The Lebanese diaspora in Los Angeles has proven its remarkable talent and creativity internationally, with André Zakhya making waves as a renowned 3D artist and animator.
From an architecture background, André has seamlessly transitioned his skills into storytelling through spatial designs.
He combines his spatial knowledge with cutting-edge tools and techniques for world-building, which breathes life into television shows, games, music videos, immersive media and commercials.
Among André's notable collaborations are prestigious names such as HBO, Apple TV, Blackpink, Nicki Minaj, Lil Nas X, Riot Games, Marshmallow Laser Feast, Mazda, Seven Lions, Becky G and Zeds Dead.
Inspiration from Lebanese heritage: Building non-physical environments
When asked about the inspiration behind his animations and how he uses his Lebanese heritage as an artistic style, André told LBCI English: "I get inspired by my own culture and my own country. This is where everything started for me, being raised and born in Lebanon, at a really young age, I was fascinated by all the streets and the different landscapes."
He added: "This is what actually made me interested in architecture in the first place because I come from a background in architecture. This is what made me make the switch from architecture to animation because I wanted to build environments that are not bound to the physical boundaries and instead focus on the imagination."
Challenges and overcoming them: Culture shock and staying up to date with technology
Regarding the challenges he faces as an artist, André stated, "Coming from Lebanon to the US, there's definitely a different culture … I had a culture shock when I came here," he added that the main issue is in staying up to date with technology.
"The animation world … it is very niche, like the real-time animation stuff; what I'm actually doing is always evolving, so I always have to keep on being up to date with the most recent software, the most recent techniques."
In terms of overcoming challenges, Zakhya finds help from his friends and colleagues from different backgrounds and parts of the world.
"We all have the same interests, and we all face the same challenges. So, we stick together and always, even if each one of us works separately in a different company within the entertainment industry …, we always try to stay in touch and always talk about the most recent thing that just got released … We always stay connected."
Message and emotion in art: Creating immersive experiences for the audience
When asked about the main message or emotion he wants to convey through his art, André told LBCI English that as an artist working with a company in the music industry, he and his team try to focus their work on concert visuals and music videos.
"This obviously relates to the audience experience and, you know, kind of making the best concert experience for the audience, whether it is a live show or a festival Like Coachella, the one I just did with Blackpink, we try to keep the emotions very high for the audience, and I think personally as the work that I would like to do on my own, I would do it by going back to my own culture, to my own heritage because I think there's a lot of stories to uncover there, and I can tell a lot of these stories through animations … Especially in this area because it is kind of always misrepresented, especially here in the US."
Artistic process: From pitch deck to 3D environments in real-time
Starting a new project can be challenging for artists. Sharing some insights about his artistic process and how he goes about creating a new project, André revealed that it usually starts with getting approached by clients, and then the producers on the team would communicate the pitch deck, where the clients would give them the 2D reference images of the environment.
"Basically, as an animator, and we are like a team of maybe 2 or 3 animators in the company that I work with, we each get assigned one of the environments, and we translate all of the 2D images into 3D full environments in real-time, meaning that we use software usually used to build games."
According to him, those software have reached a very advanced level technically and have become so sophisticated that people use them for content generation, animation and movies.
"This allows us a very dynamic process where we can set up the scene quickly, and because it is real-time, that means we can try different lighting techniques, different compositions at a really fast pace."
"I think that's what actually makes our workflow very efficient in the music industry because usually we get approached one or two weeks before a concert sometimes, so this is actually very effective in a way where we can deliver really fast and very high-quality animations and content," he expressed.
To the young Lebanese trying to make it, André Zakhya, as someone who is Lebanese and very attached to his own culture, affirmed via LBCI English, "it is not hard for me to get detached and decide to go on the other side of the world to follow my passion."
He concluded by saying his message that even if everything is hard in Lebanon, "It is about following whatever passion you want to pursue, and coming, especially for me from a background in architecture and doing that switch of really working in animation can also be a message of not following traditions and how we usually think about only building for the real physical world, but actually you could push that boundary into building worlds for movies, games, and music videos … pushing these types of typical traditional thoughts you always have."
Let's dive into some of the extraordinary projects that have propelled André to the forefront of the industry.
Blackpink - Coachella 2023
One of André's most outstanding achievements was his involvement in the concert visuals for Blackpink's Coachella performance in 2023.
As a Strangeloop Studios member, André played a pivotal role in constructing and animating audio-reactive environments that synchronized in real-time with the music.
Working closely with Blackpink's creative direction and drawing inspiration from their music videos, fashion aesthetics, and brand identity, André and the visual effects team created a visually cohesive and captivating experience for the audience.
HBO - Random Acts of Flyness, Episode 3, Season 2
In Episode 3 of Season 2 of HBO's acclaimed series Random Acts of Flyness, André directed and animated two animation sequences. The first sequence immersed viewers in an enchanting world while narrating an old Liberian fable about three brothers attempting to escape slave catchers.
The animation showcased breathtaking landscapes, including dense forests teeming with exotic wildlife, sparkling rivers and streams, and ancient ruins of a lost civilization.
The second sequence explored the concept of alternative life choices, featuring a mysterious and surreal animated world characterized by floating bodies and intriguing spaces.
Seven Lions - "Every Time" Music Video
André's talent and expertise were showcased once again in creating a virtual production music video for Seven Lions.
As the Lead Environment Artist, he contributed from the early stages of the project, transforming reference images into immersive 3D real-time environments. His role extended to assisting the Fuse Technical team operators on the XR set.
Each scene in the music video was meticulously designed to resemble an otherworldly realm reminiscent of ancient mythologies and fantasy landscapes—the virtual production technology seamlessly integrated live-action performances into the captivating virtual environment.
Apple TV - "Swan Song"
André's creativity extended into the world of cinema, where he served as a Concept Animator for the near-future sci-fi film, "Swan Song."
His task involved exploring the film's futuristic technology's early look, feel, and behavior. André and the team designed a collection of minimalist and clean robots that seamlessly blended into the film's environment without falling into cyberpunk clichés.
Through previz animations and concept stills, they meticulously refined the form and materiality of the concession bot, a key narrative device in the film's opening scenes.
André Zakhya's journey as a real-time 3D artist and animator has exemplified the creative spirit and talent of the Lebanese diaspora.
With his unique ability to tell stories through spatial designs and his proficiency in modern tools and techniques, André continues to leave an indelible mark on the world of visual storytelling.
As his collaborations with renowned names in the industry grow in number and stature, the future is undoubtedly bright for this exceptionally talented artist.