Continuing Creativity During Production with Zombie Studio

Zombie Studio is an animation studio headquartered in Sao Paulo, with offices also in New York and Lisbon. With an innovative approach to production and end-to-end creative capabilities, creative director and founder, Paulo Garcia tells LBB that the studio’s growth and success is a result of its collaborative spirit.

Founded almost by accident in 2011, Paulo became fascinated by the potential of 3D technology and Zombie shortly emerged, transforming his freelance work into consistent client relationships. With his business and life partner, Natalia Gouvea, applying her strong managerial skills and strategic vision, the studio's foundations were laid, creating a space where creativity and production could thrive.  

“Over the years, we’ve continued to bring in professionals and artists from diverse disciplines, further enhancing our ability to integrate creation and production seamlessly,” he says, explaining that 90% of their projects are now for global brands and agencies. “But we also take great pride in working with local collaborators to elevate the Brazilian creative scene,” he adds. 

Above: Paulo and Natalia collecting a Ciclope Award

“Our offices in New York and Lisbon play a crucial role in bridging these worlds. They allow us to be closer to our clients in North America and Europe, fostering real-time collaboration while maintaining a global perspective. This geographic flexibility enables us to adapt seamlessly to different markets, cultures, and creative needs.”

Additionally, Zombie’s network of artists and collaborators is truly global –  with 50% being Brazilian, and the other half hailing from diverse nationalities and countries. “This multicultural mix enriches our creative output, allowing us to bring unique perspectives and styles to every project, no matter where it originates from.”

More than half the time, Zombie Studio works end-to-end on projects – from concepting and writing, through to production and animation.  But the remaining 40% or so of their work homes in on specific expertise in animation and production. “In either scenario, we strive to elevate the storytelling and visual quality, ensuring that every frame embodies our commitment to excellence.”

With extensive experience in adland, Paulo adds that, in both cases, his team helps to shape the agency’s concept, “enriching the idea” with fresh solutions and perspectives. “We believe that the creative process doesn’t end with ideation – it continues into production. By combining the strengths of both worlds, we ensure that the final execution is as innovative and impactful as the original vision.”

To ensure this is a seamless process, Zombie has developed workflows that integrate every stage of production, supported by cutting-edge tools and technologies. Moreover, Paulo has fostered a horizontal management style and company culture that empowers everyone to contribute. While this tailor-made approach means fewer projects are taken on, the opinions and talent of each artist involved is considered and valued as a result. 

“This approach allows us to prioritise quality and meaningful collaboration over volume, resulting in outcomes we’re genuinely proud of.”

Much of Zombie Studio’s innovation comes from approaching perceived limitations like this in a strategic way – ‘transforming them into opportunities for creative problem solving’, and creating a conceptually- and visually-stronger final product in the process.

“Of course, technology plays a key role in this,” says Paulo. “We continuously explore tools like real-time engines, AI-assisted workflows, and hybrid animation techniques to push the boundaries of what’s possible. But the heart of our innovation comes down to how we approach each project with a tailored mindset, ensuring that the story and concept remain at the forefront. Whether it’s finding a unique stylistic approach or rethinking how to execute a scene within constraints, we believe that the best ideas often emerge from creative adaptability.”

One of these innovations has been Zombie’s unique approach to combining stop-motion animation with CGI, giving their projects a handcrafted feel while retaining scalability. This technique often surprises people, says Paulo, sharing that they’re also particularly excited about exploring the intersection of real-time engines like Unreal Engine with other traditional animation techniques. “This allows for greater interactivity and faster production cycles without compromising on quality,” he says. “Additionally, we’re diving into volumetric capture and AI-assisted animation to push the envelope even further.”

 

Above: 'Hero' - Vintage Culture

A great example of this innovative approach is the music video ‘Hero’ that Zombie produced for DJ Vintage Culture. In this project, they integrated new AI tools into the production pipeline to create a distinctive aesthetic that blended 3D and 2D elements. And while Paulo recognises the immense potential of AI to generate entire images and concepts, he believes its greatest value lies in its integration as an enhancer of the craft and ideas. “For us, AI is not a replacement but an enabler, amplifying the creative process without overshadowing the artistry and storytelling at the heart of our work.”

Currently, Zombie is working on a short film that has presented a unique challenge: animating a large number of characters in the same scene. To overcome this, they’ve developed a process using animation cycle capture from live-action videos – something that would have been improbable a few years ago, made possible by integrating AI into the animation pipeline. “Importantly, this does not replace the need for animators,” explains Paulo. “Instead, it provides them with valuable material and time to focus on refining their craft, and delivering an even higher-quality result.”

Another project they’re immensely proud of is ‘47’ for Café Jouex, a client which Paulo says ‘trusted them to push boundaries’, resulting in over 50 award wins in 2024. “The creative challenge lay in balancing surreal, whimsical visuals with a deeply emotional narrative about finding joy in the mundane,” he says. “We approached the project by thoroughly analysing the initial concept and selecting the perfect hybrid animation technique to bring it to life, ensuring the final piece resonated both visually and emotionally.”

Above: ‘47’ - Café Jouex 

This deep commitment to understanding the essence of each project – getting granular with the core idea to match it with the perfect technique to bring it to life – is how Zombie ensures a high quality of both work and working relationship.

“We want to be known for campaigns and projects that stand out for their emotional resonance, artistic innovation, and ability to challenge conventions. Ultimately, we seek to collaborate with clients who share our belief in the power of visual storytelling to inspire and connect with audiences worldwide.” 

Continuing this philosophy into 2025, Paulo shares that Zombie is interested in expanding its studios in the US and Europe next year - but with a watchful eye on the global developments at play in the industry. “Our goal is also to keep perfecting and exploring the array of new technologies and tools that are emerging at an unprecedented pace,” he adds. “Staying ahead in this rapidly evolving landscape is crucial for maintaining our creative edge.”

“Additionally, we’re entering 2025 with a renewed focus on two original projects from Zombie Studio. These are passion projects that, due to the busy nature of the studio, had progressed more slowly in the past. Next year, we’re committed to dedicating full energy and resources to bring these ideas to life. Strengthening our original content creation will allow us to diversify and further establish Zombie Studio as a creative force in both commercial and entertainment realms.”