PRINT’s latest Designer of the Week, 23-year-old LA-based Alejandro Robledo Mejia, a professional film and television CG/VFX artist, animator and designer at Imaginary Forces, and founder of RMA Design. He’s worked on design and video transitions for the 2016 MTV Movie Awards, modeled 3D viruses for a teaser trailer for National Geographic’s 2016 documentary Zero Days, and crafted high-speed bullet shots for the new series No Man Left Behind. Below, he explains where he believes the industry is heading and where he’s invested all of his savings, and shares with us his experience working on both a very recent trailer for Transformers: The Last Knight and a Transformers logo reveal.
Name: Alejandro Robledo Mejia
Name of Studios: RMA Design, Imaginary Forces, Prologue, and Tool
Location: Los Angeles
Design school attended: MICA–Maryland Institute College of Art
How would you describe your work?
My design is built upon very strong understandings of grid systems and typography, and is executed through technical excellence that I’ve achieved by studying CGI and VFX softwares.
Where do you find inspiration?
My inspiration is found on my travels. I enjoy traveling to exotic places in South America and around the globe. I find inspiration in sports and pushing my body to the limit. Traveling and working out open my mind to unique ideas that I expose and bring to life through my design work. I tend to stay away from the internet because I achieve more unique pieces when I brainstorm them out of my own soul.
Who are some of your favorite designers or artists?
My favorite designer is Ash Thorp. He has been a true inspiration and help in my career. I am also a fan of Raoul Marx because of his eye for technical execution, as well as Adam Swaab’s amazing Houdini skills. I am also a big fan of Simon Holmedal because of his eye for design and technical execution with Houdini, and C4D.
Do you have a favorite among all the projects you’ve worked on?
My favorite project I’ve ever worked on was the trailer for Transformers: The Last Knight. I had always envisioned myself working on a Transformers movie, and I was able to achieve my goal with this project. It kept me motivated and excited the entire journey! I also had an amazing time working with the trailer’s director, Tosh Kodama, as he was very helpful in the entire process.
Is there a project that stands out to you as having been the biggest challenge of your career so far?
The biggest and most challenging project I’ve worked on so far was the new Transformers logo reveal at Imaginary Forces. I worked on the design idea, concept development, production and animation. I also helped model the structures for the new logo, which was truly challenging because of its complexity. Compositing the elements and FX was intricate because of all of the layers it took to get the design that director Michael Bay desired.
What do you hope to accomplish in the future?
I hope to establish myself as one of the world’s top designers and technical experts. I plan to specialize in Houdini and design unique boards where I will direct and create truly unique content and videos for both film and commercial industries. I’ve invested all my savings into a GPU-based render farm, which I believe is the future of the industry, and will begin putting very interesting Houdini and Octane work out into the world in 2017 from my own RMA offices.
What’s your best advice for designers today?
My advice is to always follow your passion. Design has a lot of possibilities, and your job as a designer is to find your interest with no fear toward the unknown. I believe that technology is the root of development, and so I advise future designers to invest a lot of time in learning the software. A brilliant mind that can’t execute the ideas in his head cannot show the world the potential behind the projects that float inside [his] head. Lastly, work hard and play harder.
Support PRINT!
The experts who write for PRINT magazine cover the why of design—why the world of design looks the way it does, how it has evolved, and why the way it looks matters. Subscribe to PRINT today, and get in on the conversation of what the brightest minds in the field are talking about right now—essential insight that every designer should know to get ahead.
Treat y
ourself and your team to a year of PRINT for $40—which includes the massive Regional Design Awards issue ($30 on newsstands).
