Virtual Reality Design In Entertainment
To say Gaston Carballal is busy would be an understatement.
For the past 16 years, Gaston Carballal has worked in motion graphics at Viacom - Telefe, the leading television channel in Argentina. Since 2015, Gaston has been teaching at Image Campus and instructs 3D motion graphics and art history. He also freelances as the creative lead for numerous global brands. Notably, he was the digital art director and producer for the latest NIKE sportswear campaign, in Argentina. He'll also be leading NIKE’s live activation at Lollapalooza Argentina. For this project, he managed and built three audio-visual pieces that coalesced virtual reality and animation to create inspiring visuals that focused on celebrating the slick design of the AIRMAX 720 shoe. If that wasn’t enough, his passion for traditional fine arts materials and technology lead him to study set design and theatre. He has worked on digital scenography for multiple programs, including The Voice, Rising Star, and Got Talent Argentina. His work on Rising Star got him a Tato award nomination for Best Art Direction for a Non-Fiction Program.
We had the pleasure of chatting about his professional arts practice, and his love for virtual reality.
Maria Antonieta
Hi Gaston. Tell us a little about yourself
Hello! My name is Gaston Carballal and I'm from Argentina. Throughout my career, I have worked in several areas such as editing and entertainment. I studied Motion Graphics at Image Campus in Argentina to develop my 3D skills as a generalist, and I teach there now. Always wanting to learn more, I am currently in my last year of a degree in Scenography. This has let me have a richer connection with the plastic arts by having real contact with materials.
Which materials are influencing your work in Virtual Reality?
I would say drawing, painting, costume design, use of tempera paints, wood, and cloth. With these mediums, a beautiful new world opened up to me. Every day is like the first day of creating art! These materials help continue my investigation and enjoyment of the creative process. Blending the principals of these materials with VR is the vehicle which allows me to showcase stories, ideas, and concepts.
Set Design by Gaston Carballal of the 1939 Play “Mother Courage and Her Children” (1898-1956)
What do you enjoy most about working with MPVR & VR in general?
VR brings us into a world that is without limits. It has refocused the conversation of where art can go because it allows for a fully immersive form of creativity. In the past, it was hard to do this. Now, we exist in a new artistic frontier. After experimenting in MasterpieceVR, I found that I could really experience my own artistic creation. MasterpieceVR is a user-friendly program with the easiest learning curve I have experienced. The most incredible thing is that the tools are sensitive to how you use the controllers. It is a powerful program.
You mentioned that you work within entertainment? What kind of role and projects have you worked on?
Yes, my career is essentially in television and partly in theatre. I have always worked closely with live TV shows and their theatrical versions. I work on the digital scenography and overall visuals. Within traditional theatres, I have worked on productions like Fiddler on the Roof, and more commercial ventures such as the Gran Rex and Luna Park Stadium.
Prometeo Encadenado
How do you use MPVR for theatre production?
I see virtual reality as a high-quality vehicle that can quickly put together concept art.
Theatre often needs this. Within the theatre’s current workflows, there are limitations because it is still considered a more traditional medium. I have no doubt that in a couple of years virtual reality will help accurately visualize scenery sets and sketches. With VR you can achieve a real perspective of the set before building it. No other medium can provide this. I think it's all a matter of time!
A lot of your own work references or is an homage to the classics. Can you tell me a little bit more about that?
The classics remind us who we really are. It’s the root of where my art comes from. The stories and varying narratives hold a passion I align with. Everything about our lives is reflected in art and theatre history. We have root conflicts like those on Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, and Moliere's books. There's even an interesting phrase by him that goes: "Castigat ridendo mores", which means "To correct our mistakes with laughter". So, how can we not see the links between these great stories and those that are unfolding today in our society?
What do you think is the most exciting thing about Virtual Reality?
I love art. I am an observer and have a background in traditional painting… but I guess I’m more of an enthusiast! [hahaha]
There was this point, while I was looking at a painting, I asked myself, “What was going through this artist's mind?”. This artist only allowed me to see through a window... but I want to be inside it. A strange idea, since at that time it was impossible. Then I discovered sculpting and painting with VR. This created a paradigm shift of what I thought was an artistic experience. Virtual reality creates worlds that can be experienced in the first person.
What are the things that you like about MasterpieceVR?
MasterpieceVR allows me to create more organic brushstrokes, and think much more about how to give the art piece an internal movement through the software's beautiful brushstrokes. It's a very intuitive software.
What are some other things you are into these days?
I currently worked with NIKE for a series of web commercials for the launch of its new model of shoes, the AIR MAX 720 and will be at Lollapalooza Argentina for a continuation on that project.
AIR MAX 720 Advertisement for NIKE