Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1535742
SUMMER 2025 27 SUMMER 2025 27 Guillaume Fesquet's path to Merry Little Batman started back in France, where he studied animation. After train- ing at Disney in the same talent development program as Vose, he worked on films like Frozen and Moana, as well as productions at other studios ranging from Minions 2 to The Bad Guys. It was while he was freelanc- ing for Warner Bros. that he was invited to explore early ideas for Batman. As a result of the visual direction he helped develop, he was hired as Art Director. Accustomed to working in what he calls his own little corner, doing visual development for a production and then moving on, Fesquet was used to a kind of isolation. In his new role as Art Director, he relished the constant communication with his team, bouncing ideas around and gaining insight into other parts of the production. He also appreciated that Warner Bros. gave the team the freedom to put their own spin on the Batman universe within the foundation of the franchise. Working with the constraints of a tight timeline and TV budget, he says: "The limitations pushed us to be more spontaneous, and in many ways, more authentic. We weren't trying to make something overly polished … but something meaningful. I used to focus on pushing my designs to look ready for an art book. But on this project, it was all about quick sketches and finding the intention behind everything." This approach is reflected in Fesquet's pair of Emmy submissions. For one, he created an image of Gotham "to help establish the final tone of the movie and explore the scale of Lil Batman, a child navigating a world built for adults," he explains. And in the other, an interior of Wayne Manor is an early design exploration for characters Francine and Terry. "I wanted to place them in a specific situation to better visualize how they would blend into the world," he says. Throughout the production, one of the biggest lessons Fesquet learned was when to stop giving notes and step back. Unlike past roles where he could home in on one area, "as an Art Director, you must focus on the bigger picture. It's about learning to trust your instincts—choosing the things that really matter to you and letting the rest of the process unfold." That said, there were opportunities where he could inhabit specific roles. Among his favorites: reimagining iconic characters. Fesquet grew up on multiple Batmans, from Tim Burton's to Bruce Timms', and he marvels that he got to design his own version of The Joker. "It still feels surreal that I got to work on a Batman movie," he says. But he did more than just work on the franchise. He helped expand it. Even though there was a clear vision when he started, as the Art Director he had to take ownership of the final look. He takes pride in how the team found a distinctive, recognizable style. And it is through this lens that he views his award. He believes it's an acknowledgement of the team's collective work, saying: "We truly poured our hearts into it, and [this Emmy] is a confirmation that we created something special." Fesquet's two Emmy submissions serve multiple purposes: they establish tone and explore the relationship between characters and the movie's world. Guillaume Fesquet ART DIRECTOR C AT EG O RY: Production Design Merry Little Batman