[FRAMED]: Aaron Baudin, Effects TD
[FRAMED] exists to shine light on Framestore’s most fascinating cast of characters: its people. Presented with a probing list of questions and a demandingly short deadline, this feature puts the hopes, dreams, and desktops of our MVPs on the digital wall, for all to see. Welcome to [FRAMED].
Name: Aaron Baudin
Title: Effects TD (Technical Director)
Well, here we are. What are you guilty of?
Being a bit of a legend. And loving beer far too much.
What was your last brush with danger?
Legit was inches away from getting hit by car on my bike this morning cycling to work! [Seems a common theme with Framestorians…]
Your last brush with greatness?
Kem from Love Island walked past me at the Brits, that was super cool. I freaked out a little bit. [For reference, you may need it]
Your worst character fault?
I tend to speak my mind a lot, without really thinking what comes out of my mouth. Not always ideal.
Your most shining quality?
I am pretty chilled out and easy to talk to (I think?)
You’re on the run from the law, where are you headed?
I guess Mexico, I could live in the jungles and drink loads of tequila.
Who’s your partner-in-crime?
She knows who she is 😉
Fantasy cellmate?
Tom Hardy. Who wouldn’t want to be stuck in a cell with Tom Hardy? What a guy!
Your greatest achievement?
Getting a two-page spread in the local Jersey newspaper about my work on Beauty and the Beast. Pretty much a celeb.
Go on, say something bragging:
I scored my first ever try playing rugby earlier this year. Was super cool.
Name your pet peeve?
People walking super slow in front of me. And then, to add insult to injury, stopping in the middle of the pavement. Eeeuurrgghhh.
Ok ok, you’re showing your colours now. How about the daily grind — what does the DREAM project entail?
I would really love to work on something within the Harry Potter franchise. It would be so magical (lol).
Your career highlight to date:
Definitely working on Beauty and the Beast, and watching it in the cinema at the cast and crew with my parents. It was my favourite film when I was younger, and came out the year I was born.
This week I learnt that:
You can grab an edge using a divide node and feather off an area of influence based on said edge in Houdini.
What’s your current view?
A bunch of lockers and a big glass meeting room in which you can only see people’s legs.
Give us a desk tour
My desk is a mess. I have: some tropical granola, a shower speaker (I have no idea why this is here), a reusable coffee cup, some Avengers pop vinyls, Berocca (my life-saver), some hand cream, chocolate, the FX whisky fund, some beer, a Wacom tablet, a Corsair gaming keyboard, and Houdini. Always Houdini. A cluttered desk is the sign of a genius though right? I’m sure I saw that somewhere.
What do you need to work, on the daily?
Berocca and coffee. I’m not addicted, I just really really like it 😝
Framestore is, to you, in three words:
Super, duper great.
Best thing about your work environment?
My colleagues — lots are them are friends I go to the pub with or meet up with at the weekends.
Framestore is great at:
Bringing people together. I love the cafe on the fifth floor [at 28 Chancery Lane], and I like how you can sit on a table with people you have never met or seen before and just start chatting.
Ok ok, enough schmoozing. Favourite artform?
I think interpretive dance. It seems to happen a lot in our house ha!
Favourite image?
It doesn’t exist…yet. But imagine me, hand-painted, wrestling a bull (kind of like the one of Ben Stiller in Dodgeball), mounted above a fireplace.
Fictional character you’d like to hang with?
It has to be Peter Griffin from Family Guy, bloke’s hilarious.
If not here, then where?
Somewhere super warm, like the Maldives or Caribbean, or somewhere super cold, where I could ski and build snowmen on a daily basis.
What do you think of too often?
Beers, and how I would recreate real life things in Houdini, like fountains and clouds and stuff.
And not enough?
Spending money. It seems to leave my account WAY too easily.
Couldn’t live without:
Bodean’s. God I love that place! Their Wing Wednesdays make my week!
If I ruled the world:
We would have a four-day working week, you would get the week off for your birthday (one day just isn’t enough, I like to drag it out), and everyone would get along!
Aaron Baudin, you’ve been [FRAMED]. Raise a glass (of beer) to that, sir. A fun fact he didn’t mention: Aaron joined Framestore as an intern, through our Launchpad scheme in London. If you’re approaching your last year at university, or will graduate this summer, we highly suggest you click this here link. This one. Right here. We’ll be seeing you soon.
