[FRAMED]: Juan Sebastián Niño Flórez, Lead Animator
[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: Juan Sebastián Niño Flórez
Title: Lead Animator
What are you guilty of?
Procrastinating…
What was your last brush with danger?
Matt Mitchell invited me to go for a bike ride. I told him I wanted to try a flat and wide road because I’m not good at biking. He took me to Barry Knows Best — Surrey Hills - I almost died.
Your last brush with greatness?
Last Christmas I got to spend some time with my friend Ian Gooding, he is one of the most talented and humble people I know.
That’s pretty epic! Your worst character fault?
Not keeping in touch with family as much as I should.
Your most shining quality?
I love learning new things.
You’re on the run from the law, where are you headed?
The woods, probably Oregon because it is beautiful, also you can buy guns in America.
Who’s your partner-in-crime?
Anna Jahn, my fiancée. (She is probably responsible for whatever the police is following us for, murder will be my guess… don’t ever make her angry.)
That’s kinda sweet. Fantasy cellmate?
The Hulk for protection. Christopher Hitchens for conversation.
Your greatest achievement?
Slapping Chris Hemsworth through Rocket. He has too much; he’s talented, funny, handsome, wealthy… I think it’s fair that he gets slapped now and then #SlapChrisHemsworth
Most valuable skill?
Animation, it’s what puts food on the table.
Go on, share a humblebrag:
I can cook a very good shrimp scampi.
Name your vice/pet peeve?
Ha, agreed. The DREAM project would entail?
A good team of talented and nice people that you can have fun with - the rest is bells and whistles.
Your career highlight to date:
Paddington riding Wolfie was pretty tough, not only the animation but all the craziness that went into making those shots work. Reading this thread on twitter was pretty nice to see.
Del Toro! That’s incredible. Next question: what did you learn this week?
Don’t touch your face. It’s pretty much impossible if you ask me.
What’s your current view?
I’m quarantined because of COVID-19 so this is my office for now. Wash your hands, don’t touch your face.
Give us a desk tour, then
PC and big screen so I can see what I’m doing, Wacom and mouse to switch if my hand hurts, nice comfy headphones to focus and back light keyboard because it looks coooooool.
What do you need to work, on the daily?
I need Autodesk Maya for animation and a decent, fast computer so I don’t stress out too much.
Framestore is, to you, in three words:
Talented People Everywhere
Best thing about your work environment?
I love the people that I have the good luck to work with. During stressful times or during good times, we make it fun either way.
Framestore is great at:
VFX, duh!
Favourite artform?
Movies and writing, I can’t pick a favorite, don’t make me do it.
We’ll let you have it. Favourite image?
Hard to pick but Paul Nicklen (@paulnicklen) has a lot of my favorites of all time.
Fictional character you’d like to hang with?
Dr. Gregory House
Happiness looks like:
A log cabin in the woods.
If not here, then where?
Wherever I have loved ones around will be good.
What do you think of too often?
Death, I’ve been listening to too many true crime podcasts lately.
And not enough?
The present moment.
Couldn’t live without:
Art!
