On Crack for your Ears we recently featured the new release of Riton & Seji, turns out Joe Lea is the one responsible for this superb video clip. Joe Lea is a traditional 2d animation and Illustrator who is based and works in London (UK). He's been in the animation industry for 2 years and have recently gone freelance. We had a quick chat with him and turns out he's not your average Joe (okay that was lame...)
"I am always trying to sneak some traditional animation into projects. You don't see enough of it nowadays with everyone either doing 3d or flash animation"
What got you into the whole animation game what got you up to the point that you wanted to do it?
From a early age I knew I was always going to be in a creative industry and at first wanted to become a product designer. But I have always had a love for animation wether it be something like Paddington Bear, Trap Door or classic Looney Tunes and Tom & Jerry cartoons and when I found out that I could do that as a career there was only one way I was heading.
I ended up studying Animation at the University of Westminster and graduated with a first class degree with my film ' It Always Rains on a Sunny Day in London Town' which was shortlisted at the Flip Animation Festival in 2007.
You did an amazing video clip for Riton & Seji, how did you got involved with those guys?
During the summer I had some time out to work on my Showreel and I decided to enter into a competition called 'The Great Animation Challenge' with was hosted by the Flip Animation Festival and Imagine Magazine. For that competition I created the video 'Fax of Death' for the Laurel Collective (you guys very kindly posted it as well) which went on to win the competition and has had some minor success as a viral video.
This video gave me a lot of confidence in my ability as a animator and a director which spurred me on to find some more music video work to pitch on.
Just before christmas Riton's management posted a ad over at ycnonline.com asking for pitches for the song Computer Juice. I contacted them and I was given a day to make up a pitch and thats when I came up with the idea of Mr.O. The song reminded me of how I feel when ever my computer just freezes or crashes and I just ran with that idea and added a narrative to it. I made up some images to show how the video would look and everyone at the record label loved the idea and feel and let me run with it. They were very relaxed about the whole video and pretty much left me alone to get on with it which is a rare trait nowadays with clients.
What's your connection with Blunt Films?
I initially did some work experience over at Blunt Films after leaving University. This led to them offering me a job and I worked there for a year and half as a Junior Designer. I learnt a hell of a lot while I was there and worked on a number of exciting projects including the awesome music video 'Sarah Smile' for Sarah Whatmore and Blunt Films first feature film 'Miles Away' which were both directed by Brendan McNamee.
Do you have any particular goals you want to reach with your work?
I would love to direct my own feature film, I think that is most aspiring directors dream. But I am a long way of that dream just yet, I am just concentrating on refining my art and gaining as much experience as possible.
What are the key elements that must be in a Joe Lea production?
I am always trying to sneak some traditional animation into projects. You don't see enough of it nowadays with everyone either doing 3d or flash animation so I always try and suggest to have some in any project I work on. Also many of the character I draw and design I try to create from real life as they seem to have more life to them, especially when I have drawn one from someone I've seen on the street, as you can sit there and observe them and create a whole world around them from the small traits and gestures you see from them in a few seconds.
If we had to put a label on you, do you consider yourself more as a illustrator or a video / animation guy?
I'm a Animator. Thats what I love to do. If someone had the money to pay me to sit in front of my lightbox and just animate away I would be a very happy person. But I feel many fields within the creative industries are very close together so at present I feel confident telling people that I am a Animator, Illustrator and even a Compositor, but as I said my strongest skills are in Animation.
What can we expect from you in the future?
I really busy at the moment and I am currently freelancing at a motion graphics studio called Fluent Studio, were we are doing some projects for Nike and Sky. I have also been approached to work on some motion comics and I am always looking for new songs to pitch on for music videos. I am also looking into doing another short film in the near future wether it be something I do in my spare time or something I try and get some funding for.
