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Aurélie Denans, Motion Designer and stop-motion animator

21 January 2025 Portraits
Published by Sophie JEAN
Viewed 215 times

A graduate of the BTS DG option B Communication et médias (class of 2019) and of the Graphiste Motion Designer training program (class of 2020) Aurélie Denans is a freelance motion designer and stop-motion animator. Passionate about photography and animation, she creates "hand-made" videos combining digital and traditional techniques.

 

 

 

Can you sum up your career since graduating as a motion graphics designer in 2020?

When I left school, I wanted to learn more about video production, so I joined an audiovisual production company where I worked for a year.

 

At the same time, I started taking on freelance motion design assignments and further developing my passion for stop-motion. I've been a full-time freelance motion designer and stop-motion artist for two years now.

 

 

 

"24h Without Me" - Aurélie Denans

"24h Without Me - Aurélie Denans



You're a motion designer and stop-motion animator. How did you get into stop-motion?

I studied photography before joining GOBELINS, which played a role in my desire to go into stop motion.

 

I discovered stop motion by chance when I was doing a project for my final year at GOBELINS. I'd been wanting to try out the technique for a long time, and I really enjoyed it.

 

Stop motion brings together all the disciplines I'm passionate about: photography, animation, visual creation, storytelling through images and, above all, making things by hand.

 

 

 



What is your creative process when you start a project?

I start my projects in much the same way as motion graphics. I start with visual research, then move on to storyboarding and animatics. Then I move on to making each element by hand.

 

Once this stage is complete, I move on to animation. Finally, I move on to post-production, and depending on the project, I also add motion design or 2d animation elements.

 

In parallel with this process, I film the whole creative process, especially the manufacturing, to make making-of videos.

 

I like to use lots of different materials, working with wood, wool, paper, fabric...Stop motion offers an infinite playground and lets you try out new things with each project, depending on what you want to express visually.

 

 

 

Making of "24h Without Me" - Aurélie Denans

Making of "24h Without Me" : Aurélie Denans



You have a very singular universe. Where do you find your inspiration?

I draw my inspiration from my everyday life, feeding more or less consciously on everything that surrounds me.

 

My initial background in photography has influenced my creative approach, and I tend to draw more inspiration from photography than from animation. I was particularly influenced by the work of William Eggleston and Saul Leiter, pioneers of color photography. Color and light play an important role in my work.


In animation, I'm particularly fond of Miyazaki 's films from Studio Ghibli, both for their themes and their aesthetics.

 

 

 




What do you enjoy most about your job?

Stop motion allows me to combine photography, animation and video, while telling stories. I really enjoy this variety of mediums.


I also particularly like the creative aspect and the manual creation, the fact of designing elements by hand. It's very different from working behind a computer, and there's something magical about bringing to life what you've physically created.

 

 

 

Aurélie Denans

Aurélie Denans



What is the project that has had the greatest artistic impact on you?

I've just finished a stop-motion mini-series for Decathlon , which will be out soon. It's a series designed to teach kids how to rollerblade in a fun way.

 

It was really rewarding to be trusted from A to Z with the direction and the whole production of the project. I had total creative freedom on this project. It's really nice when customers trust us and let us express our universe in their project.

 

 

 

Aurélie Denans

Aurélie Denans



What advice would you give to a young motion designer?

Don't hesitate tostep out of your comfort zone and experiment with different techniques and media.

 

The school offers the opportunity to test, explore and develop your own universe, so take advantage of it to try out as many things as possible.




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