Our Meet the Makers articles are back! This time, the artists of The Boss Baby animation series, Back in the Crib, take the time to explain their work. Made in the studios of Mikros Animation in Bangalore, the series has a full season available on Netflix as well as a special Christmas episode.
Raj Kamal C. talks about his experience and the challenges he faced on the series as Team Lead Lighting, as well as his favourite sequence:
Can you tell us about your journey in the animation industry?
During school, I developed a passion for media and entertainment. So, I chose to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Visual Communication and completed my studies in 2006. My journey in the industry began as a Compositor in 2007, and my first project was “Casper the Friendly Ghost”, and I’ve been working in animation for almost 15 years now. I’ve spent 13 years in this company, and I am proud and happy to be a part of the growing animation industry. The latest technology and facilities that have been developed give lots of opportunities to upcoming students.
I have learned a lot working with different styles of animation, lighting and compositing. I have also trained many newcomers over the years, and I’ve done my best to deliver high-quality work on the projects which I have handled.
I have worked on many amazing projects over the years, like Back at the Barnyard, The Penguins of Madagascar, Barbie and the Pink Shoes, Bravely Default, All Hail King Julien, DreamWorks Dragons, Kung Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny, Dragons: Rescue Riders, Boss Baby and more.
“The Boss Baby” franchise is well-known globally. What was your reaction when you learnt you’ll collaborate on this show?
When I watched “The Boss Baby” movie in 2017, I never realized that I would be part of this franchise. It was a beautiful moment when I found out I’d collaborate on it at Mikros Animation. I was super excited and focused on preparing myself to deliver the right visual treatment for the audience to enjoy the story. The Boss Baby is a famous character, so I was proud to announce to my family and friends that I worked on bringing the show to their screens!
For you, what is unique about this show?
The Boss Baby is an extraordinary, lighthearted, and adorable animation show. Many have fallen in love with the whimsical charm of this show.
All the cute babies’ mannerisms and features are attractive. The babies’ expressions, running jokes, and animation appeal even to adults, making it a fun experience for all ages. Everything about the characters is fun and entertaining.
What were the main artistic and/or technical challenges you had to overcome in your department?
It was surprisingly challenging to deliver such an adorable show! Initially the biggest challenge was getting the inputs we required for the scenes from different teams. We were able to overcome this with great teamwork and support within a short period of time.
Handling the set specifications, crowd scenes, motion graphics, and maintaining character skin tones along with a disco lighting effect was quite challenging while delivering excellent quality shots.
Since most of the characters are babies, they never remain still. There were always special animations to be created as per the scene requirements. This was especially important for the boss baby, with his extreme eye animation. We needed his eyelashes to be believable in most of the scenes and developed internal tools to help us automate the lighting processes.
Do you have a favorite sequence?
I love the whole show! Every sequence I worked on in each episode was phenomenal. I enjoyed all the sequences but one of my favorites is when all the babies are on a mission to evacuate the family bathroom from the episode – Museum Job. The way the boss baby managed all the babies to get the mission done was awesome!
How did it feel to learn the show was nominated for the Kid screen Awards under the Best New Series category?
Hearing about this Kid Screen Awards nomination for “The Boss Baby: Back in the Crib” was extremely memorable. I express my heartfelt delight and want to appreciate the whole team who worked on this special show. I consider myself lucky to have been a part of it, and I hope to continue doing my best on future projects.
