, and the many fantastic storyboards he created that are truly a work of art!
Interview conducted & videos created by Derrick Davis. Made in association with Jurassic Outpost & InGeneral Podcast. Article portions originally published on Jurassic Outpost by the author.