Gamereactor

  •   English

Log in member
HQ
Gamereactor
Videos

A jungle of chromatic chaos, from still art to world-class movie animation - Aurélien Predal Comicon Napoli Interview

The artist behind CCNA26's official poster is "an audiovisual guy with a hear beating for drawing", and we enjoyed this insightful 2D/3D conversation with the art director, concept artist, and character designer who worked on titles such as Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Inside Out 2, Despicable Me, Hotel Transylvania, Star Wars: Visions Volume 2, and Asterix & the Chiefs’ Duel.

Audio transcription

"Hi Gamereactor friends, this is my third day at the 26th Comicon in Napoli, and you know, at the reception the other day, Aurélien, you were introduced by Creative Director Matteo as an audiovisual guy with a heart beating for drawing."

"Do you want that to be your nameplate here?
That's fair, I mean, I work for animation movies, I'm a production designer and a visual development artist.
So, I mean, artist is good, you know."

"So you created the poster for this year with a jungle theme to it.
What can you tell me was the approach for you to try to represent both the city, the festival, the fandom, the passion that is here, and that has been for more than 25 years now?
Yeah, it was a massive honor for me to create this poster."

"First, I wanted it to be fun for me, to have a very, to enjoy making the poster itself, making the art.
So, I picked the jungle because I love being jungle, I love colorful shape, and I wanted to represent the chaos that a Comicon can be."

"And also, it's kind of an adventure.
People come from anywhere in the world, and I wanted to represent that with very different characters.
They're almost like different characters from different planets, and they all join in this adventure to find something, like in the Comicon."

"And it's a beautiful piece of art, I have to say.
I wanted to ask you about animation.
In the past few years, we've seen crazy stuff being done in movies, such as Inside Out 2, the Spider-Verse animated movies, K-Pop [Demon Hunters] as well."

"So, from your perspective, what do you think is the biggest development or new thing that you guys are doing in the animation world?
I think there is more diversity in terms of look now.
For a long time, you had a lot of experimentation in the animation, but it was staying with the short films or with the student short films."

"And I think it's quite new that now you get some mainstream movies, some big movies exploring some more artistic look.
I think that's a big difference with 10 years ago, 20 years ago.
You still had that, but on a small European budget, and now you have it on big budgets with a lot of people see it."

"I think it always existed, but now it's open to a much bigger audience.
And as you mentioned, more artistic approach to it, more stylized finish to the characters as well.
For example, with Spider-Man, of course, we see a lot of nods to the art, to comic artists, to drawings."

"So, how do you think that helped comic artists show and share their work with the wider audience that might be not familiar with comics and traditional art?
I think it's a massive opportunity for us artists to put our work directly on screen.
Because usually, especially with CGI movies, you work as an artist on a movie, you develop the characters, you develop the sets, but then it's being interpreted by a team of CG artists who do everything in 3D."

"So, you have this translation.
And I think now, you still have a bit of translation, but at least it's much more direct.
And I think that you still had that back in the time on the 2D movies.
It was bad, but we kind of lost it on the way with 3D."

"Because you needed this technical knowledge to put things on screen.
But now we kind of like linking, creating the bridge again.
So, I think it's an amazing thing.
I'm very happy personally about it."

"Talking about Spidey, I asked this question to Sara Pichelli as well, as the creator of Miles Morales.
How do you think the multiverse approach to many of these universes, that you can see many versions of the same character, can blur the lines that you as a character designer, Sara as well, that designers conceived firstly for that character."

"Do you think these many angles could sort of dilute the original personality?
I think it's all about storytelling.
If the movie works, if it makes sense with the movie, I think I'm fully with it, that's the most important."

"It could be, some people could say that, sometimes the art style could distract from the story.
Maybe that could happen on some movies, but I think when it's well done, the art style and the different art style become fully integrated with the story."

"And I think that's what makes the difference with a movie, very successful, it's working, and some other movies.
But I think it just leaves more room for more artists to work on a movie.
It just brings more diversity, and I think it's better."

"Especially now, we just need artists to have some work.
The most style in a movie, the most artists need to work, and I think it's better for the industry.
You're of course a veteran of this industry, you've worked with Pixar, Dreamworks, Illumination, smaller European projects and studios."

"How did they shape you, as both an artist and an audiovisual guy, to work with companies big and small, American and European?
What's the takeaway from that?
They're both very different experiences, there's a lot of similarities."

"I started with smaller European projects, and then I started to work on bigger budget American movies.
But then I always come back to smaller budgets from time to time.
I like to do both, because they both have their strength and quality."

"Often when the budget is very big, it's more mainstream, so you can't test as much risk artistically.
And often with a smaller budget, you can try things.
It doesn't have to make billions on the box office."

"So I think it gives us a bit more leeway, even for the directors, to experiment, to be a bit more personal.
And I love working with good directors who have a strong vision.
So I love doing both, to be honest. I keep alternating."

"Let me ask you about a trend that we've seen in the past, for many movies, but specifically very recently with the Super Mario Galaxy movie, that is extremely fast.
It's this gag after gag, and sometimes you lose a connection or a central narrative to it."

"Do you think we're seeing more of this in the future?
How do you feel about this?
Do you prefer when movies take some time for the viewers to breathe and for the story to land properly?
Of course, I'm getting older, so I prefer things to be a bit slower."

"When it's well done, I think it works.
But we're not necessarily the target audience, you and me, for the animated movies.
The ones that are aimed for kids, I think the brain is faster, so I think it does help."

"I love when it's both.
As long as there are still some movies that take that time, like Lost My Body, this type of movie, I think you need both."

"Some very fast-paced, and I think it's just aimed to different audiences.
I'm all for diversity, personally.
Okay, and final one.
You've gone from concept art to art direction to character design, if I'm correct."

"In which field do you feel more comfortable and that you can express what you really want to do?
I think they all kind of merge in a way, because as an artist, you do some art, but you're not in charge of the decision."

"You get the brief, and basically you draw, you paint what you've been told to do.
As an art director, you're in charge of the team.
You can still draw, but you have less time, because it's more like a management position."

"I like to alternate.
I love when I'm an art director, I can do a bit of everything.
I can do a bit of character design, a bit of sets.
I can pick my team, and I always try to get some artists who are better than me in some fields, so then I get the best team, and they complete me."

"Because obviously, as an artist, there's always something that you're not very good at.
You're good at your own specialties.
I love being an art director, because you just have a team, and I love working with artists."

"It gives me the opportunity to touch a bit to everything.
I do both, and sometimes I go back to being just a concept artist, because I can paint and draw without having to deal with the management.
You can also paint and draw the beautiful prints you're having here at the artist booth."

"We're looking forward to going there, taking a look at them.
You should do too.
Thank you so much for your time, Aurélien.
Merci."

"It was very nice to meet you.
Thank you.
Thank you."

Interviews

From the book to the video game - Jacek Dukaj Madeira Games Summit Interview

From the book to the video game - Jacek Dukaj Madeira Games Summit Interview
There Will Be a Lot of Fighting - Interview with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Rivals' Rich Keeble

There Will Be a Lot of Fighting - Interview with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Rivals' Rich Keeble
Building a Wilder World - Planet Zoo 2 Interview with Frontier Developments

Building a Wilder World - Planet Zoo 2 Interview with Frontier Developments
How to Animate a Character with No Eyes and Mouth - Among Us Interview with Owen Dennis

How to Animate a Character with No Eyes and Mouth - Among Us Interview with Owen Dennis
How to Survive Aboard the Skeld - Among Us Interview with Randall Park and Kimiko Glenn

How to Survive Aboard the Skeld - Among Us Interview with Randall Park and Kimiko Glenn
A Tale of Crewmates and Impostors - Among Us Interview with Elijah Wood and Yvette Nicole Brown

A Tale of Crewmates and Impostors - Among Us Interview with Elijah Wood and Yvette Nicole Brown
How to Get Andy Serkis to Join Your Show - The Legend of Vox Machina Interview with Taliesin Jaffe, Laura Baily, Liam O'Brien and Sam Riegel

How to Get Andy Serkis to Join Your Show - The Legend of Vox Machina Interview with Taliesin Jaffe, Laura Baily, Liam O'Brien and Sam Riegel
Collaboration in game dev and cozy strategy - Błażej “Blaze” Żywiczyński Madeira Games Summit Interview

Collaboration in game dev and cozy strategy - Błażej “Blaze” Żywiczyński Madeira Games Summit Interview
Beyond the Myth: Publishing, storytelling, and Karyn - Gethin Aldous Madeira Games Summit Interview

Beyond the Myth: Publishing, storytelling, and Karyn - Gethin Aldous Madeira Games Summit Interview
The comic book artist touched by Eros - Maestro Milo Manara Comicon Napoli Interview

The comic book artist touched by Eros - Maestro Milo Manara Comicon Napoli Interview
Renowned theatrical acting in video games - Jane Perry & Kirsty Rider Comicon Napoli Interview

Renowned theatrical acting in video games - Jane Perry & Kirsty Rider Comicon Napoli Interview
Bonds That Last a Lifetime - The Legend of Vox Machina Season 4 Interview with Ashley Johnson, Matt Mercer, Marisha Ray, and Travis Willingham

Bonds That Last a Lifetime - The Legend of Vox Machina Season 4 Interview with Ashley Johnson, Matt Mercer, Marisha Ray, and Travis Willingham
More

Videos

More

Movie Trailers

Gatto - Teaser Trailer

Gatto - Teaser Trailer
Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness - Official Trailer (HBO Max)

Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness - Official Trailer (HBO Max)
Lioness - Season 3 Official Teaser (Paramount+)

Lioness - Season 3 Official Teaser (Paramount+)
Little House on the Prairie - Official Trailer (Netflix)

Little House on the Prairie - Official Trailer (Netflix)
Heart of the Beast - Official Trailer

Heart of the Beast - Official Trailer
Worst Neighbor Ever - Official Trailer (Netflix)

Worst Neighbor Ever - Official Trailer (Netflix)
The Map of Longing - Official Trailer (Netflix)

The Map of Longing - Official Trailer (Netflix)
The Social Reckoning - Official Teaser Trailer

The Social Reckoning - Official Teaser Trailer
Marvel Animation's X-Men '97: Season 2 - Official Trailer

Marvel Animation's X-Men '97: Season 2 - Official Trailer
Human Vapor - Official Trailer

Human Vapor - Official Trailer
Whalefall - Official Teaser Trailer

Whalefall - Official Teaser Trailer
Trying - Season 5 Official Trailer (Apple TV)

Trying - Season 5 Official Trailer (Apple TV)
More

Trailers

Heave Ho 2 - Release Date Trailer

Heave Ho 2 - Release Date Trailer
Over the Hill - Steam Next Fest Demo Trailer

Over the Hill - Steam Next Fest Demo Trailer
Sesame Street: Friends & Fun - Announcement Trailer

Sesame Street: Friends & Fun - Announcement Trailer
Overwatch - Shion Gameplay Trailer

Overwatch - Shion Gameplay Trailer
Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy - Long Gameplay Trailer

Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy - Long Gameplay Trailer
Vaiana - Final Trailer

Vaiana - Final Trailer
The Drifter - Nintendo Switch Release Date Reveal

The Drifter - Nintendo Switch Release Date Reveal
About Fishing - Plot Thickens Trailer

About Fishing - Plot Thickens Trailer
Bradley the Badger - Focus Entertainment Publisher Announcement

Bradley the Badger - Focus Entertainment Publisher Announcement
Halo: Campaign Evolved - 3rd Person Gameplay

Halo: Campaign Evolved - 3rd Person Gameplay
State of Decay 3 - Games Showcase Deep Dive

State of Decay 3 - Games Showcase Deep Dive
NBA The Run - Launch Trailer

NBA The Run - Launch Trailer
More

Events

More