What would happen if “three 11-year-old boys picked up a sex robot to have their first experience with it?” This unique storyline was developed by a group of students from GOBELINS, one of the most renowned animation schools in the world, for their graduation project, LAYLA.
LAYLA – GOBELINS is about three 11 year old boys with a mind full of curiosity towards the “adult” world. In the opening scene, two out of three boys focus on images of the “real woman’s” body in their secret hideout. Lucky – the other of the trio suddenly brought along a sex robot named Layla with the aim of losing his virginity. It was only when the robot started moving that all three realized they weren’t ready for something like this. Instead of carrying out the original intention, the trio decided to create memorable moments with Layla, the robot, by engaging in activities such as skating and smoking, which are in line with the themes of the training.
LAYLA – GOBELINS has successfully garnered around 2 million views on YouTube after just two weeks of its release. Through visually stunning animation, the film invites viewers to reflect on the timeless struggle of growing up, offering a nostalgic escape from adulthood and allowing them to recall their own youthful experiences.
The creators of LAYLA recently took some time to share with us the behind-the-scenes and hidden meanings of this fascinating film.
Introduce the team
The creative team behind the animated film LAYLA – GOBELINS is a dynamic collective of filmmakers, each bringing unique talents and perspectives to the project.
Diego H. Blanco contributed writing, storyboarding, initial design, and animation, as well as initially pitching the concept. Although his passion for skating is one of his personal interests, animation has become his true calling.
As co-artistic directors, Narda AND Emma Ferreol he guided the visual direction of the film. Narda, from Mexico, created beautiful backgrounds and took care of the graffiti library, adding a distinct visual style to the narrative. Meanwhile, Emma took care of the production design, 3D modeling and background layout, bringing depth and vibrancy to the world of the film.
Rachel Gitlevicha veteran animator from New York City, he contributed story, animation and editing. With a meticulous eye for detail, she was instrumental in defining character changes, helping to bring the protagonist, Layla, to life.
Oscar Baroneone of the Breton members of the team, he worked on story, storyboard, animation and musical composition. His efforts added a structural richness to the film, creating an immersive viewing experience.
Lucille Reynaud she focused on character design and animation, pouring her enthusiasm into creating the film’s memorable characters with the entire team.
Interview
1. What initially inspired the concept of “Layla”?
The inspiration for Layla’s presentation came from several sources, such as a comic found on Instagram by Freddy Carrasco. It showed a child talking to a sex robot.
But also the personal experience of each of us, with the discovery of “adulthood” and the first confrontation with sexuality.
2. Why did you choose a sex robot as a story element to explore children’s curiosity? What is the message behind this choice?
As mentioned above, one of the inspirations was this comic with a sex robot. This made the presentation very interesting and made you want to know what happened next. The sex robot seemed to embody children’s first encounter with sexuality quite well.
3. How did you balance adult themes with the innocent perspective of children in your storytelling?
At the beginning of the short film, everything plays out exactly as you would expect a sex robot to do, with all the adult world that implies. But we made sure that the interactions, the children’s behavior and the way they speak remind the viewer that they are just children. And that the adult world will come later. In every naive interaction we realize that children just want to play and are far from any consideration of the adult world.
4. How long did it take to complete the film from start to finish?
We started writing the script in June 2023 and during the summer break. But in September we became more serious. And we finished the film (post-production included) in June 2024.
5. What were the challenges you guys faced while making Layla?
I think the main problem was the lack of time at each stage. We had spent a little more time writing than we should (we weren’t very happy with the story at the time) and this affected the production, so after December we were in a hurry.
6. Can you share the inspiration behind Layla’s art style and background setting?
As for the art style, we initially aimed for something very “American comics”, with thick black lines and flat backgrounds. A bit like Robert Valley or Gorillaz. With Narda and Emma taking care of the backgrounds, they found a happy medium between their personal styles. While Diego and Lucille were designing the characters, they were looking for something with a thick line. And surprisingly, after several tests, these two styles, which at first glance did not seem compatible, worked very well together!
For the sets we took a lot of inspiration from the Californian anesthetic. Rachel found a deserted place with lots of abandoned motels: around the Salton Sea. This is where we decided to set our scene (even though the motel was invented from scratch and doesn’t exist in real life, it was mostly for context and inspiration).
7. As a graduation project at GOBELINS, how did the school support you throughout the process?
Gobelins provided us with an ideal working environment. At every stage of production and even writing, we had teachers who specialized in the field (writing, character design, backgrounds, color, animation, etc.). We also collaborated with another class specializing in production management. They helped us organize ourselves. And above all we had our coordinator (Youngsun), with whom we met regularly (every week sooner or later) to recalculate our quotas and find solutions to finish the film on time.
But the school also offered us the services of a sound designer and a color grading specialist. This was the icing on the cake, making a difference and giving our film a more professional look.
8. How has this project strengthened your team’s collaboration and unity?
This group film experience showed us our strengths and weaknesses. But most of all he showed us how to rely on each other to achieve our goals.
9. Do you plan to create a sequel to the story? And what will be the future of the team?
We would love to be able to do the sequel, not necessarily in the form of another short film. I think Layla’s concept could work as a short series. But first we need to find a manufacturer! We are currently developing an artbook, which will be available via a crowdfunding platform in a few months. Layla has also been selected for several animation festivals around the world. All its news is or will be available on our Instagram account @layla.gobelins. So let’s see what the future holds for us!
If you like this content, please support us. A thousand thanks!
