Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1469966
L E T T E R IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND A PLACE IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN THERE, TASTING ITS FOOD OR WALKING THROUGH ITS STREETS. In animation a designer's job is to build worlds that take viewers into the experience of a location. Many studios send their feature artists and writers on research trips so they can understand the places they're creating. On Encanto, for example, an early team traveled to Colombia to explore the culture, architecture, nature, and magic of the movie's location. Magic. That's what makes animation special. Capturing the magic of a place is the job of visual development designers and visual development colorists who come up with the rules to communicate it through the landscape (or cityscape or seascape). They are tour guides, taking us on a journey, leading us through the locations. Locations are important for understanding and connecting with a story. I'm working on a new show, and I know, if the characters and story stayed the same but the backgrounds changed, it would be a completely different experience. We're so lucky to have artists who can mix reality with imagination to bring animated worlds to life. Whatever movies or series you watch this summer, take time to appreciate the craft that creates a magical sense of place. In Solidarity, Jeanette Moreno King | President The Animation Guild, IATSE Local 839 LOCATION MAGIC ON THE COVER Scenes from Moana, Open Season, The Princess and the Frog, and Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted.