Exclusive: Carlos Zaragoza Discusses His Artistic Approach To Moviemaking

By Michael Lopez

Sometimes we like to ramble on about which films amaze us. And though our focus is oftentimes the celebs acting on the screen, there are also hundreds of behind-the-scenes people that make each moment come to life. One of this season's hottest "movie magicians" is Spain’s Carlos Zaragoza, an accomplished art director who's worked on Pan’s Labyrinth and The Tale Of Despereaux. Over the weekend, Carlos spoke exclusively to Tr3s about his creative process.

Originally an art director and set designer for live action films, Carlos has recently branched out into animation. For his most recent project, Gnomeo & Juliet, Zaragoza was responsible for sketching out the intricate details found in Mrs. Montague and Mr. Capulet's gardens.

"Gnomeo was a very interesting project," Carlos explained. "It was totally irreverent and I loved the idea. I originally came from Spain and I was unfamiliar with English garden gnomes, so I went to London and did a lot of research."

Anyone who's seen Gnomeo knows the attention to detail that was paid to the movie's lawn decorations. From the designs of the dolphin sprinklers, to the plastic crocodiles, Zaragoza had a hand in everything. And it's clear that his hard work paid off. Not long after his work on Gnomeo, Carlos was recruited to create ideas for 2012's Madagascar 3!

"Madagascar 3 will be released next June," Zaragoza said. "Unfortunately I’ve been sworn to secrecy about it. It’s a top secret project, but it will be a really funny movie."

One thing Carlos did open up about was his experience working with Guillermo del Toro on the acclaimed Pan’s Labyrinth. The Art Director's Guild honored Zaragoza with a well-deserved Excellence In Production Design Award for the project.

"I think Pan’s Labyrinth was one my favorite movie experiences. It was intense, but very rewarding."

Interestingly, since Pan's both Carlos and Guillermo have branched out into the animation world. Zaragoza mentioned how he recently encountered del Toro (who's now an advisor at DreamWorks) and got some interesting advice from the famed Mexican director.

"Guillermo is very interested in animation. He said it's the best business to be in because of the technology and the storytelling. Personally, I'm really happy to be working in animation. For me, it’s the right place to be. I’m learning tons of new things."

Of course speaking with a talented up-and-comer like Carlos, we had to ask for his advice for other young art directors looking to break into the field.

"My advice would be, don't just be inspired by movies. Get inspired by life and by real experiences. Traveling, art, living experiences are very important and helped me tremendously with my creativity."

You can see samples of Carlos' creativity by visiting his professional website. And if you're interested in checking out that intricate English garden again, look for the Gnomeo & Juliet DVD, in stores on May 24!

Have you ever thought about a career in art direction? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Animation, Carlos Zaragoza, Exclusive Entrevistas, Gnomeo & Juliet, Guillermo del Toro, Madagascar 3, Movies & CineMás, Pan's Labyrinth, Tr3s Exclusivdes