Robbie Williams, Renaissance Masters and A-ha: The Work That Made Cristina Barna
Born and raised in Northern Italy, Cristina Barna was immersed in all types of art from the very beginning. Thus painting, architecture, music and film have all had huge influences on the multifaceted aesthetic and chameleon design personalities she is now known for.
Having dipped her toes in most aspects of production during her career – from storyboarding and filmmaking, to CG and cel – when directing, Cristina believes all stories and techniques are worlds worth exploring.
A lover of all that’s expressive and a jack of all trades, she strives to find beauty in any new experience, technique, or media. This passion and curiosity translates to a wide spectrum of aesthetics that go from minimal, dark CG, to colourful cel animation, even to the far reaches of comic book concept art and hyper realistic digital painting.
In her personal life, she’s always learning something new. Whether it’s playing another instrument, testing the latest recipe in her kitchen, practicing the ultimate karaoke song in the East Village, or straight up flying planes – her goal in life is to become the ultimate renaissance woman.
LBB> The ad/music video from my childhood that stays with me…
Cristina> He never really made it big in the US, but as a '90s European kid, there was one specific music video that equally fascinated and traumatised an entire generation: Robbie Williams’ ‘Rock DJ’.
Although cheesy and somewhat vulgar on the surface, it harshly critiqued the idea of selling your soul and, quite literally, your body for fame and attention. I can’t believe I used to watch it on daytime TV. As a kid, I was mind blown by the practical makeup and CG. Viewer discretion is very much advised.
LBB> The ad/music video/game/web platform that made me want to get into the industry…
Cristina> Early on, as a lot of people in our industry, I really just loved to draw. I fantasised about working in traditional animation. Music videos like Incubus’ ‘Drive’ and A-ha’s’ ‘Take on Me’ will forever hold a special place in my heart.
LBB> The creative work that I keep revisiting…
Cristina> I’ve been very lucky to grow up in Italy, a country where art is pretty much around every corner. I’ll never forget experiencing the work of the Renaissance masters like Bernini, Canova or Michelangelo first hand. Their ability to capture a moment in time, to turn hard marble into soft skin, the dedication to their craft.
LBB> My first professional project…
Cristina> When I started off in the industry I was pretty much taking any job I could find that was mildly related to filmmaking.
My first contribution was working on storyboards for a small company in Milan called Deneb Media. They were a small advertising and short film boutique and I got a chance to see all the different moving parts of the post-production process.
Although different from what I work on today, it was a great first experience!
LBB> The piece of work that made me so angry that I vowed to never make anything like *that*…
Cristina> I can’t pin down a specific piece of media that made me angry – it’s more about a broader category of work I wouldn’t want to help promote. Anything that goes against my values and morals is a no-go – from tone-deaf commercials, to companies that take advantage of people’s difficult situations.
LBB> The piece of work that still makes me jealous…
Cristina> As a die-hard fan of black and white cinematography, minimalism and architecture, the three music video series for Woodkid’s ‘Iron’, ‘Run Boy Run’ and ‘I love you’ is something I keep coming back to. Always loved the mix of the surreal storytelling feel with the curated theatrical art direction.
LBB> The creative project that changed my career…
Cristina> The Timberland: Legends Club ft Nas campaign I had the luck to co-direct at Scholar and it was definitely a game changer.
It combined my love for graphic novels and animation and opened the doors to opportunities for more pieces along similar styles.
LBB> The work that I’m proudest of…
Cristina> Through the years I’ve been fortunate to collaborate with my husband Josh Clos, who also works in the industry, on some personal passion projects. From a short CG tribute to a friend in ‘Bloom’, to some food-centric promotional 3D vignettes for Cargill with ‘Wheat’ and ‘Chocolate’.
LBB> I was involved in this and it makes me cringe…
Cristina> Some things are meant to never see the light of day, not even here.
LBB> The recent project I was involved in that excited me the most…
Cristina> I recently got a chance to work on an Uber event opening at Scholar that was tonnes of fun! Mostly because of the freedom to explore different techniques and styles in a short period of time. From cel to CG to live action, it was a fast one that filled my creative tank.
