Fernanda Guerrero
FERNANDA GUERRERO IS A PRODUCTION DESIGNER WHOSE IMAGINATIVE, STYLISH, AND DETAIL-DRIVEN WORK CAN BE SEEN ACROSS A DIVERSE RANGE OF FILMS, COMMERCIALS, AND MUSIC VIDEOS.
Her immersive and world-building designs have contributed to videos for Billie Eilish, Rosalia, Tove Lo, and Coldplay, and for commercials for Nike, Apple, and many other major brands. Fernanda works between LA and Mexico City, but is currently isolating in Mexico City, where she was able to work on a new set of purely hypothetical designs created for TSUKI. We asked Fernanda about her process for these designs and about life during lockdown.
HOW DO YOU CREATE AT HOME? HOW HAS THIS BEEN DIFFERENT FROM YOUR REGULAR PROCESS?
It’s not very different because I always try to be at home in my own space/world when I start creating, that way the ideas come easier—with the difference being that usually I’m inspired by things outside my home.
HAS THIS SITUATION ENCOURAGED OR EVEN DEMANDED YOU TO TRY SOMETHING NEW?
Yes, it was actually quite hard to come to the final idea for this project. It took me a couple of days and a few different ideas; I wasn't sure which way to go. In the end, I decided to do a collage with the different techniques that I usually use when I start designing, such as drawing, photo, illustrations, etc. I decided to design a set/location since that's what I usually do for my everyday work. Most of the time for a job I would get a brief and from there I develop the idea. This time was completely different as I had to create something out of nowhere/nothing (theme, props, location, etc.) and this time my idea will stay on paper.
HOW ARE YOU STAYING INSPIRED AND MOTIVATED?
I’ve been trying to keep looking at images of different things—illustrations, furniture, art, everyday life—in order to keep my mind active and so I can keep creating, even if for now it’s just in my head.
ARE THERE ANY POSITIVE (OR NEGATIVE) CHANGES YOU CAN SEE COMING OUT OF THIS SITUATION?
Negatively, working remotely may be the new normal. I really enjoy being on set so I will definitely miss that.
Positively, we will all have to re-invent ourselves and in my opinion everything will be more organized. For my work, everything and everyone is usually required to be physically present—scouting, shooting, moving props at the location etc.—there are a few things that you could do from afar, but we will have to find new ways to do so. I believe everything will be slower but less chaotic.