What is your name and your current occupation?
Hi! My name is Carla Pereira (http://carlapereira.com/) and nowadays I am working in the filming of a stop-motion short movie. I work also as a freelance illustrator.
What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Before working in the animation business I have tried a bit of everything! But one of the most curious jobs I took was as an artistic nude model for the faculty of Fine Arts. I worked there for many years.
What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
My favorite one is the stop-motion series “Clay Kids”, from Clay Animation (http://www.claykids.com/). I worked with a good deal of wonderful professionals, and I learned a lot.
Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
I was born in Buenos Aires (Argentina), but I did study Fine Arts in Valencia (Spain). I focused in Animation in the Fac and I shot my first stop-motion movie in there, a short one about a giant spider. A man came into the studio during the filming, watched what we were shooting and liked it. Later I knew He was looking for volunteers for an internship in his stop-motion enterprise, and I joined them. They employed me once the internship was over.
What’s a typical day like for you with regards to your job?
My typical day is as follows: if I have some scene to finish I set to animate it; if not, it is time to look for the chief animator and ask for more. He then takes me to the studio and explains to me the mood of the character, and whatever happened before or is about to happen. Then He plays some acting to show me the way He wants the character moves. After that I am left alone in the studio and I listen to the audio, so I can settle the lipsing with the Dragon Stop Motion. I listen to the audio several times and I gesticulate and try to understand the movement of the character (if I have to, I look my reflection in a mirror). I draw on a paper the key frames for the character with an eye on the audio syncro. I check all the atrezzo to be sure everything is on its place, I place the rig (if the character is gonna jump or make any movement that needs one). I close the black courtain and start with the animation. Once I finish I cover the characters with a layer of transparent film.
What part of your job do you like best? Why?
The part I like the most is the process of animating.
What part of your job do you like least? Why?
Really, I love everything about it.
What kind of technology do you work with on a daily basis, how has technology changed in the last few years in your field and how has that impacted you in your job?
I work mostly with “Dragon Stop Motion”. Later, the post-production team works on the edition with “After Effects”. I reckon that the use of computers in stop-motion became a revolution, cuz it makes things so much easier! I can´t imagine how hard it would be for the animators in earlier times to animate without keeping track of the whole scene til the end, putting marks on the ground to remember where the character was placed previously.
What is the most difficult part for you about being in the business?
Mmmh… getting a job
In your travels, have you had any brushes with animation greatness?
I did work with David Caballer, who is one of the top animators here in Spain. And once I talked with Suzie Templeton. I carried a bag to which I attached some doll’s arms. She looked straight to it and said: “I like your bag”. Does it count?
Describe a tough situation you had in life.
Once I lost my dog, and I couldn´t find him.
Any side projects you’re working on that you’d like to share details of?
I am working in a stop-motion short movie together with the “Colectivo Engranaje” (http://engranaje.es/), for whom I designed and built the main character. I did also the animation. The title is “El ascensor” (“The elevator”) and the teaser can be seen here: El ascensor. Â Lately, I did some work too with the illustrations on the motion graphics for the wipe transitions of a web series. It was quite an interesting project, this one. The series is called “Tropos” and you can find it here: http://tropos.es/cortinilla/
Any unusual talents or hobbies like tying a cherry stem with your tongue or metallurgy?
For a while I was interested in Thanatopraxis (?) -guess embalming is a more regular name-. I even took some practices.
Is there any advice you can give for an aspiring animation student or artist trying to break into the  business?
It is a hard one, You better love it!
Wow, it’s not everyday you see someone answer “Thanatopraxis” as their hobbies, ha ha. Very interesting stuff! I haven’t been by lately (been crazy busy with projects) but it’s great to see the interviews are continuing, and I need to make a note to pop over more often to read them. It’s a terrific way to keep up with other animators and what’s being worked on. Thanks for putting in the hard work to get these up, I know it’s a process and sometimes we readers take it for granted! It’s appreciated. 🙂