Dane Winn and the Overlooked Artistry Behind 3D Animation

Dane Winn is a director and creative lead in Blue Zoo's commercials department. With a background in character animation and a 3D generalist toolset, he provides a great creative mind along with a hands-on, practical approach to filmmaking.

Dane is passionate about finding new and interesting ways to communicate ideas and tell stories, which has led him to produce several award-winning short films, commercials, and spots over the years for Blue Zoo and independently.

He sat down with LBB to discuss how he first landed in the industry, stargazing, and why there will always be demand for creators who push the bar higher…

LBB> How did you fall in love with animation?

Dane> It's hard to recall exactly, because I've been passionate about it for as long as I can remember, but there are a couple of memories that stand out.

I loved ‘Wallace and Gromit’ when I was little and used to try creating my own stop-motion films with plasticine and my dad's video camera. I would have to start and stop recording to try and capture 5fps if I'm lucky. That gave me a real bug for what animation can do.

I also remember going to Disneyland when I was seven or eight, and seeing animators show you how to draw the characters and flip them to make them move to create performances and tell stories was so exhilarating that I knew it was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

LBB> Tell us about the animation project that kick-started your career?

Dane> I suppose the first project I worked on started things moving; it was ‘Tree Fu Tom’, a children's series for CBeebies.

It was the first role I got as a junior animator at Blue-Zoo, and it taught me a great deal by being around talented animators and learning how to develop a strong workflow and work fast!

TV series animation is very demanding, so it was a good way to harness the energy of a young graduate and put it to the test.

Beyond that project, I think being a lead animator on ‘Miffy's Adventures’ was a big project for me. It was a chance to help develop a style, and we were doing something quite unique at the time by animating on 2s and 3s to emulate stop-motion.

We had very considered long focal lengths and shot compositions so it was a real lesson in design and minimalism that taught me to only worry about what the camera sees and what each frame of movement communicates.

After that, I made a big jump over to the Shortform department and was on my way to becoming a commercial director.

LBB> How would you describe your art style, and what are your biggest inspirations that developed it?

Dane> A lot of my commercial work leans towards a more cinematic style of cinematography and editing, but my personal work often features locked cameras with simple scenes and characters that are mostly stylised 3D with clean shaders that have a bit of texture to them.

There are a number of artists who have inspired me over the years, like Eran Hilleli and Tom Hougomat, whose work is so restrained yet versatile. I love restricting colour palettes and the way Eran uses so few polygons to create characters without it feeling computery is incredible and full of charm.

I think a lot of my inspiration also comes from the tools that are out there, and experimenting to try and make visuals I've not seen before.

LBB> From your perspective, what’s the key to animation that really lives?

Dane> I think the most important thing is context. If the audience understands what is going on in a scene and a story, a character can be almost completely still, but just a subtle eye dart will infer so much about what's going on in their mind.

Some of the most believable animation I've seen hasn't been exaggerated cartoony action, it's been the subtle change of expression that feels so internally driven, you totally forget someone else is making them move.

LBB> Show us your favourite or most impactful project that you’ve worked on - tell us, what is it that makes it special, and what were the memorable moments or challenges?

Dane> A couple of years ago, I had the chance to direct a set of adverts for RSPB. It was a really wonderful project to be a part of. We had four animal characters who were trying and failing to campaign for their environmental causes, and they each had humour and charm with an important message behind it all.

The project did really well and even landed us a place at Annecy, which was a huge deal for me. It was great to work on something that was doing some good and being recognised for its artistic achievements.

One memorable and challenging moment was when we were figuring out how to merge an iconic scene from ‘Zulu’ and ‘Braveheart’ into a single shot featuring hedgehogs.

LBB> How do you approach character design? What is your creative process like? Show us some of your favourite characters and their journey from notepad to screen.

Dane> I like small heads and big, chunky bodies with minimal faces, but that's not always appropriate.

For my personal projects, my process is about what the story or action is and what elements of the character are important to communicate the idea.

From a directing perspective, when we designed Ada for my short film, I worked with Sukanto Debnath, who created beautiful pencil sketches of her, and my feedback was all about making sure it was tonally right; I wanted the acting in that film to be quite subtle and nuanced so the design process for me was focused on performance and mood.

LBB> Tell us more about observation and movement - what is the process you go through to study the movement of characters?

Dane> Depending on the time we have for the project will dictate how much planning I am able to do. Sometimes I will look at or refer animators to live action films for acting or interviews, where there can be quite natural reactions from people, but a lot of the time it is more effective to act out the performance myself and figure out what the motion needs to be.

It's always good to try and define a character's unique way of moving, and with more unusual designs that comes far easier, but with humanoid characters, you have to think about their motivation and who they are to come up with interesting acting choices that aren't cliche.

LBB> We all know of some evergreen adult animations, but lately they have definitely been on the rise, from Rick and Morty to Arcane. What sort of opportunities does this open for animators, both within and outside the advertising industry?

Dane> It's great to see more adult animation being produced and shown to Western audiences.

Typically, most animation is considered for families and kids when we think of Hollywood and the UK film industry. Still, as that perception shifts, it could open up a lot more projects for audiences that were previously less receptive.

The types of stories and styles that this demographic would be interested in would give animators a chance to do stuff they've never done before.

LBB> How does one figure out what kind of animation style or styles fit a particular story or project?

Dane> I think it comes down to what you are trying to communicate. What is the tone of the project, and what is the best way for characters to move for the story to work? If you are making something funny, you might want to lean into exaggeration and more squash and stretchy performances, or maybe it is a more serious subject, so doing something more reserved and contained makes more sense. It all starts and ends with communication and how you want to express an idea.

LBB> What is your favourite piece of technology or software that you use, and how does it help your creative process?

Dane> Blender. It is without a doubt the best piece of animation software I've used. It is constantly releasing new features and tools, and has a passionate community that shares and creates really inspiring work.

I find it helps my creative process because of how accessible it makes the different stages of animation production: modelling, rigging, shading, animating, fx, lighting, and compositing. It is very user-friendly, and that makes it really fun to experiment and do things you wouldn't usually try. It also happens to be free, but honestly, that's just a bonus.

LBB> What sort of briefs or projects do you find more personally satisfying to work on?

Dane> I love briefs where the goal is to communicate an idea or message, rather than focus on a specific product. It doesn't need to be a narrative piece, but just having the creative freedom to experiment and come up with an interesting way to get an idea across in a short sequence is a really fun challenge.

If we can try a new technique or make something visually different with a project, I find that gets me more excited about it as well.

LBB> What recent projects have really stood out for you and why?

Dane> A project I had the opportunity to lead a few years ago was for CBeebies, where we created a lot of lovely animated idents for the channel. I have two young kids, so I've caught those animations quite a lot recently, and I'm really proud of the work the team did on them.

The movement, the design, and the micro-storytelling all work really well, and I know they'll be shown to kids for years, which is a great feeling.

LBB> Who is your animation hero, and what is it about their work that inspires you? What example of their work particularly stands out?

Dane> There are so many artists and directors who inspire me for different reasons. Directors like Mikey Please or Elliot Dear really inspire me to pitch ideas and experiment with commercial storytelling and short films. Artists like Katie and Abel from Cabeza Patata make me want to push my design skills.

There are so many more platforms now to express yourself as an animation artist that I'm never totally sure where I want to focus my energy, but I like that I don't have to choose one way.

Some days I feel inspired to create a little animation, other days storyboard a short film, and other days maybe sit and try to develop a feature idea.

LBB> Outside of the field of animation, what really inspires you?

Dane> I love star-gazing with my telescope and letting my mind wander. There have definitely been a few sci-fi ideas born out of staring up at the night sky. I think throwing yourself into new surroundings and experiences often leads to inspiration and ideas.

Taking my kids to places they've not been, that may seem mundane to me, suddenly gives me a new perspective, and their playful imagination can get me thinking about things in different ways so they're definitely helpful to have around.

LBB> What do you think are the misconceptions about animation throughout the industry?

Dane> I'm always surprised how many people, both in the public and within the industry, don’t realise the artistry behind 3D animation.

Computers are tools, but it takes a massive team of designers, modellers, riggers, animators, lighters, and compositors to bring a CG film to life. It’s a deeply collaborative process, yet many still think ‘computers just do it.’

Ironically, with the rise of generative AI, that misconception may push people to value and demand human-made CG, much like they do for puppetry or 2D animation.

LBB> What are the biggest changes to animation and challenges facing animators at the moment, and what are your thoughts on them?

Dane> It's no secret that AI is transforming the industry, and while useful for technical support, I don’t believe it should replace artists in generating ideas or final products.

Animation is a process, not just a product, and clients need to value the craft behind it. The real challenge is balancing shrinking budgets with growing ambitions, and I studios should invest in quality rather than racing to the bottom.

Projects like Arcane prove that audiences recognise the value of top-tier artistry, so while AI may take some work, there will always be demand for creators who push the bar higher.

LBB> Any advice you would like to give to aspiring artists?

Dane> I do believe in that old saying that success comes when preparation meets opportunity, so keep learning and experimenting and stay open to opportunities in the industry you may not have considered before. There are so many platforms and outlets for creativity and animation now that you may be surprised what you fall into.