Even in brutality, it has to be entertaining.
MBG Core
ART . January 20th, 2020Hello Marc-Aurélien, so who’s behind MGB Core?
Hi Guillaume, there’s only me behind mbgcore, Marc-Aurélien; French self-taught artist, mbgcore – for motion blaster graphics – is the evolution of my first name. I have not academic background regarding animation but and I’ve always been seduced by this domain, I made my first edits using After effect, then I started real 3D in 2013 when I discovered Cinema 4D software. Since that day I never stopped practicing. I started by watching some tutorials on youtube for basics then I let my creativity goes.
Were you prepared to the huge success that followed the publication of this insane video?
Has it had an impact on your life? [see above]
It wasn’t expected and that was a very cool surprise. The funny thing is that I was close to gave up this project because I had some physics issues, that’s why some part are cut, and showing them would have ruin the scene. It took me some time to accept that the final render was not so bad. The building used for this animation is located in Auray, in the Morbihan region of France.
People from different domains contacted me, directors, singers, producers. (My favourite was maybe when the director of District 9 movie, Neil Blomkamp wrote on Instagram to congratulate me and told me that he loves my work). So it had an interesting impact for sure, and still today. However, for me the most important is the fact that they notice my work rather than the things it could bring. It’s not about selfishness, I just like to keep creativity intimate. Of course I’m not categorical but create for myself is more important than any collaboration.
The other side of is the fact that this animation has been stolen without credit a hundred times and some of them put their name over mine. Those events really confirmed to me that there are 2 kind of people. Some are just “parasites”, existing only by stepping over other people work. But the cool thing is that there is always somebody to warn me, tagging me in comment of the stolen repost. It’s funny and cool to see that a lot of people know my work and my name.
What can we find in this crazy head of yours?
You would find some cool stuffs waiting to exist :) I’m always looking for something that could bring powerful emotions, when you apply the right soundtrack to an accurate situation you can create very interesting feelings. Instagram helps a lot to make this idea possible, I can use any track I want and it’s an awesome “privilege”.
It makes me smile when some people say I need to see a psychiatrist because of my brutal animations. Where you see something rough I only see physics challenges but I can understand that some final edits can be rough sometimes. The reason why you can see so much women in my project is mostly because dresses simulations and long hair are way more interesting to watch moving than a guy with short hair wearing a jean. Until now, projects has been pretty soft but I know I will release some way more hardcore stuffs in future, but I always try to keep an aesthetic approach. Even in brutality, it has to be entertaining.
Which tools (softwares and plugins) are you using and how did you learn to use them?
It depends on the project, when it’s about destruction I will use ‘Fracture Voronoi Mograph’ from C4D, ‘Xparticle4’ plugin for dust and ‘TFD’ plugin for smoke simulation. Then After effect for compositing and sounds. For dynamics characters I use Endorphin, a software outdated for years but still powerful. For clothes I use Marvelous designer, an awesome tool. When all these simulations are done then I go back to C4D, I apply dynamics hair, import the clothes, C4D is like a kitchen, and other softs like ingredients.
Can you guide us through the production process behind an animation?
I think it’s better to stay on visual entertainment with people, and keep technical process for me. I do not really find pleasure having technical conversation. I will really prefer when people react about the meaning of an animation rather than asking for process details. It would be complex to explain and having the same soft doesn’t mean that we will do the same stuffs.
Why don’t we find any information about you on the internet?
I prefer to highlight the work before the person for now and it’s always better to keep a part of mystery. I will introduce myself one day because it’s normal to humanize things, just not a priority. I closed my Facebook account last years because I was harassed with technical questions regarding my posts, some shown disrespect because I didn’t reply. It make me understand that my work was more singular than I thought. In our century everybody can get any soft for free and contact you personally. The only kind of person I have replied were people with some passion and a respectful approach. I mostly share my work as a photographer would share his pictures, not more, but 3D is a complex field and many people love it, only a few of them won’t give up, it needs passion really more than the concerned softwares.
Are you trying to convey something special to the viewer with your animations?
I try to create what would like to see, so I hope people can find an interest by viewing something different. I was captivated by these first CGI virals stuffs years ago, I try to go with different things, moods and intensity. I like how people notice small details sometimes, it’s interesting to read comments. I wish people recognize my style quickly. Some of them were already watching my work when I was on Facebook, they have been first spectators of my evolution. Now I feel at the right place at the right moment, like aligned planets, with an interesting audience. The only focus now is to touch peoples with honest work.
Did you plan to work on a longer animation in the future? or like a music video, for Aphex Twin maybe? ,)
I think to work on something longer in future but it’s a real challenge to get an interesting narrative. However, feedbacks from 2019 projects are a real motivation. I’m careful because it’s easy to get involved in something not sure, or that will take a lot of times to execute, instead of keeping pleasure on smaller projects that can have a bigger impact than a 15min short film or more.
Regarding Aphex Twin that would be cool for sure, but I’m not twisted enough for him :) I do not like every of his works but some of these touched me a lot, it make me understand how possible it is to offer an intimate vision of your art. People usually don’t realise but making a whole clip would be a massive work, maybe more for a team than one guy only. Lots of followers thinks MBGcore is a company or a team – but it’s not, just a person sharing some personal works.
What’s next for you?
Nothing is really planned, it’s mostly instinctive. I like going this way, but make something that could stay in minds in future would be cool. I’m not against collaboration but I keep my own creativity as a priority. 2019 has been a very interesting year, so let’s hope that 2020 will be the same and more. I try to stay careful with art, it’s easy to get drowned under your ideas, I always try to find the right balance between screens and real life. But I’m my first spectator and there is always a part of curiosity regarding my next project, and that’s a pretty cool feeling.
What are you going to do just after having answered to this final question?
Put my headphones on, the volume way too loud, to study tracks that inspire me nice projects.
MBG Core is french 3D artist and animator. Find his work on Instagram or Youtube.