MAXI DIAZ Animation blog
1. Tell us brief fly about your professional background up to this day.
Well I started with this in my own country, in Palma de Mallorca , one study of audiovisual production pequenyo traditional animators sought to develop a pilot for a TV series. Alla by 98 3d beginning to be booming, but what I wanted was someone to make traditional 2d. I was hired there and work in a “trailer” pilot for the series , that I can not be performed. But that first experience convinced me that this was the profession I wanted to do so I put the batteries in English , cogi bags and moved to London looking to learn and improve as a professional. In London I had the good fortune to run into the study of Uli Meyer was a mentor to me, and thereafter I began a career as an animator “freelance” by London which gave me an opportunity to work in various places like Cartoon Network or Passion Pictures besides of course for Uli Meyer. My first feature film was “Valiant” London also , and this movie is where I started and get the hang of 3d computer animation. Then came “Happily Never After” en Berlin, and “Planet51” in Madrid. Spend an epoch in the Valencian study “Keytool” where I work in the short Rodrigo Blaas “Soul” . In 2009 get to Disney to work on “Tangled” , and since then I have participated in”Prep and Landing” “Tangled Ever After”,”Paperman” “Wreck it Ralph” and “Frozen” . Currently I work in the upcoming Disney movie “Big Hero 6”
2. Did you work in any other field before animation? Did it help you in anyway in your professional career?
Hehehe!, Well, as many people in my situation penniless student , Summers used to advantage to the Curran assistant electrician and earn a few extra pesetas. ( had no euros in anyos 90, hehehe!!) In my student days illustration reparti pizzas season, but I had to leave because I had an accident and I broke a bone in his left munyeca. So my parents would not let me currase more of that, hahaha!.I was also gasolinero time ( less risky) , I served me to pay me my first PC , ( a pentium ..! flipas!) with which I started to learn to use the 3d max.Estuve of graphic designer in a workshop also rotulacion. Gradually I came commissions more related to what mine in plan cartoons known,etc. The truth is that gave me enormous satisfaction earn the top salaries through drawings on request. I started to appreciate much those works , and I think it served me in delivering things on time and be disciplined.
3. Before working as animator . what drew your attention to this field?
I've drawn a lifetime, from very small I always threw the whole afternoons with sheets of paper and colored pencils reenacting scenes from my favorite cartoon characters. When I discovered the corners of books , It was quite a revelation, q what power do my drawings come to life was the most. So that has always fascinated me everything that has q about giving life to characters either drawing or puppet , or computer.
4. How did you first land a job in the industry? What was the key to make it inside?
H ow ya comment , My first job was in Palma animator, in a small study of post production. I think the key was that the studio owner Juan Salvador, I even agree, It was a very passionate guy by the animation , and wanted to grow their study beyond a mere house post production, and go on to produce their own content. I guess he fell into grace and as a result , gave me the opportunity to work on its pilot project for TV series. Miguel Angel Coll, the chief designer of the project , I think it was also key when hire, and he saw my drawings and previous work.
Login Uli Meyer studying in London was something different , It was a very well established studio in the scene , everybody knew, was the creme de la creme of traditional animation in the city inglesa.Tuve fortunate to meet people already inside the studio, I helped arrange an appointment with the same Uli in his office.
Andres Puente and Javier Moratinos , both worked on the study mietras I was still a student. Thanks to them , I was able to meet with the head and show my drawings and my “flipboards” or animated books , because the school still does not have much finished material for teaching. Uli said ” I see 'what’ you have… Come see me again when you finish school” . And I kept the deal , when I finish my course at the London School Animation , I cite the study and offered me my first job.
5. If you had to start froms cratch in this profession how would you go about it?
I really like the way you've started , I think that would not change. Here in America I'm meeting people , for the echo to be here , and live near major studios they have easier , Logistically least. No me malinterpreteis, in this country is very difficult to get gigs also , but if you have talent, q seems things are much more fluid and fast here than in Europe or Spain.
But I'm glad I passed by where I spent, starting with small things and slowly go catching bigger jobs. That career has allowed me to travel to various sites, meet people of various types , learn from other cultures and ways of being and working… i dunno. I think more enriquezedor why not pass the school directly to a mega study and stay there for life.
I wish that the 3d perhaps not stick just as strong in the time that I need to start , because I would have to work longer molado traditional animation. Still not entirely dominated and had to switch to 3D to force a little . Even then I caught the 3d taste, but always the thorn stuck me not being able to be better in 2d is. There had to be born 10 years before… !! jajajaj!!
6. What’s the most important thing your work has contributed to your personal life?
What has given me is I think it's the fact of traveling and living in different cities and countries. Meet new people of all kinds and some of those people become great friends / as mine. Although it is a double-edged weapon because changing city or country from time to time can be a very strong personal life of one bump. It becomes increasingly difficult to put down roots and make new friends in a place you've just arrived. Luckily now I have job security in Disney , and this has directly affected my personal life, I do not travel much now or anything but at least the personal aspect has taken a break ..!
7. What would you change in the animation industry if you had the ability to?
Production time…! increasingly the more shortened.. !!! just badly burned after a season squeeze. The other thing would be cool to change me is the variety in the techniques of animation. Or more variety in the “look” end of the movies. Another thing are the scripts tend to be very conservative and cautious, the only reason to take more box office. In Japan it seems that the animation industry is aimed at an audience more varied , not only child. I would be cool that the same happened in the western industry.
8. What’s the project you’re the most proud of to have worked on?
I really liked being part of short Rodrigo Blaas, “Soul” , because it was a completely separate project with an original and dark history, very cool…! I think all of us involved in this short we are super proud of the result, Curran also Rodrigo was fun , one majísimo and quite demanding type in a good way! hehehe!. Although I have to also mention ” Tangled” as the project that made me more excited by the fact of being able to work directly with Glen Keane as animation supervisor. Addition , being a fan of the classic Disney movies , I stay because inevitably recorded that first experience studying. Once the movie premiere , began arriving criticism and reviews etc, and the fact that many people mentioned in particular the animation of the movie , then imagine , entire animation team felt super-proud.
9. What was the most discouraging moment in your professional career? What helped you overcome it?
I believe it was in London, when I realized that no one would hire me to make traditional animation , had fewer gigs in that particular branch, and he had it gave only very experienced people, and I was very green even. It cost me some time get used to the idea that traditional animation was declining in demand. I got several gigs 2D animation with Flash, but it was not the same , since you were you were demanding economic and limited number of drawings you will use etc.
Until one day , visiting a studio in London , I saw the animators animating in 3D with Maya. And I realized that this looked pretty funny , and I could try to learn on my own. So I put the batteries and gradually I learned Maya, with the help of colleagues like Andres Puente , Ferran Domenech and Leo Sanchez. They gave me courage to make the leap to 3D Taking advantage what I already know of 2d. Thanks again to the study of Uli Meyer got my first chance to animate in 3d professionally.
10. What part of the working process do you enjoy the most? What part do you enjoy the less?
What I most enjoy doing is the first test, the first sketch , There are many possibilities for flat, we have a more or less marked layout , but there is some freedom to contribute ideas or concepts to the plane. That part is the most creative say, from the first time samples directors, everything becomes more mechanical. And here comes the part that unless I mola, mias clear ideas I have presented and have not liked.. ! lol! you look forced to implement ideas and concepts that are not yours and often do not molan… but so is the work so you have to do ..! hehehe. Sometimes what happens is that you see what you have been asked to do cool and is better than your original idea… and that if it hurts!! jajajaj! realize that your idea was crap!! But hey , also the opposite occurs , they ask you to do things that you see clearly that there are no better or worse than what you already had, and also annoys. So you do , trying also enjoy , but since you are looking forward to the next plane…!
11. Do you have any personal projects? Could you tell us about any?
I have no free time for personal projects… these times that we do not allow it. Addition, I do already exhausted the energies when I get home , I prefer off and do other things. I like doing drawings and painting in photoshop or ipad . Occasionally'm hanging pictures of these on my website. But anything super ambitious. Occasionally I help my girlfriend with editing work on their projects actress. I so cool edit and audiovisual narrative, but would need to leave this curro if to have time to do something more ambitious.
12. What advice would you give to someone who wishes to get in to this industry?
Especially focus on what do you like to do and pursue it with all your energia.Tambien may be generalist and play some all fields, but the industry beyond our borders shows that're specializing in something. If yours is purely animation , you do not just think, why , animation involves studying and appreciate many things: Drawing, design, cinematography,mimicry, Actions, scenery, theater, study of human movement and Animal, physics, musical rhythm… etc…all these facets are important in being a great entertainer. One can find inspiration from many sources, and not only movies animation , but the actual action movies , but also in real life , or a play, or art in general , everything can help you become a better animator and artist in general.
A hug to all readers!
Days.
