07 · 20 · 18

FICM profiles: interview with Ramiro Tamez, GOBELINS fellow

Gabriela Martínez @GabbMartivel

Ramiro Tamez es originario de Monterrey, Nuevo León. Cuando pensaba que dedicarse a la animación era un sueño irrealizable, llegó una oportunidad única que no podía dejar pasar: la beca ANIMEXICO. Hoy Ramiro puede presumir de ser uno de los tres jóvenes talentos mexicanos que recibieron esta beca otorgada por Guillermo del Toro con el apoyo de Cinépolis, para estudiar la Maestría en Artes: Animación de Personajes y Realización de Cine Animado en GOBELINS, l’ecole de l’image, la mejor escuela de animación del mundo.

El Festival Internacional de Cine de Morelia (FICM) tuvo la oportunidad de platicar con Ramiro Tamez, quien nos compartió su pasión por la animación 2D y su admiración por el director de La forma del agua (2017, dir. Guillermo del Toro).

FICM: What motivated you to apply for the ANIMEXICO scholarship?

RT: The school is famous in these paths of animation, quite respected. I found out about the scholarship when Guillermo del Toro anounced it at the Morelia International Film Festival. I wasn't there, but I found out later. From that moment I had the doubt about whether to apply or not. Months went by and I kept up with the information, always checking if anything came out about it.

Then Diego Torres, the Mexican who also took that master's degree, uploaded a video explaining the registration process and I thought "well, I think I have some of the requirements, I do not lose anything with trying".

If I talk about motivation, I think it was the desire to grow as an artist. I found in this an opportunity in my career, because I am interested in making animated films and I think it is a good platform.

FICM: How does Guillermo del Toro inspire you?

RT: He is a Mexican who has managed to do what very few or what nobody else. In addition, he makes the cinema that he is passionate about, a cinema that may not be conventional and breaks down barriers. I love listening to him speak in his workshops, masterclasses or interviews. He always has this idea of ​​supporting Mexican talent. I like that a lot because you feel supported, it makes you believe that "yes you can." It's quite inspiring.

I also love his romantic way of making movies, he does not focus so much on production budgets, but on the development of his characters, the stories. Contrary to agencies or television studios, where almost always first we talk about budgets and times rather than the motivations of our work.

FICM: Have you thought of any story you would like to tell?

RT: Yes, I have many. Right now I would like to focus on perfecting my skills in character development in order to achieve that goal that I have to contribute something to animation, from an acting aspect, let's say.

After that I would like to do something based on my experiences. I always have a little notebook with me where I point out things like concepts, characters, situations or things that excite me and that can inspire me. With all this I would like to make my first short film, that would be a good start.

FICM: What influences could we find in your animation style?

RT: Brad Bird, the director of The Iron Giant (1999) and The Incredibles (2004), has inspired me a lot. In a certain way, those subtleties that he has managed to perfect in his style of animation, all that attention in the details, I would like to be able to adapt them and apply them in 2D animation, something that I am very passionate about. So I can bring forward that 2D animation is still valid.

It moves me a lot that in this style of animation there is nothing in between, it is you and the sheet of paper. Let's say it's something very organic, you can feel the character; I personally believe that I can leave a part of myself in what I am creating.

Klaus Animation Test. from Ram Tamez on Vimeo.

FICM: What do you expect from this experience?

RT: Since I discovered that I could do animation, I promised myself to be aware of the great opportunities. When the scholarship came out and I got involved in the process, little by little I became convinced that maybe this was the opportunity I was waiting for. Right now I'm certain about that.

I think this is a step towards what comes in my career. As I commented to the people of GOBELINS, I would like to make Guillermo feel proud and I hope to fulfill all the goals that I set myself since I started in the world of animation.

Learn more about Ramiro Tamez’s work.