Behind every great creative project is a team of talented individuals who bring it to life. At Ambassadors, we’re proud to work with an incredible team of artists each bringing their own creativity, expertise, and passion to what we do. In this series, we’re taking you behind the scenes to showcase the people behind the craft. In our second edition, we’re catching up with Carolien Bakker, one of our talented 3D animators.
Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Carolien, and I've been a 3D animator for about seven years now. I've mainly worked on animated feature films, but also commercials, series, and games.
How did you get your start in 3D animation?
I studied Visual Effects at the Netherlands Film Academy. At that time, I had no idea that I would become an animator, as VFX is a very broad field that covers many disciplines. Animation was a very small part of the program. At the end of my third year, I got the opportunity to contribute to the animation for the VFX graduation film of the year above me. That’s when I discovered that this specialisation really suited me. Although animation became my specialisation, I'm really glad to have a VFX background. It’s very convenient to understand what the other departments are doing and how the whole VFX process works. Which is also relevant here at Ambassadors. I have worked regularly as a freelancer over the past three years. Last year, I was approached with the opportunity to join as an employee.
Where do you look for inspiration? Who or what inspires you?
I like to visit creative events like Annecy or Kaboom Animation Festival. It’s always very motivating to be surrounded by other enthusiastic creatives and see masterclasses or hear about productions. I also find a lot of inspiring creative content on social media.
What’s been your biggest learning in your career so far?
To trust your gut feeling and stay true to yourself. Make sure you're always able to explain your creative choices while remaining open to feedback. Sometimes you have a good idea, and sometimes another idea is better, and that’s great. Don’t forget to give each other credit for it. Appreciation is important. It’s teamwork, and you need each other’s expertise. As long as the people you work with have that same mindset and everyone stays focused on aiming for the best result, I believe you’ll get the most out of it.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I really enjoy the variety and endless possibilities of my work. Every project is different, and because the work itself has changed over the years, there are always new ways to grow and challenge myself.
What project or piece of work are you most proud of and why?
It’s hard to pick just one since they are quite different. For feature films, I’m very proud to have worked with Mascha Halberstad on the animated feature Fox and Hare Save the Forest, but Victor Vleermuis was also a beautiful project to work on, as the style was quite different compared to general 3D animated films. In games, working on Horizon Forbidden West at Guerrilla Games was an honour. As for commercials, I was very proud to animate for the AH Christmas commercial ‘A Hamster Love Story’ at Ambassadors in 2022, which also won the Gouden Loeki!
Is there a project that you wish you’d worked on?
I mainly worked on full CG productions, like most 3D animated films. Although I still enjoy that, I would also really like to work on more live-action productions with CG integrated. It’s a challenge to make your animation believable when it’s placed in a real environment. If I had to choose a project that I would have loved to work on, it would be Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. The film is 3D animated with a 2D look and effects. I find it graphically very strong and colourful. Each frame is a work of art in itself.
How do you think the creative industry will change over the coming months/years? What are you most excited about?
I find it very unpredictable at the moment, as a lot is changing, and it’s not very clear what will be here for the long run and what is more of a hype that isn’t sustainable. As long as the creative part stays authentic, I’m very excited about the technical optimisations in the future that will help us create what we are looking for. I’m glad to be part of a team that embraces these technologies while remaining true to our craft and creativity.
