Meet Thibault Hormiere, Lead Animator on Thelma the Unicorn, whose boundless passion for animation brought Vic and the gang to life with a dash of Austin Powers flair and a sprinkle of internet meme magic. Dive into the behind-the-scenes world where every quadruped dance move and Vic’s iconic teeth were animated with love and laughter.

• Can you introduce yourself and elaborate on your role in Thelma the Unicorn?

My name is Thibault Hormiere and I was a Lead Animator on Thelma the Unicorn. My role consisted of supervising the animation on sequences to make sure it followed our animation director and director’s vision to deliver believability and entertainment. 

• Did you read the book before working on the film?

I’m ashamed to say that I’ve yet to read it… I discovered the project through the concept art and storyboards and honestly fell in love. It was wholesome and super fun! I hadn’t felt as hyped about a storyboard/project since Captain Underpants!  

• What were your inspirations for animating Thelma and the other characters? 

I’m terrible at remembering the names of actors, but Austin Powers was a big source of inspiration for the character of Vic. Also, internet memes and gifs were a big source of inspiration! If ever I was unsure about an emotion or acting choice, I would scroll through hundreds of gifs and there was so much to be inspired by! 

• What were the directors’ briefs? 

Most of the time our briefs were to make the animation entertaining. We really had such a good time showing them our work because of how much they seemed to enjoy it. We were even given a mug that said, “wish we could have a sucky review once in a while!” 

• What were the main artistic and technical challenges?

I would say there was a challenge in achieving a very cartoony style while still engaging the audience emotionally. Also, animating singing sequences is always extremely tough because it’s a physical and emotional performance and for it to feel believable and natural is a tight rope walk. You hope for the best!
The technical challenge? The quadruped animation… a singing and dancing narwhal… Vic’s teeth?! I think almost every shot was challenging! It really kept us on our toes!

• What is your favorite character and sequence?

Vic Diamond’s song: the 3 C’s of success! I rewatched the storyboard many many times. I’m very thankful that I was cast to lead that sequence and my team did an amazing job! Vic is such a unique character it’s hard not to love him even with all his flaws. 

• Any final thoughts?

This project was honestly the most gratifying production of my career. Before it, I felt my artistic flame was quenched for a lot of different reasons, but Thelma really lit it straight back up! I loved my team, I loved the directors, and I loved the project! Obviously, there were some ups and downs, and I physically cannot spend 1.5 years on a project without complaining occasionally, but at the end of the day this production really inspired and challenged me. For the first time in my career, I felt that I really made a positive impact, and it couldn’t have happened without all the people I worked with. Thank you! 

Thank you Thibault – Don’t miss Thelma the Unicorn on Netflix!