Character Based Direction for LIFI 2025

It didn't really change that much. In 2024, we already had the idea to create multiple characters, but we didn't want to overwhelm the audience, so we started with just a few forms and a single colour to get people used to the concept. Since that approach was well received, this year we took it a step further, continuing to develop and expand the character and its style. Rather than launching a full character universe in one go, the team introduced the concept gradually, testing appetite before committing to complexity. The 2024 edition was almost a proof of concept. Starting sparse and building outward lets each addition feel intentional.

It's a bit like with the characters. Less is more. The movement comes from tiny, subtle details. For example, when a head moves, the ears wiggle slightly. It is a bit silly but that is what gives it personality. For the larger scenes, like crowds or lines of characters, we didn't make everything perfectly straight or rigid. We added small offsets and little bursts of random movement to create variation and a sense of bustle.

Not at all. If anything, the character work developed in the opposite direction. My first drafts were just simple geometric or abstract forms, to which we later added eyes, a nose, and legs. My minimal approach actually worked in our favour. A character does not need to be complicated to convey personality. The hardest part is packing the most striking personality into as little as possible.