Directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is set in a shared multiverse called the "Spider-Verse," which features different alternate universes. The film revolves around Miles Morales who is bitten by a radioactive spider and suddenly develops mysterious powers that transform him into Spider-Man. He then teams up with the Spider-Men of different dimensions to stop a threat to all reality.
Watch the trailer below:
Before premiering in the Philippines, we had the chance to talk to Ryan Rubi who is the Senior Technical Director of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse where he shares what his contributions are to the film, how he got in the industry, what his favorite projects are and more. Read the full interview below:
For those who don't know what a Senior Technical Director is, what exactly does one do?
Ryan Rubi: I mostly do shot works and early-stage development of assets for the movie before it goes into sequences and shots. I also maintain those assets from start until the end of the project. To make it simple, I design and build clothes, hair and muscle setup for certain characters and make them move!
How did your passion for art and animation come about? Was it a huge part of your childhood growing up? When did you realize you wanted this as your career?
Ryan Rubi: I was never an artistic person, but I’ve always been into computers when I was a kid. I started to realize I wanted to pursue animation when I visited an animation studio. After college, I tried my best to get into the company that I visited, but the studio ended up closing a few months after I joined. It was the only option I had in the Philippines so I told my parents I was going to move overseas to get the chance to work at a bigger company. I continued to set goals for myself to learn and grow.
How represented are Filipino artists in the industry?
Ryan Rubi: The Filipino community is still new and small overseas which is why I hope in the future we get the chance to contribute more to this industry since there are so many talented and skilled artists.
Among all your works, which ones are your favorites?
Ryan Rubi: All of them! Seeing all the development and work we did in the final product makes me proud, and by getting exposed to extreme challenges, I always learn something new on every project.
How is this film different from all of the other films you've worked on?
Ryan Rubi: A feature animated film can take a year or more to finish. Compared to previous films that I’ve worked on, it only takes about half a year or less to finish because most of the films I’ve worked on are visual effects for live-action films.
Any scene we should be looking forward to in the film?
Ryan Rubi: All the funny parts!
Do you have any projects or films you would want to be a part of?
Ryan Rubi: I wish I worked on “Monster House” and “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.” When I was young, it was my dream to work on those animated movies.
Any other films you're currently working on? Where can we see your work after this film?
I’m currently working on “The Mitchells vs The Machines”.
How do people break into the animation industry?
Ryan Rubi: If you are passionate and driven, there's a lot of ways to get into the animation industry. You can get a degree in animation or visual effects, or you can self-study. All animation software are now accessible online and can also be learned through self-study.
Do you have any advice to young, aspiring artists who would want to follow in your footsteps?
Ryan Rubi: Keep doing what you love and make your parents proud!
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Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, distributed by Columbia Pictures, opens in PH cinemas on December 12. Check the complete screening schedule here.
