Visit to We Are Playgrounds
A Day Among Creators
Sometimes you need to step outside your own world for a moment to get a fresh perspective on what you’re doing. Not because you’re missing something, but because you’re too close to it. During the We Are Playgrounds event in Eindhoven, the motion team— Dennis, Jet, Susanne, and Coen—discovered that it’s not the end result that matters most, but everything that comes before it.
Concept \ Creation \ Storytelling \ Motion design \ 3D visualization \ Animation \ Visual identity \ Creative direction \ Composition \ Rhythm & timing \ Iteration \ Visual language \ Concept \ Creation \ Storytelling \ Motion design \ 3D visualization \ Animation \ Visual identity \ Creative direction \ Composition \ Rhythm & timing \ Iteration \ Visual language
What goes on behind the scenes of the films and animations that you usually only see as finished products? That’s what Playgrounds’ The Art Department focuses on. In Eindhoven, creators come together to showcase their work, but above all to offer insight into how they create it.
After a delayed train ride, we arrived a little later than planned, but that was quickly forgotten. What immediately stands out is that presentations here aren’t just about the final results, but about the whole process. Sketches, drafts, and experiments are discussed just as seriously as the final image.
Throughout the various sessions, it became clear just how diverse the approaches are among creators. From illustrators to animation studios, everyone works differently, but always with a clear vision.
While some start with quick sketches and intuitive choices, others work within a tightly structured system. Those differences are what make it interesting. It shows that there isn’t just one way to create strong work, but that choices and direction are ultimately what matter.
Building worlds before they come to life
A recurring theme is just how important the visual foundation is before animation can even begin. Concept artists and designers spend a great deal of time developing environments, atmosphere, and visual logic.
You can see that foundation, for example, in work where the use of color and composition already tell a story without anything moving. Only then do we consider animation, timing, and interaction.
Key takeaways:
• Worlds are first designed visually before they are animated
• Color and composition influence how a scene is interpreted
• Consistency in style fosters recognition and credibility
• The animation builds on what has already been established visually
You don’t just see that kind of choice in big-budget film productions. In shorter videos and animations, too, this structure ultimately determines how impactful a story comes across. It’s precisely that layer that makes all the difference.
Style is created through choices and combinations
In addition to studios, individual creators also demonstrated how they develop their style. This rarely happens overnight. It comes about through experimentation, experimentation, and making conscious choices.
For example, in projects where multiple artists collaborate on a single video, each with their own visual style. Despite these differences, the overall work holds together because there are clear guidelines. It also became apparent how creators use, adapt, and translate references into something unique. Style, therefore, is not a fixed concept, but something that is constantly evolving.
What stands out in it:
• Style is created by combining techniques
• References are adapted to suit the context
• Collaboration can lead to new visual directions
It makes it clear that style is not a fixed concept, but something that continues to evolve.
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What it takes to make a production compelling
During Blur Studios’ presentation, it became clear what goes into larger-scale productions. For their episode ofSecret Level, they spent two years working on a 15-minute film, built entirely in Unreal Engine. What stands out most is the number of decisions that must be made before anything is finalized. Characters are developed in dozens of variations, and environments are also tweaked multiple times before they feel right.
In addition, they provided insight into the pipeline: how assets are built, how different teams collaborate, and how everything ultimately comes together in a single production. It highlights just how much coordination and precision are required to create a consistent world.
What became clear there:
• Major productions are the result of many small decisions
• Iterations are necessary to arrive at the right form
• Every image is the result of extensive preparation
It shows that conviction comes from attention to detail, not just from scale or budget.
Technology and creativity evolve hand in hand
As several creators demonstrated, technique is not a separate element, but directly influences how something looks and feels. Instead of first developing an idea and then choosing a technique, both evolve simultaneously.
This is evident in projects where 2D and 3D are not used as separate disciplines, but are instead combined. For example, redrawing over existing animations creates a dynamic that cannot be achieved using a single technique.
This makes it clear that how something is made is just as important as what is made.
What a day like this adds to the way you see things
Not everything you see will directly relate to your own work. And it doesn’t have to. What this day offers above all is insight into how others work—how decisions are made, how projects are structured, and how different disciplines come together. By seeing how others work, how decisions are made, and how projects are structured, a different perspective naturally emerges.
And that’s exactly what influences how you approach projects yourself, from the initial idea to the final implementation. Not to take over, but to gain a clearer understanding of what’s possible.
