Takeover Tuesday with Pablo Lozano
Q&A with Pablo Lozano, a former Animator and Designer at Golden Wolf, currently freelancing in Toronto, Canada.
Q&A with Pablo Lozano
Read time: 10min
Madison Caprara:
What’s up, Pablo? Let’s start with an introduction! What did your path to becoming an animator look like, and what about it initially attracted you?
Pablo Lozano:
Hey there! Thank you for having me here. I started my career as a Motion Designer in TV (news broadcasting, sports broadcasting, etc.), but then realized that that side of the motion world was too fast-paced for me; having to create content in days, if not hours, and most of the “cool” projects, like openers or rebrands, ended up being outsourced to outside studios. That's when I decided to change directions towards the studio side of things. I moved to Sweden to study at Hyper Island, improved my skills, and from there, moved to London to join the Golden Wolf team. Now I am freelancing!
In regards to my original attraction to the medium, I've always known I wanted to work in the creative field, but it wasn't until my early 20s that I narrowed it down to 2D animation and motion design. I love bringing still graphics and illustrations to life. I love how we can create new worlds in 30 seconds, and mostly, I love deciding how movement informs the tone, message, and emotion of a piece.
Madison Caprara:
And how would you go about describing your “signature style”?
Pablo Lozano:
I'm not sure I have a signature style, to be honest! I enjoy working in different styles but if I had to narrow it down, I am really drawn to dynamicity and energy. Those are the projects I enjoy working on the most; having fluid motion that ties scenes together, changing rhythms, and high energy.
Madison Caprara:
What type of education did it take to get you where you are today? Formal, self-appointed,..?
Pablo Lozano:
Most of my motion and animation education has been self-taught or through work experience. However, my time at Hyper Island in Stockholm gave me the space, tools, and time to hone my skills surrounded by incredible people.
Madison Caprara:
Speaking of Stockholm, you’ve moved around quite a bit. Sweden, the UK, Canada. How has your experience been in each place, professionally and personally?
Pablo Lozano:
Each is very different, and I think each experience reflects on where I was in my life at the moment. In Sweden as a student, broke but was very interested in learning, spent a lot of time at school working on projects, figuring out exactly what my next move was. London was a time of professional growth, very long working hours, and most everything in life revolved around work. Now in Toronto, I'm trying to find a bit more of a balance between work and life outside of work.
Additionally, each city is very different industry-wise. While London is a huge animation hub, with studios just a block apart from each other and a big network of animators and designers, Stockholm and Toronto have a smaller animation/motion community. Fewer studios and the community is a bit more fractured and difficult to keep in contact with.
Madison Caprara:
Interesting! With all being more well-known cities, I had assumed that they would all have a pretty booming animation/motion scene.
So, you’ve created projects for everything from TV to apps to magazines and have used a pretty large variety of mediums to animate. Do you have a preference?
Pablo Lozano:
Not really! I do specialize in 2D animation, both After Effects and hand-drawn, so that’s my preferred medium paired with Photoshop for design. But regarding the output, I find joy in working for different types of clients, different formats that bring different challenges to the table. Lately, I’ve had a streak of projects where my 2D work has been mixed with 3D content, and that has been very interesting, both in the workflow and style.
Madison Caprara:
Pivoting back to your London days, how did you find yourself joining the Golden Wolf team? How was your experience?
Pablo Lozano:
I joined the team as an intern after my studies and stayed for around three years. My experience there was great! I grew a lot in those years, being surrounded by incredible talent, working with high-end clients and on super interesting projects. There were a lot of long hours and late nights at the time, but I loved the camaraderie and energy there was at the studio. I haven’t found anything quite the same since. I miss the wolves!
Madison Caprara:
Looking back, did you have any particular career goals during your studio days that may (or may not) have changed now that you’ve transitioned to freelance work?
Pablo Lozano:
Just to be a better animator and designer, really. To polish my skills as much as I could. When I got to Golden Wolf, I would see other artists next to me, either full-time or freelance, creating these beautiful animations. I only wanted to get to their level and learn from them. That’s why I would advise anyone trying to get into the industry to gain some studio experience. The knowledge and motivation you get working alongside great talent are invaluable.
Madison Caprara:
And what prompted you to make that switch?
Pablo Lozano:
I wanted a change of pace. To explore how other studios and artists work. Golden Wolf was my first studio experience in the motion industry, so I wanted to see how things worked in other companies. Another reason was the freedom that comes along with freelancing. You can decide the amount of work you want to take on, when to sprint and take on more, and when to slow down to take care of yourself or focus on other things. When you are full-time, somebody else decides that for you.
Madison Caprara:
Having experienced both sides of the coin, do you have a preference between the two?
Pablo Lozano:
I think each has different advantages. I miss incredibly the feeling of being part of a studio; the connection to people, the energy and creativity that flows being in the same space. I don’t think you can recreate that feeling remotely. But on the other side, I am happy freelancing. It allows me to take time off when I need to, to either explore North America (I don’t know how long I’ll be around here) or go back to Spain to see family if needed. At the moment, it better fits my lifestyle.
Madison Caprara:
To speak a little more on your work, is there anything you are particularly trying to address or explore through your pieces?
Pablo Lozano:
Not at the moment, no. Each project is unique and the message is tailored to the client. I have several ideas for personal projects with topics and styles I want to explore, but as always, it’s quite difficult to fit personal work in between client projects while keeping a balanced life outside of the work.
Madison Caprara:
Where do you see the future of animation heading?
Pablo Lozano:
I can only speak on the commercial animation/motion side of things. I see a growing need for animated elements (either 2D, 3D, hand-drawn, or computer-generated) as more and more digital content and platforms need it. On the other hand, I also see a commoditization of much of that content. Faster turnarounds, a longer list of deliveries to fit all possible platforms…a wider pyramid base, and more work across the board but probably as competitive when you move up.
We have seen how animation is doable in a remote environment and during a crazy event such as a pandemic, so in my opinion, that has only increased the number of clients that now feel comfortable creating animated content. It will also be very interesting to see how new mediums we didn’t even think were possible months ago, like the NFT space, will change our industry and the client/artist relationship.
Madison Caprara:
When you find yourself in a creative rut, where do you go for inspiration?
Pablo Lozano:
It’s going to sound cliché, but I try to step away from the computer. Going for walks, people watching…Sometimes inspiration comes from real-world shapes and architecture, sometimes a book or an article, sometimes other artist's work makes me want to try something new...it really varies.
Madison Caprara:
I personally enjoy a good cliché!
Well, it’s been really great getting to learn more about you, Pablo. Unfortunately, we’re reaching the end of our time. That being said, do you have any closing points or advice you’d like to share?
Pablo Lozano:
We need to remember that our career is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time and effort to get to the skill level you want to be, even if social media these days makes you believe otherwise. Be patient. Work hard, there are times to push, and there are times to rest. Be nice, create genuine connections. And focus on the things you enjoy creating because those are the only ones you’ll be able to pour hours and hours into.