This artist believes that “being persistent in your creativity means finding that moment of reward, which is what makes this journey so worth it.”
Name: Vinicius Costa
Company: Roof Studio
Can you describe your company?
My company focuses on creating animation with a strong emphasis on using design to make unique pieces that engage people. Our work is known for being quirky, whimsical, colorful and extremely rich in detail.
What’s your job title?
I am the co-founder, as well as creative director on some projects and designer on others.
Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats Poppers
What does that entail?
Besides overseeing the different areas of Roof as a business owner, I can say that my partner, Guto Terni, and I are incredibly hands-on here; we like getting our hands dirty. We have a deep connection with our work, and our focus is more on the quality than the quantity. Each piece of work is crafted as if we’re going to physically place it on a shelf.
My work as a designer is aimed at creating worlds that don’t exist using CGI. We’re given a lot of scripts with whimsical realities and I have to find that visual harmony between shapes, colors and textures to materialize the never-seen through 3D, which is not always easy.
What would surprise people the most about what falls under all your titles?
I like saying that behind every successful piece, there’s usually some element of a struggle. And I don’t necessarily mean from the client. I work with many types and sizes of clients, but in many ways, I’m also my own client, wanting and needing to fulfill my own expectations from the experience.
Creativity often requires some suffering on a personal level. Your work is only unique if it is true to you, and that can be daunting. But being persistent in your creativity means finding that moment of reward, which is what makes this journey so worth it.
What’s your favorite part of the job?
I love being behind a computer and listening to Ella Fitzgerald or Frank Sinatra while designing surreal realities. For example: using the knowledge I learned from art or exploring different camera perspectives, shapes of characters or exotic color palettes in 3D. There’s always a fresh new angle in a script that allows me to feel excited, and I grab onto these art fundamentals to give me inspiration.
What’s your least favorite?
When there’s not enough time for production or when the agreed-upon schedule is broken, making 3D becomes very challenging. 3D allows you to craft products that are distinct, but it requires time for production and involves a team of specialized professionals. Approvals need to be followed in order for that masterpiece to exist in the end!
What is your most productive time of the day?
Early morning is my most creative time at the moment. However, I’ve noticed that this is shifting as I age, and new behaviors are setting in.
Vinicius Costa personal project, Pool Party.
How has the COVID-19 shutdown affected the way your studio has been working?
My studio was founded six years ago when new players had to face the challenge of proving themselves among a sea of gigantic studios that had already taken over the industry. Roof was a conceptual name for our artists working together from different places. It was a new model, creating and collaborating remotely over the cloud with talented artists around the world. So this new WFH reality is not that far off from the way we’ve always been set up to work. If anything, it’s reinforced that our “new way” of thinking six years ago was a viable way of working.
If you didn’t have this job, what would you be doing instead?
I have a passion for writing music. I find flavors in music that are very similar to 3D. When I create something new in CG, I look for interesting shapes and colors with textures in an arrangement that, at one point, I find to be perfect. In music, you can be free and exercise creativity, assembling chords with more tension or not. You can build the mood in the same way as in CG. I feel it’s all connected. To me, it’s about finding that sweet spot.
Why did you choose this profession?
I never planned to end up here. After graduating with a degree in graphic design, I immediately decided to study 3D. I worked at MTV in Brazil for several years, which I found to be the perfect school for experimentalism. I took big risks and made projects that caught attention for being exotic, the result of which was an invitation to move to NY and work here.
I always encourage people to focus on taking one step at a time, and then you’ll discover that the path clears out slowly as long as you feel enjoyment for each step.
How has animation changed since you started in the industry?
It’s drastically changed. For one, we have so many ways of learning anything now at our fingertips. 3D has become way more accessible. Technology has evolved. Overall, we are finding more and more that people are capable of making great things. At the same time, advertising is experiencing a deep transformation in terms of how ads are concepted, viewed or skipped with so many new channels of content, which has affected animation in the process.
However, I see a brilliant future in the next phase of tech through virtual and augmented reality. I believe there will be a big curve in demand that will transform how brands choose to have their design presence in this second reality.
What has new technology allowed you to do that you couldn’t previously?
I love being able to manage a project with people in different places, track its progress, then have a timeline of the production with chat and files stored. I also love the possibility of rendering a project on the cloud and not having to own tons of machines that make a lot of noise in the studio.
Can you name some recent projects you have worked on?
We just released a project for a state lottery in the Southeast, which was all in animation. This spot was initially concepted as a live-action shoot, but due to COVID, they decided to shift to CG. Since the client was originally thinking in live action, we created a proprietary aesthetic and customized the film with that in mind, approaching the 3D with a “live-action” feel in terms of the CG characters “acting.” We also aimed to do more than what live action could.
Imaginary Friend Society “What is an MRI?”
What is the project that you are most proud of?
It’s hard to choose one, but the Imaginary Friend Society’s What is an MRI? was a very special project. We created a film to explain to kids with cancer what they were going to experience during an MRI session. This was a delicate topic, but we felt so connected to the project, especially being able to use our fantastically stylized designs — lots of color and charismatic characters — to take this topic by the hand and simply do some good with it. We felt so good using our skills to bring joy. This film changed us profoundly.
Name three pieces of technology you can’t live without.
My computer to work, a webcam to talk to my team and my family, and headphones to help set that mood of the day.
What social media channels do you follow?
We like using Pinterest as a research tool. We’re constantly finding references of interesting architecture of textures or how a metal weathers as it ages. Visual ways to express our ideas. If we are going to create a new environment in 3D, then it better be tactile and real!
Behance and ArtStation are great for finding talent, too. We try to find inspiration in fields that aren’t directly related to ours. When I’m working on a project, I prefer to be inspired by something seemingly unrelated to my field — a gallery of ancient Persian rugs with beautiful designs, for example. I like the uniqueness that comes from a crossover of design fields.
Do you listen to music while you work?
My playlist is key to helping me to get in the right mood. While I have influences in different styles, I do love the golden era of music, such as Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra. I also love hearing film soundtracks and composers like Thomas Newman and John Powell. Sometimes I go back to my Brazilian roots and listen to some jazzy Bossa Nova music.
What do you do to de-stress from it all?
That is always a challenge. You may work hard and persist professionally to land that promotion, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be happy. I think a happy life requires great balance.
It can be hard to feel like you have control of your own life when there are so many demands and expectations, which I think is a byproduct of being a part of contemporary society.
When I find myself anxiously thinking about things, playing music is my great therapy. It helps me to be more present in the moment, focusing on the chord progressions instead of all the other things in life.
