Interview with Carlos Zaragoza, set designer at DreamWorks
“We all admire Pixar”
To mark the upcoming release of ‘Gnomeo and Juliet’ (‘Gnomeo & Juliet’), which arrives tomorrow at Spanish cinemas, I had the opportunity to meet Carlos Zaragoza a couple of weeks. Carlos worked in the artistic direction of “Pan’s Labyrinth ‘(awarded a Goya) and now specializes in the scenery in the animated film, part of the selected template DreamWorks Animation. In this interview talks about his participation in ‘Gnomeo and Juliet’ (which is distributed by Disney), experience in DreamWorks and other topics related to film and animation. I hope you will be an interesting read.
* We have not seen ‘Gnomeo and Juliet’, but can you tell us how the experience was?
I was living in London, had completed another 3D animated film, ‘The Tale of Despereaux’ (‘The Tale of Despereaux “) and joined’ Gnomeo and Juliet ‘during pre-production. In principle, for me the gnomes had a very negative karma (for background television in particular) and in Spain there is no culture of “garden gnomes” (garden gnomes). However, after seeing the complete storyboard and listen to the film’s director, Kelly Asbury seemed like a great idea. In ‘Gnomeo …’ I worked on the design of various scenarios, as the two neighboring gardens of the protagonists.
Gnomeo-and-Juliet-posterEl tone is comedy, and characters are plaster garden gnomes come to life when humans are gone, but the intent of the visual style was’ “realistic” Our inspiration was reality, gardens individuals with kitsch decor you can find in places like Stratford-Upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s hometown.
The film began production later in Starz Animation in Toronto, where I stayed for a year. Before ‘Gnomeo …’ had been ‘Number 9′ (’9 ‘), directed by Shane Acker. Starz has a team of art very well, almost all trained at Sheridan College, one of the best animation schools in the world, it’s there.
* Now part of the team at DreamWorks, how did you get there?
It came while he was still working on ‘Gnomeo and Juliet’ in Canada. They sought a “set designer”, I sent them my portfolio, I had an interview and was offered a contract. I did not think twice, I think it’s a great opportunity to develop my career in a big studio. Specifically I’m in the studio in northern California (PDI), near San Francisco.
* What exactly is your job as a “set designer” (“stage designer”)?
The “set designer” in a production of 3D animation film works within the department of art, design settings where develops the story told. Under the supervision of production designer and art director, generates 3D models, drawings and diagrams that explain clearly how the design of these scenarios, and provides that information to other departments such as pre-visualization, “layout”, modeling and VFX, which are the final models developed.
I am currently developing the design scenarios in 3D, which allows me to use virtual cameras and have a better idea of how they will be in the movie. This is especially interesting when you are developing complex scenarios such as a city, with several action sequences, but I always start my work with a pencil and paper.
* Can you tell what it is like the atmosphere at DreamWorks, how it works?
It is as advertised in the media: cool atmosphere, flexible hours, meals and free gym, parties, people who go on scooter through the halls … and the certainty of being in the heart of the industry: this week is George Lucas to give a conference … Still have to work. I’m surrounded by super-talented artist and you have to keep up.
Dreamworks-studio-logo
* How do you see competition in the animated film? Sure you hate force throw darts at Pixar and John Lasseter photos …
No, no way, everyone here admires the work of Pixar. No one lives the fierce competition of the talk in the news. For example, Pete Docter, director of “Monsters, Inc. ‘and’ up ‘, gave a lecture here a few months ago, and was unharmed. The competition for both Pixar and DreamWorks are now comes from other studies, and that’s very good to continue to evolve.
* Can you tell us your occupation now?
I am currently working in ‘Madagascar 3′, directed by Eric Darnell, due for release in summer 2012. I can not say much before the premiere: the story is an inner journey (and a real trip) of the players from Africa, through several countries in Europe to New York.
* Also have experience in live-action film, are very different worlds?
Before working in animation, I worked in live action film for seven years, “set designer” and “art director”. I think cinema in general is looking for new ways to tell stories and engage the public. The conventional film, the animation and gaming go hand in hand, look and copy each other. Regarding the design, more is more like, for example, the process in the pre-production on a sci-fi, historical, or fantasy, a 3D animation.
As a designer you have to know the technique that will make each work (if conventional, settings and physical locations, or created digitally) and I know both. What I like about animation is that you can always design appears absolutely everything, including the characters.
I’m not the first professional film real image that is interested in animation. When I arrived I found DreamWorks Guillermo Navarro, cinematographer of “Pan’s Labyrinth ‘, working on the same project that I,” Madagascar 3 “, as” visual consultant “. A few months ago, Jeffrey Katzenberg announced that it had signed Guillermo del Toro to work at DreamWorks, and is now executive producer of ‘Kung Fu Panda 2′ or ‘Puss in Boots’, and direct a film.
Madagascar-3d-Dreamworks * what do you think of stereoscopic 3D, do you think will leave the 2D?
I do not know, media that are used to watching films are changing so fast that I could not tell that can happen in a few years. Surely, as the technology improves (we now have TV screens without the use of stereoscopic glasses) the 3D business grow and become general filming and dissemination of audiovisual stereoscopic.
The feeling that brings the 3D space is not essential for much of the movie is done now, but neither was the color for much of the film of the 30′s, yet eventually stopped producing white film and black, and now the TV networks do not schedule (live Netflix!).
* Still the animation is not American?
Always, everything is done in short, usually less conventional. And films like ‘Persepolis’,’ Waltz with Bashir ‘,’ Tekkon Kinkreet ‘, all of Studio Ghibli (‘ Ponyo ‘,’ Spirited Away’…), Katsuhiro Otomo (‘Steamboy’, ‘Memories’ ‘Akira’…), Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell’, ‘Innocence’)…
* What advice would you give to someone wanting to pursue animation?
I would advise not to waste time and try to access the best possible training, and to feed their creativity constantly traveling, be curious, to experience … The visual, not just the animation, you need people with new ideas and different points of view.
Posted in 
Tags: