Rut Villamagna, Modeller and Painter
Rut Villamagna is a Modeller, Painter and Sculpter. Originally from Spain, she has worked all over the world for Directors like Tim Burton and Guillermo Del Toro. In 2006, she was part of the art department team working on Pan's Labyrinth, which won the Oscar for best Art Direction a year later.
She has relocated to the UK and has worked on The Fades, Frankenweenie and Ronin 47.
What are you working on right now and what’s coming up in 2012?
I have just finished a seven month´s project in Frankenweenie (stop motion film by Tim Burton). It has been an amazing experience and I have learnt a lot about puppets. I am considering to keep going in this area for a while, I will probably have some commercials (stop-motion) coming soon and a set-painting job, but nothing for sure yet.
How did you start out in the industry? Was film and TV the ultimate goal?
To be honest, I started in the industry by chance. I felt real passion modelling and I loved Stop-motion animation. One day, I found a job in a set building company and I though “why not? Let´s try it!”. There, I discovered an amazing and magic world of colours, textures and dreams. This world caught me ‘till now!
Tell us how you came to Pan’s Labyrinth, what was your role?
I was working as a Set Finisher Manager for a company called Artefacto where Guillermo Del Toro came to ask us for some props and special sculptures for Pan´s Labyrinth. By that time, I had only been in the industry for about two years so I couldn´t imagine how would be to be involved in such a great project, this was one of the most fantastic work experiences in my professional life.
What was it like working with Guillermo Del Toro on bringing those props to life?
Guillermo Del Toro has a very special finishing touch in everything he makes. His way of working is very meticulous; you have the feeling that he does everything!!! He draws what he wants to see behind camera and he has got very clear ideas, every detail is in his mind. He is a very sensitive and approachable person. It would be a pleasure to be part of some Guillermo Del Toro´s project again!
When did you move to the UK & what differences do you notice between the Spanish and UK film industries?
In comparison with my country, UK is a paradise of filming. I don´t think Europe is aware of how big the industry is in here. The filming industry in Spain is very small, the productions budget are much lower than in UK. And of course, the level of the professionals is very different; here, you see the result of a long film tradition, working here (in a bigger or smaller project) you can feel that the UK industry is much more developed. In fact, I came here to step further in my professional life and I am very happy about that decision.
Tim Burton’s new stop motion film, Frankenweenie is set for release in October. Another unique director with a distinct visual style, what can we expect and what did you do on the film?
Tim Burton makes everyone can clearly identify his filmography only with one or two sequences and I think this is a very hard thing to get. Of course, I am a staunch admirer of Burton films, in my opinion, he is a genius and, without doubt, Frankenweenie is going to be one of his most brilliant woks. It will leave no one indifferent. I am sure the public will enjoy this film passionately.
I can´t tell much about Frankenweenie, it is confidential. Just say that I take my hat off to the people of my department (the amazing team of Andy Gent), all my colleges are incredible puppet experts and very talented and good professionals. I have learnt a lot from them.
My role was puppet painter and for me it was a challenge to work in black and white because I used to work with the entire chromatic palette. It has been pretty hard and exciting at the same time. Every morning, from first day until the last one, when I arrived in the workshop I though "this is a big thing and I am in!”
What we will see in October is magnificent and grandiose!
What do you do in order to create a prop, for example, the Pan´s Labyrinth? How long did the process take and what materials are used?
I was working very closely with the production designer, Eugenio Caballero, he had very clear ideas about the props and the finishing for all of them; and this is a very useful point not easy to find in everyone.
The fake stones obviously shouldn’t be very heavy so they were sculpted in poly, texturized and then painted with different techniques. For stone effects I like using a thick texture that allows me to play with paint and water... a lot of water!
The fantastic furniture (table, chair, etc) were built in mdf and resin (for the legs for example) and then burned, scratched and covered with a special mix very dense which was burned again. I love using fire for most of my imaginative works, fire gives very interesting results. Sounds crazy, I know, but it works.
I am very proud of my work on Pan´s Labyrinth; it looked very real as a part of an amazing world of fantasy.
What is the most challenging aspect of your work?
Every work is challenging for me at the beginning. This always freaks me out, but at the same time it is a very exciting feeling, that is part of working in a different thing every time. You have to create the way to get a wonderful result and during this process you can be right or wrong sometimes, then you have to start again… but when you have the solution, it is great! I can´t explain how you feel when you have it. It is magic.
What do you do when you are not working?
I just try to retrain myself, I usually practice some aspects of my skills which I want to improve and I research for new techniques and materials.
During my free time, I like developing some personal projects at my small workshop, I am talking about ideas that occur to me when I am working and I see something that inspires me but most of the times I don´t have time to carry it out. When my mind is relaxed, it is the perfect moment to work on it.
And of course, I love travelling over everything else. My ideal life would be working while I am travelling!
If you could change one thing about the industry, what would you do?
I hate exorbitant salaries, I hate them in sports or in music also… a cinema star doesn´t save lives, just feed dreams… It is magic but it is not the same.
Which film or film maker do you wish you work with (who you haven’t already)?
So many people… I love the work of Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Christopher Nolan, Alfonso Cuarón… and I love the Guy Ritchie´s Sherlock Holmes.
I want to work with Aardman, definitely is something that I wanted to do when I was studying animation in Bristol long time ago; and of course is something that I want to do now after Frankenweenie. Naturally, I would want to work with Laika, they are brilliant and working in USA must be very different.
I would really love to work again with Eugenio Caballero (he was the Production Designer on Pan´s Labyrinth, Oscar Award winner 2007). I also worked with him on The Impossible which is set for release in October as well. I like his way of working, and he usually is involved in very interesting projects from the point of view of Art Department.
In the same vein, I would enjoy working with Guillermo Del Toro as much as working with Tim Burton again.
And I would love to go back to New Zealand and be part of one of the epic Peter Jackson´s projects. I was there in 2010 and that country is amazing; when you are travelling around, you feel you are in a Peter Jackson movie. It is just magic. My boyfriend was very much in love with New Zealand so I think we will go back one day.
Rut Villamagna is a member of thecallsheet.co.uk, you can view her full profile right here. And visit her website for more examples of her exquisite artwork.