Getting Down and NERDy: Corinne Ladeinde - Experimentation
Many artists are satisfied with owning one style but not Corinne Ladeinde, she thrives on experimentation, playing around with different styles of animation. Her work spans across directing, design animation, illustration and a lead compositor.
Her short film ERNESTO garnered multiple awards capturing the imagination of both parents and children alike. While working on projects such as The Snowman and the Snowdog and We're Going on a Bear Hunt! for Channel 4 and bringing her talents to big name clients like Dove, Bach and Liz Earle. Her adaptability to create something visually unique for each project shows with her truly original body of work.
In our latest edition of Getting Down and NERDy we caught up with Corinne to discuss her experiment approach to animation and directing.
Q>How many different methods of animation have you used over the years and what do you enjoy doing the most?
Corinne>My experience as a director or in compositing, whether working as part of a team or supervising, has introduced me to many different styles and mediums, from digital 2D cutouts mixed with drawn animation, 2D or stop-motion composited with live action, to sand! I've enjoyed all for different reasons but I've mostly enjoyed working with 2D cutouts with hand-drawn elements as it's flexible and fun to work with (my) illustrations and bring them to life, it's where I feel at home.
Q>Could you tell us a bit more about the process of composting in animation?
Corinne>It really does depend on the project, that's part of the beauty of it. As a compositor, it's my job to bring together all of the elements, make sure the layering etc is working correctly, make the elements feel like they belong and then push them even further. For example when working on a project that blends 2D animation with live action I need to pay attention to whether the shadows I'm creating for characters blend in seamlessly with other shadows in the liveaction plates, are they pointing in the right direction, where is the light source, check black and white points accordingly, apply any grading and SFX necessary and making sure the characters feel like they're in that live action world. On a recent project I supervised, the brief was to ensure we couldn't see much competition at all! It was very much about maintaining the storybook charm of the project and ensuring the characters became a part of the beautifully painted backgrounds, as well as adding a bit of sparkly FX where needed. Funnily enough, I find this process really rewarding and sometimes if you can't see my work, that means I've done a good job!
Q>How much experimentation do you have when composting?
Corinne>Again, it really depends on the project and the director. Some directors know exactly what they want and there isn't much wiggle room or need for it. But many times I've been given a shot and told... "I'm not sure what we want here... What do you think...? Have a play!" It's only through experimenting, having a go, and getting it wrong a few times that you're able to build on something and then you can work with the director and move things forward. Most of the time, it's a fun creative process, as with all of the other roles on a production, it's your job to facilitate the director's vision as well as offering support and guidance where your expertise may lie. I've always felt the best directors recognise this and allow their team to do their jobs with guidance. I like to take this approach when I'm at the helm. Sometimes you know exactly what you want and you can drive it home, but other times it's good to be a little more open and allow something to develop in a way you might not have expected.
Q>Maybe you could tell us a bit more about the surrealism approach a lot of your work adopts?
Corinne>My grad film ERNESTO is about a boy who's teeth spontaneously become musical. The original script was quite similar to a United artist's cartoon called Gerald McBoing Boing. I loved the script, but I wanted to make Ernesto's affliction something more physical that he didn't have any control over nor could obviously be seen. While I was at the NFTS I kept a sketch book on my bedside table so I could jot down any dreams that could be of interest. One dream involved a chorus of opera singers wearing tuxes who just happened to be teeth. It was a bit bizarre but it felt fun and I liked how there was potential for them to be their own little characters. It's like cute body horror… maybe that's my thing! When I think back, one of the films I loved was How to Get Ahead in Advertising. A story about a man experiencing a moral existential crisis who grows a talking boil on his neck. I think what draws me to this theme is that these “afflictions” are part of the character. It’s either something that has to be dealt with or accepted. There’s no escape! Turning these everyday feelings into physical manifestations is a fun and quite literal way to explore these experiences. It’s a way of bringing them to the forefront and being forced to confront them head-on. One of the things I love about film (particularly animation) is the suspension of belief and that, quite literally, anything can happen. I find comedy and sometimes (cute) body horror to be a fun vehicle to explore these themes. It might all seem quite surreal but there are very real emotions behind it.
Q>What other forms of animation would you like to experiment with in the future?
Corinne>I’ve been experimenting with 3d in my downtime (when I have it!) I’d love to experiment with it more. But, with the dawn of AI that is capable of creating the kinds of footage and imagery we’re seeing, my concern is that traditional modelling could become redundant. I’m aware that even though I feel there will always be a place for content with that human touch, there will be pressures and potentially opportunities to get to grips with what AI will no doubt bring. I’m interested in approaching AI as yet another tool if possible. Whether that’s using it to speed up current pipelines and work processes or for image generation that can be experimented with, edited and worked into further by human hands.
