Interview with Andrew Baker, Lead Creature Designer for The Hobbit
Live with your health and lifestyle choices so make sure they’re ones that are good for you physically as well as creatively. Never lose touch with the reason you started in the first place.
Andrew Baker
Could you please introduce yourself and outline your role in the entertainment industry?
Andrew: My name is Andrew Baker I am currently a Senior Concept Artist with WetaFX (Not workshop or digital) where I work on a number of design and concept tasks for predominantly film and TV series. I have worked in the entertainment industry for 18 years now and one of the projects I’m best known for was being Lead Creature Designer for the Hobbit Trilogies. I’ve had the privilege to work on a number of big properties as well as indie titles for both film and game and love being involved in translating scripts/narrative into visuals.
What led you to choose concept, creature design and art direction as your career path, and when did you make this decision?
Andrew: I made this decision in my final year at University. I had no connections to Hollywood or the film industry in general so the various titles and roles were somewhat alien to me. My favorite art of books at the time were the Star Wars prequels and LOTR books and the drawings of Iain McCaig, John Howe and Alan Lee inspired me to persue concept art as a career path. The decision to do creatures came somewhat naturally as I’d grown up with my father and sister who did some wild life art. Growing up in Africa led me to have a strong love for animals and nature which was all around and everywhere.
As creatives, we often face challenges on the road to achieving our goals. Have you encountered significant obstacles that nearly derailed your pursuit of designing for movies and games?
Andrew: I matured in the industry during the time when the “work hard and work always” ethic was touted. It led to burnout quite early on in my career which if I could advise any young person getting in to the industry is to look after yourself and put the priorities of the company and “job” second, or even better further down the list. As we’re seeing with the rise of AI there is no telling what happens in this industry but you have to live with your health and lifestyle choices so make sure they’re ones that are good for you physically as well as creatively. Never lose touch with the reason you started in the first place. If it’s just to get a better job and status then it may be quite the struggle once that honeymoon phase is over.
Throughout your career, have you worked on a project that resonated deeply with you due to the people involved, the work environment, or perhaps creatures you felt particularly connected to and wanted to bring to life?
Andrew: I’d say I’ve been fortunate enough to have experienced all of the above. Perhaps not all at the same time and definitely not all the time. I’ve had the pleasure of working on stories that I had read or watched as a youngster and working on certain creatures or characters from there was very special. Probably particular mention was working on the design of Smaug the Dragon from The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien and the BFG by Rahl Dahl. Sometimes however the commercial demand and stress can make some of the bigger jobs a lot more challenging and some more independent films can have a very dynamic and creative environment. Love and Monsters for me was a project where I had no concept of the story prior but was an incredible team and Michael the creator and Director was great to work with and really loved the end result.
Work in this field can be both exciting and demanding, with tight deadlines and challenging situations. Can you share an example of a challenging experience and how you navigated through it?
Andrew: Some of the big challenges in my area on the job can be navigating the clients through a design phase. In both film and game the process is very different but the skills are transferable. Film is driven largely by reactive and aesthetic decision making which can be hard to find what’s right when only delivering polished well rendered work. The important thing is to stay focused on the job at hand and the “phase” you’re in and just do it well. It’s out of the artists hands the big picture decision making.
Regarding learning creature design as a career path, what key steps do you believe are indispensable and which can really help you stand out from the crowd?
Andrew: A love for the subjects you’re referencing and drawing from. I think in particular with creature design, an artist can lose focus on what a creature does before and after the frame they’re creating. No matter how bizarre or alien it will need to relate to something in our world and the more we’re familiar with a variety of subjects the more reason we can give to what we’re designing. Clients love when you take their idea a step further.
Lastly, is there a project you’re eager to work on but haven’t had the opportunity to explore yet?
Andrew: I think after having worked on many big blockbuster films and titles, I’m eager to get working on a few of the projects I have going with my wife. We collaborate together on world building and story for our IP’s. It’s always a great privilege to work on other IP’s but the greatest satisfaction one can get is crafting your own worlds and stories. It’s also the greatest way to show your appreciation to those stories that inspired you.
Follow Andrew’s work on:
I really want to thank Andrew for cutting out a bit of precious time from his family and work to anwers my questions. His involvement in these fantastic stories is a big reference point for many professional creatives and aspiring concept artists, and I’m sure this interview will serve them as inspiration and something to go back to for good life and industry insights.
What I’ve learned by reading Andrew’s words is that starting a career as a creature designer can’t be driven by status or money, it has to come from a real passion and love for the animal world and its peculiarities, as this is what will make you stand out from the crowd as a concept artist.
Thank you for reading this interview, see you in the next article!
Giacomo
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