(Gabriel Aronson)
Greetings Animation Fans!
Today, we're sitting down with animator Gabriel Aronson (or Gabe as his friends call him), creator of yesterday's Featured Animation "Mrs. Bobbit"! Gabe's been animating all over the world for years, having done work for musicians, Virgin Comics, and even the BBC. Today, we talk to him about his life, his influences, and his art!
ANIBOOM: Hi Gabe! Thanks for sitting down with Aniboom. Let's get right to it: where does your incredible style come from, and how did you develop it?
GABRIEL ARONSON: I would say most of my stuff is fairly theatrical, which stems from the fact that I spent a lot of time backstage in opera houses when I was growing up. My father works at the Vienna State Opera, and would often take me into the wings during performances. My dream job was to do scenic design, which I eventually studied, along with puppetry, at Sarah Lawrence College in New York. Though a long time movie and animation buff, working in animation and moving image is actually a fairly new development for me. I decided to pursue it while in a course for theater multimedia and projection design. My first serious foray into animation came only about a year ago, when I started the course in motion graphics that I just completed at London’s Chelsea College of Art and Design.
(Gabe's Studio)
A: What are your influences? Not just in animation and art, but what literary, social, and/or theological themes inform your work?
GA: I am also fascinated with early forms of the moving image, which is obvious in “Mrs. Bobbitt”. Zoetropes, shadow-puppetry, magic lanterns, etc. Now that moving image is becoming increasingly democratized we are seeing a resurgence of innovative hand-made techniques, which is really exciting! I could write a whole long list of further influences, however I’ll reserve mention to personal mentors and people I’ve had the pleasure to work for/with: Artists Andrea Deszö (www.andreadezso.com) and Nina Werzhbinskaja (www.ninawr.com) , puppeteers Basil Twist (www.basiltwist.com), Tom Lee (www.tomleeprojects.com) and Dan Hurlin, and director David Wilson (www.davidwisoncreative.com). All of them have had invaluable roles in my development.
A: So what kinds of styles and techniques have inspired your work, and are employed in it?
GA: Early on I was greatly influenced by the sights, sounds, textures of Vienna, as well as the city’s artistic history, particularly Art Nouveau and Baroque architecture. I am a big fan of Terry Gilliam, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, and Tim Burton, who all exhibit a certain baroque sensibility as well. They also deal with the darker side of childhood imagination, which is something I feel mainstream children’s entertainment is only starting to re-embrace. A lot of my work combines wholesome and morbid imagery, and I do enjoy a good dose of black humor.
A: Finally, what is your ultimate goal as a filmmaker and animator?
GA: In terms of filmmaking, I can’t say I have an ultimate goal in mind yet. I still think of myself as a sponge, soaking in whatever I can from every subsequent project. However with all my work, whether it be moving picture, theater design, or simply a drawing, my hope is to create a world that is textured, and immersive, a place to lose yourself in.
A: Thanks so much for sharing your time and art with us, Gabe!
We'll be sitting down with Gabe soon to talk about his technical process and he'll give us a step-by-step of how his magic comes about!
For now, check out more of Gabe's work on his site, blog, and Vimeo Page!
website http://www.gabrielaronson.com
blog http://gabrielaronson.blogspot.com
vimeo page http://www.vimeo.com/user605567