MEET THE CREW: Nicholas De Lotto
Nicholas De Lotto, Animator for ”Little t“
What inspired you to pursue a career in animation, and how did you develop your unique style as an animator?
Animation and the idea of becoming an animator came at a later point in my 29 years thus far. I jumped into the world of art when I was 25 as a method to help my anxiety. Drawing helped me relax and hours felt like minutes when I was deep in a sketch. With a lot of exploring and help from family and friends, I stumbled upon Animation Mentor. It only took my first bouncing ball assignment to know this is what I needed to do. I'm definitely still learning and trying to develop my own style as an animator, but I am definitely drawn to cartoony animation and keeping things simple. I strongly believe less is more when it comes to animation.
2. Can you describe your approach to animating facial expressions and body language?
Understanding every character you animate and their journey is a vital part of the process that needs to be taken seriously before you start animating. Once I get a sense of the character/ characters, I usually start with shooting reference and acting out the scene. Its extremely easy to try a variety of poses and acting choices without committing to something too early. Once I find a take that's more or less on the right track, hopping onto the computer becomes a lot less daunting. I now have a tool to help me make choices with facial expressions and body language.
3. How do you make those movements feel authentic?
Animating and making your character feel like an authentic person or creature comes with putting in the hours on the computer. Body mechanics is an ongoing learning experience that takes time and patience. Not only do you need to know how a particular character moves, but you need to understand the style of the film as well. Although making your character feel alive is quite challenging, it does begin to feel less complicated over time.
4. What’s your favorite comfort food or desert?
Coming from the east coast, Pizza is my all time favorite food!
