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Credit: Portrait Baptiste Lefebvre - ©Adrien Stella
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Baptiste Baptiste Lefebvre, freelance motion designer and art director

07 November 2023 Portraits
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Baptiste Lefebvre is a freelance Motion Designer and Art Director, having graduated from the Graphic Motion Designer course in 2018 and the Master's degree in Interactive Innovation Design and Management in 2021.

Specializing in the events sector, he creates visuals for concerts in collaboration with creative and video mapping studios. He has notably worked for Angèle, Stromae and Soprano.

 

 

 

What has been your career path since graduating in 2021?

I launched my freelance career smoothly, continuing to work with the creative studio Cutback, where I had done my two years of work-study during my Master's degree.

 

I was lucky enough to work with them on live projects for the visuals of concerts byAngèle, Stromae, JUL and Soprano.

 

After that, I started working with other design studios, while taking the time to develop and showcase personal projects.

 

I exhibited my "Sensibilis"project at the Grande Halle de la Villette, then at BOZAR in Brussels, and our graduation project "ORCHA-103" (produced with Jonah Alle-Monne, Rémy Bourçois,Tristan Lemoigne and Émile Roch) was selected for the Bright Festival in Leipzig.

 

Most recently, I worked with Montreal studio Moment Factory on the immersive AURA experience, projected in the dome of Les Invalides.

 

 

 

"ORCHA-103" - Installation interactive 

"ORCHA-103" Interactive installation



You're a motion designer and art director specializing in events and video-mapping. What does your job involve?

I work as part of a team, under the direction of the creative directors. Initially,I propose creative ideas adapted to the scenography or monument (sketches, storyboards, reference research, moodboards, etc.) .

 

Once the ideas have been validated, each motion designer on the team is assigned a title or sequence. I then take part in the production phase, which involves several media (2D or 3D animation, real time, live action, etc.).

 

The final stage is integration. I travel to the show site for several days to see the visuals in real-life conditions and make modifications on the spot, between dress rehearsals.

 

Seeing the show come to life before our very eyes, thanks to the lighting designers, dancers and musicians, is truly magical!

 

 

 

"Sensibilis " - Baptiste Lefebvre

"Sensibilis" - Baptiste Lefebvre



You worked with studio Cutback on the visuals for Angèle's track "Libre", for the Nonante-Cinq Tour. Can you tell us more about this experience?

Just after the integration of Stromae's Multitude Tour was completed, Cutback was asked to work on some of the visuals for Angèle's Nonante-Cinq Tour .


For the title "Libre", the idea was to evocate a feeling of freedom and power, with a relationship of scale between Angèle in her superheroine costume, facing an immense blue planet.

 

I started by working on an animatic to match the camera movements to the music, then created a 3D blue planet with the help of the crew.

 

During the green screen shoot with Angèle, I photographed the different positions we needed before integrating them in post-production.

 

We made the final adjustments in Reims during dress rehearsals, then saw the show with the whole team a few weeks later at the U-Arena.

 

 

 

Nonante-Cinq Tour - Angèle 

Nonante-Cinq Tour - Angèle



Which project has impressed you the most?

My first live experience with Stromae 's Multitude tour will stay with me for a long time!

 

I was lucky enough to be able to take part in this project right from the ideation phase. We had received the concert tracklist in advance, and each of us had to propose a visual and narrative track to accompany the songs. The scenography consisted of 10 moving screens.

 

I was very honored to learn that two of the tracks I had proposed had been selected. So I continued to work on the tracks during the production phase with the whole team.

 

We then spent twelve days in Brussels forintegration, following the concert rehearsals and making changes to the visuals. We left with a great team. It was very gratifying to see the reaction of the live audience during the Première!

 

 

 

Concert de Stromae " Riez" ©Cutback, Lydie Bonhomme, Mosaert

Stromae "Riez" concert ©Cutback, Lydie Bonhomme, Mosaert



What project are you currently working on?

Montreal studio Moment Factory contacted me to work on "AURA", a monumental immersive experience projected in the dome of the Invalides. It's a 50-minute show combining 360° video mapping, lights, lasers and spatialized orchestration.

 

I'm very grateful to have been able to work in this exceptional heritage site, surrounded by such a talented team.

 

The show has just opened to the public, and it's one of the most ambitious projects I've worked on to date!

 

 

 



Where do you find inspiration?

Absolutely everywhere! Every experience can be a source of inspiration, and I remain attentive and open to everything I see or experience.

 

For me, travel is a concentrate of inspiration that I try to appropriate through photography or sketching. I'm particularly inspired by nature, architecture, electronic music, science fiction and digital installations.

 

Design festivals like OFFF in Barcelona, le Motion + Design in Paris or Motion Motion in Nantes are also great opportunities to learn more about artists' creative processes and meet new people. I come away from these events with a lot of inspiration and motivation!

 

Finally, I group and archive all these references using tools like Pinterest or Miro, so that they remain accessible whenever I need them.

 

 

 

"Aura" - Invalides- Moment Factory 

"Aura" Invalides Moment Factory



How do you choose your orders/collaborations?

I attach a lot of importance to the human aspect in my professional relationships. I feel like I'm back in school with some of the studios, and it's really nice to work in these conditions.

 

I chose to specialize in the events and cultural sector to focus on the spectator's experience and amazement. Feeling the emotions and reactions of the audience is for me the main motivation in this profession.

 

 

 

Why did you choose to work freelance rather than in a studio?

I need to vary my experiences and meet new people. I appreciate the flexibility that this status brings, allowing me to work on big projects with different studios, while leaving space to work on personal projects, or to travel.

 

On the other hand, I like working on site at the studio with the whole team. Communication is more fluid, feedback is spontaneous and it helps to maintain a stronger social bond.

 

 

 



Can you give us one good memory of your four years at GOBELINS?

I have so many fond memories of GOBELINS and I've met so many great people. The five-month DMII graduation project was the perfect way to round off my studies!

 

We were in a group (with Rémy, Jonah, Tristan and Emile) in a small room dedicated to the design of our interactive installation ORCHA-103. It was a very stimulating and creative period, between electronic tinkering, soldering, cutting and sanding wood and then discovering the Fablab with Joris. It was quite an adventure.

 

We were able to display the installation at school for students and friends to try out, which was a great moment! We look back on that time with great nostalgia.

 

We also had the honor of being published in the issue of Étape Magazine devoted to graduation projects. Then, a year later, we were selected to exhibit ORCHA-103 at the Bright Festival in Leipzig, Germany.

 

We were delighted that this installation went beyond the school setting - it was a great adventure!

 

 

 

Stromae concert "Pas vraiment" ©Cutback, Lydie Bonhomme, Mosaert



What advice would you give to a recent graduate?

Before going freelance, I spent a lot of time listening to feedback from professionals via conferences, podcasts or interviews.

 

I also analyzed my strengths and weaknesses, my values, my desires and the opportunities that presented themselves. Taking the time to ask yourself the right questions and learn from the experience of others can help you make the right decisions, avoid pitfalls and move in the right direction!

 

Presenting your work well is also vital, and a well-curated portfolio and effective showreel can open many doors.

 

 

 




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