Ronald "D-Pi" Wimberly is a Brooklyn-based comic book artist who's worked on Vertigo's "Swamp Thing," "Deadman" and the award-winning graphic novel, "Sentences: The Life of MF Grimm." Last year, Wimberly was hired as an extra for Spike Lee's new film "Miracle at St. Anna." Here, he blogs about his experiences on set, and how they influence his work as an illustrator.
First off, let me say, Spike Lee knows how to throw a party. More on that in a minute.
So a lot of people ask me how I got to be an extra on Spike's new flick, "The Miracle at St. Anna" -- like anything else in the entertainment business, it's all connections. Spike's brother, Cinqué, and I are friends -- we're even working on a top secret project together. Cinqué gave me the heads up...the rest is blurry background/foreground history.
With that out of the way, I have to say, the experience was incredible. Me and 30 other brothers from various backgrounds -- some who were already in the real service -- headed out to the Tuscan mountains and were trained to be movie soldiers by Billy Bud and Pat McCullen. My uniform was authentic in every way possible -- and it was bugged because I started to inhabit the character. I even felt genuine enmity when I saw the German soldiers -- who, by the way, were really cool people and consummate pros.
Working with Spike was dope. He's on his game. There're definitely some allegorical parallels at work there, and with so many people in uniform it's pretty obvious. I'm convinced more than ever that I will sit in that directors chair some day. Plenty of stuff happened during the production; to the point that I've decided this film will never be "just a film" for me.
Another question I get asked now is if I noticed any similarities between film and my experiences working in comics. Contrary to what people think, I mostly noticed that there are fewer similarities than people would have you believe. Honestly, the only similarity is that they both package narratives in imagery. The languages, strengths and weaknesses are very different, but I do believe they can inform each other. However, one thing I will say that the whole time I was there, I wanted to draw a WWII comic. I kept thinking of all those great war comics that Milton Caniff and Jacques Tardi did.
Will you see me... "As through a glass darkly?" There are two Buffalo extras with glasses in the film -- I'm the one with the circle joints. You probably can see me in the background or whatever, dying, taking up space, but it's not important, just enjoy the show.
Now, as far as Spike throwing a party, I was on the red carpet, shy as s**t. Then Wesley Snipes walks by, all pro on some, "*Yawn*...Can I get in and watch the movie, yeesh?!" and then he ninja vaporized in a thousand camera flashes. Hero. There were so many beautiful women out there -- so many. I'll put it out there now, because I'll be too shy when you see me in person, ladies...but if you see me at the con, on the street, in the club, and you're feeling me, hollar. You're a modern woman. I got a big appetite and a physique to match, but I got that Cyrano de Berger-rap. I'm all kinds of shy.
What I took from the experience -- well, I accidentally kept a couple of blank M-1 rounds in one of my bags. I got through Italian security with them, but ironically the Germans thoroughly grilled me when they caught them as I was leaving Berlin. However, what I mostly got were friends. I can't overemphasize how many great characters worked on that film -- All the Buffaloes!, Ernest, Peres, Malcolm, the principle actors, the Germans --Claudius, John, Sebastian and Zigg, Matty, Mike to name a few. I hope to hear from all of you. I love all you guys, it's right here in writing.
To see more of Ronald Wimberly's work -- as well as his new line of skateboards -- be sure to check out his website at http://d-pi.com/DTV/. "Miracle at St. Anna" opens in theaters Friday, September 26.
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