Interview with Aimée Duchamp of Atelier on OFFF Barcelona
This year OFFF Barcelona will be celebrating its 15th anniversary and we will be there every step of the way.
For a consecutive year, fluoro is a proud media partner of OFFF, which for 15 years have brought together artists, innovative speakers, creative talents and designers from all over the world with festivities and events in Barcelona, Spain.
Another one of their proud partners is Atelier School of Visual Arts, Design and Life, who have since 2010 worked with OFFF to bring their design vision to life across their campaigns, collateral and media.
This year the Atelier team is presenting OFFF’s 15th anniversary with the theme Finally Fucking Fifteen to signal the teenage spirit of the year when life turns upside down through a first lover, first experience, first acne etc. turning from innocent to crazy.
We spoke to Aimée Duchamp, director of Atelier, about the institution, the essence of design and the partnership with OFFF Barcelona.
fluoro. What motivated you to establish Atelier?
Aimée Duchamp. Atelier is a project that was developed through an experience within the traditional education system. During these years, we noticed a final step was lacking between the education of students and their future insertion in the labour world.
The management of expectations, the chance for students to experience their creative skills, the management of the frustration caused by inexperience or a wrong approach to projects, the need to take responsibility for every part of the creative process and production; and finally, the possibility of having an environment where students can shape their vision and be responsible for electing their own path.
f. How has the world of design changed for you over the years?
AD. The design world remains and will remain in constant change and evolution. It is reckless to determine otherwise, as this is part of design’s intrinsic nature. The design is linked to communication, and to its changes, especially in recent decades, not only because of technological presence, but also by the appearance of new codes, languages and platforms. We live in an ideal, full of challenges and constant reinvention and experimentation.
f. What is the most important lesson you want Atelier students to leave with?
AD. Firstly, honesty and generosity. Learning to love what you do to and to understand what your role is within society. Teaming. Taking risks and responsibilities equally. Developing and managing your skills constantly. Understanding that career choice will become a big part of your personal life and that you need to be aware of, and consistent with it.
f. How did the partnership with OFFF Barcelona develop?
AD. OFFF is an ideal platform to let you know. The nature of OFFF is linked to commitment and research. There is no formula for success, but it certainly generates motivation that turns into a voice that can be linked and heard at the beginning of your career. It does seem like a great way to start.
Our collaboration started in 2010, through a series of projects that were linked to the X anniversary. The premise was to get a group of young graduates from college and give them the opportunity to make real projects in a supportive environment. The result was spectacular, but certainly, the lived experience was what laid the foundations of this collaboration.
f. What have been some highlights of your partnership?
AD. We have published five books, two magazines, two shorts, one sponsor titles, two open titles, three exhibitions five advertising campaigns, more than 80 bumpers etc. It is difficult to choose among so many projects, but we have received very good reviews of the campaign for OFFF 2014, the Open Titles in 2013 and 2014, the publication of the tenth anniversary book, The Poool magazine and now the new campaign for OFFF 2015.
f. What inspired the latest OFFF Barcelona campaign?
AD. When we started we had a very clear idea that we did not want to approach the fifteen anniversary of the festival in a conventional way. We do not question the unquestionable consolidation of one of the most important events worldwide, but it seemed more like a highlight of its original nature.
OFFF has no formulas, it is reinvented every year and, in this sense, it seemed more interesting to relate the characteristics of a teenager who is experiencing new sensations and experiences. This teen analogy is cool, carefree, purposeful and in this sense, perfect to celebrate!
f. What was the process associated with the campaign’s development?
AD. For two months we have been researching, we have formed a series of characters and determined the best way to convey a clear and direct message. We have displayed more than 100 films, interviewed and observed many teenagers, rummaging through our own experience, and looked for protagonists in literature.
We are a team of four directors, Enric Isern, Laura Sans, João Lucas and myself. Each one is specialized and responsible for one aspect of the campaign, counting with the direct involvement of students in the process, trial and error, and many hours of brainstorming. The process is similar to any studio, sketches, testing, casting, storyboards, animatics, shooting, post etc.
f. Tell us about some future OFFF related/general projects?
AD. This year we’re going to make the Open Titles again, but we also have a new editorial project that is managed and developed 100% inside Atelier. It is currently in progress and will be ready for the festival.
Within weeks, premieres the Teaser campaign and we are working on the book project for the fifteenth anniversary of the festival which Vasava is developing.
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fluoro will be bringing you updates from OFFF Barcelona 2015 as well as a limited edition OFFF notebook giveaway, which will commence across fluoro on Monday 16 February 2015. To be one of the first to know about OFFF news and future giveaways, subscribe to fluoroNotice now.
