Patrick Tatopoulos
Patrick Tatopoulos: The Man Behind The Monster
June 1998 by Scott Essman, VFX HQ
The inevitable followed as Tatopoulos separated from MEL when he was contacted to design the main street sets and characters for SUPER MARIO BROS. "I was the conceptual designer, but the producers additionally asked me to create the characters. I called upon MEL and people who I met there, including Mark Maitre, Dave Nelson, and Rob Burman." Of this time, Burman noted that Tatopoulos' versatility was shining through. "Patrick had pretty much designed everything and we worked from his drawings. Also, he sculpted several really dynamic pieces. He's an incredible artist, just amazing."