Diablo II: Resurrected is a remastered port of the classic dungeon-crawler and we got to craft some truly spectacular labors of love for Blizzard’s iconic franchise.
While working on this fiery set of artworks, Billelis focused on the importance of the franchise’s heritage, its lengthy history, and endless fan love while also managing his own creative needs and ideas. The combination of all these elements has shaped Bill’s voice within the artwork itself.
Billelis was an obvious choice for this project as there’s no one better suited to portraying such recognisable characters in this distinctly dark, mysterious, and powerful visual style!
The key visual art took around six months to create as there was a lot of back and forth communication with the client to make the piece true to the brand’s vision and legacy the game already has. Blizzard’s original artwork was created over 12 years ago and Billelis nailed the rebirth of the artwork shaping it into a whole new, contemporary style.
For NERD Productions it was one of the most exciting projects that Billelis has worked on and we were extremely excited to support the creation of such iconic pieces. Once again, an unbelievable collaboration with the artist who truly loves the franchise and his craft.
Our founder and creative executive producer on working like an animal, accepting failure and partying like it’s 1995.
Milana is an active diversity and a passionate equality advocate. Having built a successful diversity-led production company, Milana champions innovative and forward-thinking company culture, focusing on empowering and nurturing accomplished as well as young talent and talent from non-traditional backgrounds.
What was your first experience of leadership?
After being a runner for a while, I landed a cool new job – Office Manager at a busy production company in Soho. Sounds like quite a boring job if the title is anything to go by BUUUT.. I had a team of amazing runners to help me pull off the most random, eccentric production tasks as well as incredible parties, team bonding trips and sometimes even the most bizarre requests. No day was ever the same, no task was ever the same. It meant always being on your toes, continuously learning, meeting new talented people and partying like it’s 1995 every single day!
How did you figure out what kind of leader you wanted to be – or what kind of leader you didn’t want to be?
It was here that I first got the real taste of amazing leaders and also simply horrific ones too. There were those that were kind, polite and open to sharing their knowledge with others on the team regardless of their social background or what role they played in production. On the other hand, you had those that would talk to people like they were dirt on the bottom of their worn-out trendy Converse trainers! It was painful to watch, listen to and simply be in the same room with. Even though I had only little say at that point in my career, I often clashed with those individuals, perhaps even when the situation didn’t involve me at all as I just could not stand unfair behaviour! I knew I wanted to be different from them, power or no power, I did my best to be supportive but straight up at the same time, both with the ones who were mistreated and the ones that were favoured.
What experience or moment gave you your biggest lesson in leadership?
Being a young EP and getting so ahead too quickly! In my eyes I had the right to be there due to my relentless work energy and never saying no to a random all-night task or an unexpected challenge. With that came the need to prove myself though, to my peers whom I left behind, to older colleagues and specifically those that didn’t like me for many personal or subjective reasons – like being too young, too ethnic, or just for being from Croydon!
I worked like an animal, day & night. Missing family gatherings, birthdays – doing conference calls at funerals… yes, I did that! However, with the recognition and praise came the ego as well. There was a point where I started to care too much about myself and the unfair treatment I was getting, even in this position and actually forgetting that so many others had it the same or worse, but had much smaller voices than I did.
Did you know you always wanted to take on a leadership role? If so how did you work towards it and if not, when did you start realising that you had it in you?
I think three weeks into my first job in the industry I knew I would run a production company one day. Not because I wanted to lead, but because it really pissed me off how things were being managed from a clique and classist point of view and I wanted them to be done differently, based on merit and talent.
What are the aspects of leadership that you find most personally challenging? And how do you work through them?
I hate having to let people go! It’s never nice to have to let someone go so I always try to empower people to see why they may be better at something else or be more suited to another adventure. It’s not fair to keep people on if they are not the best version of themselves as they are wasting their own time too, not just yours.
Have you ever felt like you’ve failed whilst in charge? How did you address the issue and what did you learn from it?
We all fail! Sometimes you don’t notice a team member is down and struggling with something, be it personal or work related. Sometimes you don’t initially pay enough attention to a problem or an unusual friction between team members. I believe it’s all a part of the process and if we couldn’t learn and improve continuously in our industry, then I would just quit! It simply means it’s got to the point you don’t care enough anymore.
In terms of leadership and openness, what’s your approach there? Do you think it’s important to be transparent as possible in the service of being authentic? Or is there a value in being careful and considered?
I think honesty is the most important element of any successful relationship. We value this in our personal relationships so why not in our work collaborations? I’m not saying to share your every thought and worry, but to bring transparency while coming up with suggestions is always appreciated whichever side you are on.
As you developed your leadership skills did you have a mentor, if so who were/are they and what have you learned? And on the flip side, do you mentor any aspiring leaders and how do you approach that relationship?
I have had a few people to look up to over the years and some of those have let me down which is always devastating while others inspired and motivated me more than I expected. I mentor a lot of young and up & coming talent and always treat those as friendships and close relationships. You really have to get to know a person to be able to see their strengths & weaknesses and how to help them get to be the best they can be. It’s a big responsibility!
It’s been a really challenging year – and that’s an understatement. How do you cope with the responsibility of leading a team through such difficult waters?
Its not my first rodeo, ha! Sadly, I have had to lead teams through tough times before and that is one of my strengths – No matter what life throws at me, I just produce my way out of it. Staying calm and motivated in times of adversity is the best team bonding exercise you can ever ask for. You will be better for it and come out the other side with wonderful friends and more experience to add under your belt.
This year has seen the industry confronted with its lack of action/progress on diversity and inclusion. As a leader how have you dealt with this?
As a change maker in this specific area it’s been a fantastic year for my talented Directors, Illustrators and Photographers! They are finally getting the opportunities they have been side-lined for in the past for unfair reasons and they get to have a bit more of a spotlight.
How important is your company culture to the success of your business? And how have you managed to keep it alive with staff working remotely in 2020?
As a company that represents diverse talent, we have been a global company since our first day. Working remotely has not really meant that we have had to change a thing about how we craft. Our company culture is the only reason I started NERD, so it is the key to what we do, how we do it and why – every day!
What are the most useful resources you’ve found to help you along your leadership journey?
On the International Women’s Day, Esther Lalanne joins the diverse and inclusive NERD family, led by Executive Creative Producer/Founder Milana Karaica. NERD welcomes Esther Lalanne, body positive and whimsical visual artist.
Esther is a prolific visual artist who accurately represents bodies and identities, primarily women, who make our society. Esther’s bubbly and quirky aesthetic is inspired by everyday life and human interactions.
Esther has always loved to draw women; she says: ‘Growing up, I have always felt frustrated in this all-white-cis-male world, and drawing has been a useful way of expressing myself and others like me.’
Esther wants to depict a world where women, people of every race and sexuality, can be more visible and free to exist without expectations or limitations. She believes that the power of craft influences real life and people.
She creates fun visuals that touch the soul and speak to a vast array of people. Esther has worked with Refinery29, Ellen MacArthur Foundation, The Body Shop, King’s College London, Green Peace, ITV, and NHS.
Although our peers feel that efforts for a more diverse industry are being made; we still think that the actions taken are surface level, and black people are a rarity in our industry.
We spoke to black creatives who contribute significantly to their field and have asked them words of advice for current and future artists of colour wanting to break through the creative industry.
Next up is Animation Director Corinne Ladeinde.
Corinne is an award-winning animation director with a passion for storytelling, design, animation and illustration. After working as a lead compositor on projects such as The Snowman and the Snowdog and We’re going on a Bear Hunt! for Channel 4, Corinne further pursued her directing ambitions and has since directed a range of commercials and online films for clients such as Dove, Bach, Bonjela and Liz Earle amongst others.
When did you decide to become an animator/illustrator?
From the age of 6 and growing up, I had in mind that I will become an animator; but once I had graduated and dive into the professional world, I realised that I love storytelling and from then on, started directing.
How has your upbringing influenced the work that you do today?
My mum is a true stoic. She is my inspiration to always investing my time in the things I truly enjoy. My mother used my brother and me as an excuse to watch the latest animated Disney films at the time. I grew up on a diet of animation from the Lion King to Aladin and The Nightmare Before Christmas. When I was a kid, I was reading a lot, attended regular arts and crafts activities, theatre and galleries. All these things have influenced my vision as an artist.
What advice would you give your younger self?
“To act as if it’s impossible to fail”. This is an Anthony Hopkins quote, that I have learned to live by.
How has it been transitioning from composing to directing?
Working with NERD Productions has allowed me to work with other directors of different disciplines which have helped me to broaden my horizons and offer clients a more varied approach to their work.
Since this whole thing started, many of us around the world, even those who haven’t been infected by the virus, have had to self-isolate at home for the past few months. Before that, we’ve all had planned to travel the world, meet-up with loved-ones, attend weddings, parties or grab a coffee with a colleague – simply, enjoy our lives in different ways. Working from home for us, NERDs, was nothing new, although this situation is a bit different. NERD’s Executive Producer and avid painter Claire shares her tips to coping with self-isolation and anxiety, which we hope will help you or someone you know turn things around and enjoy the simple things we might sometime take for granted.
Self-isolation and social distancing are the new normal. Offices are indeed closed, live-action productions cancelled yet our audiences are going to be online for many hours more and it’s the best time to reach out to out to them through animation & illustration. In short, self-isolation might mean disruption to working life, but also means new opportunities and exploring new horizons!
Illustrator Luke Preece’s guide to finding your own identity as a visual artist and turning your passion into a career.
Before I focused on illustration I was a graphic designer full time and a musician as a side hustle. I could definitely talk at length about my career choices and how I ended up where I am today. It might be beneficial to others coming up… I like helping younger generations where I can. I’m a father to two girls so the parent in me naturally wants to encourage being creative as a viable career choice. There’s never been a better time than now… The opportunities are endless.
Home workouts are just as good as the ones performed at the gym – keeping fit whilst working from home feels amazing to your body & mind, and it’s always a good way to start or finish off your day.
Climate change is a hot topic lately, and for very good reason. While all of the issues we face in today’s society are extremely important, this is something that we felt needs as much attention as possible and immediate drastic action before it’s too late. The more we can help to raise awareness, the better.
