Patrick O’Keefe
Production Designer, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part 1), Sony Pictures Animation Age: 37 Birthplace: Toronto School: Studied illustration at Sheridan College; film design at Emily Carr Institute.
First time I knew I wanted to work in animation: My interest has always been to tell stories, and visuals are my strongest form of communication. I did not originally set out to work in animation, but it is where my path has led me.
Fave cartoons: I grew up with Looney Tunes and ‘90s
Saturday morning cartoons like X-Men and Batman. I was raised by The Simpsons: Sunday nights at 8 p.m. were like church. I saw all the Disney movies of the ’90s as they dropped in, but it was The Nightmare Before Christmas that taught me that animation could be weird.
Animation heroes: My earliest influences were my older brother and all the art that was left by my grandmother, who was a painter and life drawing instructor. Henry Moore, Titian, Dalí and the Dutch Masters were some of my first exposures to the world of art. In my teens,
I became very focused on film and began to discover the work of cinematographers like Emmanuel Lubezki, Roger Deakins and Conrad Hall, who are all still major influences.
What I love about my job: The ability to collaborate with so many talented and interesting people is at the core of my love affair with this job. I am blessed to work with a team that is so open to sharing their ideas while also being so accepting of direction on how we can push our ideas further.
Biggest challenge: The challenge of the sequel is somewhat due to the success of the first film; we have been emboldened by the reception of the first film and are pushing ourselves further. It’s both exciting and terrifying, as creating anything new should be.
Best career advice: Understand and investigate the things that you find interesting, they are the window to your own creations. Do not worry about fitting in with your contemporaries. Learn to express yourself. Be open to collaboration. Your goal is the pursuit of the most appropriate and effective way to tell a story.
On Spidey fan reactions: They’re so eager to share their connection to the first film and how it affected them, which is always welcome and heartwarming to hear. There’s usually a barrage of questions about Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy, what is Spider-Man 2099’s role? I love our fans. They are so invested and excited which motivates me and the team to make sure we give the fans what they deserve.
Future plans: I hope t her pursue my work as an illustrator and eventually get a chance to direct my own stories when I feel they are ready to share.