[FRAMED] Head of Animation, Nick Tripodi, Melbourne
If you could travel back in time, which film, TV series, advert, or immersive project would you love to have worked on?
Pacific Rim — the sense of scale and weight was so great. It would have been so fun to work on such an over-the-top throwback to classic monster and mecha movies.
Your career highlight to date:
It’s a tie between the Emmy win on Game of Thrones and the recent Annie win for How to Train Your Dragon. But to be honest, the greatest satisfaction comes from the creative process itself — particularly the moment when the animation reaches a point where the characters go from a lifeless puppet to a living, breathing character. It always feels a bit magical.
Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in VFX?
Hayao Miyazaki’s early works, especially Porco Rosso, was the key inspiration for pursuing a career in animation. Since I also enjoyed working with computers, VFX animation was a natural fit.
Best thing about your work environment?
We have such a great Animation team in Melbourne. We are all here to lift each other up and produce the best animation possible. It’s a very positive and collaborative environment to be in, and just a great bunch of human beings to spend time with!
Favorite artform?
I love playing instruments as an escape from visual art; it’s a great way to refresh and clear the mind. I’m also a die-hard fan of Portrait Artist of the Year. Maybe in retirement I’ll take up oil painting!
What’s your favourite movie/ series/ advert/ immersive experience and why?
Aliens is such an incredibly well-constructed film. The foreboding atmosphere and pacing are immaculate — ’80s action at its finest.
From where do you seek inspiration?
I get inspired by observing and cataloguing tiny, unconscious human quirks — the habits, subtle facial movements, and the way people stand and walk. My goal is to weave these natural mannerisms into our animation. It takes characters beyond simply moving; it gives them a unique, relatable personality.
Share the best piece of advice you’ve ever received:
“If you don’t understand why you are moving something, don’t move it.”
What tech/innovation could you not live without?
Our Xsens Link suit. You can basically go anywhere and do anything, and the system captures your movement. We rely on it regularly for pick up shoots, reference and quickly testing out ideas.
Nick Tripodi, you’ve been [FRAMED].
