That Special French Savoir Faire
John Coven, director of the department of animated film at Gobelins Paris, answers a few questions about the French school’s prestigious program.
Gobelins Paris is known for offering one of the world’s most respected animation programs, which lists the likes of Pierre Coffin (Despicable Me), Bibo Bergeron (A Monster in Paris), Simon Otto (How to Train Your Dragon trilogy) and Pierre Perifel (The Bad Guys) as graduates. We had the chance to speak with the director of the school’s animation program, John Coven, who is a well-regarded storyboard artist and animation and vfx artist with a long list of credits including Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers, The Lion King, Jurassic World, Venom, Logan, Captain America: Civil War and the original X-Men. Prior to Gobelins Paris, he taught filmmaking, storyboarding and entertainment design at such schools as the Art Center College of Design, the Otis College of Art and Design and the Animation Workshop. Here is what he told us:
Can you tell us a bit about your background and impressive work in animation?
Having graduated from art school in France, I returned to Los Angeles, where I grew up, and began storyboarding live-action feature films. I had always been interested in animation, but didn’t start working in animated film until many years later. Having boarded films ranging from The Usual Suspects to The Muppets on paper, I began drawing digitally while working on The Wolverine. I was absolutely amazed by what you could do drawing on a computer tablet. Suddenly, instead of isolated images, I could present my drawings to directors edited into rough animations. This led me to want to animate the characters’ performances and to have more input into the scenes I worked on. About that time, Hollywood started making more and more hybrid films, combining live action and animation. Because of my background in live action and my ability to storyboard animation, I became part of a relatively small group of artists working regularly on hybrid projects. They ranged from films like Jurassic World to Disney’s Alice Through the Looking Glass, The Little Mermaid and Jon Favreau’s The Lion King. Eventually, I became head of story on the upcoming Mufasa: The Lion King.
What drew you to this prestigious position at Gobelins Paris?
Along with filmmaking, I love teaching and, obviously, France. Gobelins Paris is a French school, but the animation program has become international. We teach almost exclusively in English and enroll students from 53 countries. The school came to me to help with this process of internationalization. Among other things, I work building bridges to animation studios abroad, notably in America. The level of student work, talent and dedication is amazing. So, really, I couldn’t be lending my hand to a better cause. And the campus is in the center of Paris. I live in the Latin Quarter and walk to school... not a bad life!
What was the transition like for you, from a studio professional in the U.S. to a top-ranking academic leader in France?
To tell the truth, this is the first real job I’ve ever had. I spent my entire working life as a freelance artist. As soon as I started a project, I could look ahead and see the end. This is very different. I have a home now and a cause to fight for. Of course, every movie is a cause to fight for too. But therein lies the real difference. Now I am fighting for students and faculty, whereas before I was fighting to help create a work of art. As far as the transition goes, after being at the school for three semesters I am still transitioning. I went to school in France, but never worked here. There is still a lot for me to learn.
What are your biggest challenges at the university?
The biggest challenge for us is the same as for most schools: money. Did I forget to say that another of my responsibilities is fundraising? I have been astounded to find that Hollywood studios often have the impression that Gobelins is an elitist French institution that does not need, or even necessarily want, their support. Nothing could be further from the truth. Through the years, our graduates have ended up working at all the major animation studios in America. I want to make it easier for the studios to find, and hire, the outstanding talent coming from Gobelins. I also want to alert the studios that the school and its students need their support in order to continue to flourish in these financially challenging times. This support will also help us promote diversity and inclusion and continue attracting top talent regardless of students’ financial background.
Why do you think Gobelins Paris is such a widely respected institution for animation studies?
Quite simply, the quality of the films our students produce. Now I have to brag a little: Our students’ thesis films have been nominated for the Annie Award for Best Student Film six times in the past five years and won three times... in five years! Gobelins’ films also screen in countless festivals each year and win prizes all over the world. Most importantly, anyone interested in studying animation, or hiring our graduates, can watch the films on our YouTube channel.
Some of our student films have more than 10 million views. So young people everywhere can see the quality of education we offer, and studios know that, in a very real sense, we work on their behalf as both talent scout and incubator.
What makes it stand out from similar colleges in the U.S.?
There are a number of great animation schools in the U.S. Gobelins has student-exchange programs with several of them. Some schools in the U.S. have teaching strategies that are similar to Gobelins, some not. Groupbased learning is very important to our way of teaching. We teach in modules of varying lengths, rather than semester-long courses. Each module ends with the creation of a project. Students work in groups on virtually all these projects. This way, they learn to work with others, to compromise and often to set aside their egos — important skills in animation. The graduate-level thesis films are made by groups of five or six students. This has the added benefit of ensuring that each film has the labor force needed to achieve the level of excellence associated with Gobelins.
What do you love about your job?
There are so many things to love. Above all, working with the students and our amazing staff. Did I forget to mention that my responsibilities include teaching? Your readers probably know that Gobelins’ students make 30-second shorts that play at the beginning of each screening at the Annecy Film Festival. I am lucky enough to get to work with both the undergraduate students on their Annecy films, and the graduate-level students on their thesis films. I help them craft their scripts, storyboards and animatics.
What kind of advice do you offer students who want to excel in the animation world?
It depends on their interests. One great thing about animation is that it involves so many different crafts and skills. For our bachelor’s program in Paris, we look for students whose drawings show an understanding of anatomy, movement and perspective. These skills prepare students to learn 2D animation, visual development, character design and storyboarding. People who love animation, but not drawing, can become 3D animators. We have opened a campus in Annecy, in the French Alps, to train 3D animators. We also offer degree courses in Paris in producing animation and visual storytelling. Luckily, there’s no one way to excel in animation.
What is your take on the global animation scene today?
I am hardly an expert, but it seems everyone agrees we are currently experiencing a slump in the industry due to a range of factors. At the same time, a lot of people seem to think things are going to pick up soon. While I am usually skeptical about predicting the future, there is one thing I do feel pretty certain about: AI is going to have an impact on our industry. Did I mention that my responsibilities include the ongoing development of our curriculum? Among other things, we are working on how to teach the ethical use of AI to our students.
I’m sure many English-speaking students are curious about what it takes to become a student at Gobelins Paris. What would you tell them?
Again, it depends on the student’s interest. The name Gobelins is no longer simply synonymous with 2D animation. Students wishing to study 3D animation don’t need the kind of drawing skills required for our 2D degree programs. Those who wish to enter the graduate program, Master of Arts in character animation and animated film directing, must have studied animation already and/or worked professionally. Those wishing to enter the undergraduate 2D animation program need solid drawing skills. Draw, draw, draw! And remember that all our animation degree programs are now international. You don’t need to speak French! ◆