Andrew Daffy, 24, was made head of 3D commercials for London's FrameStore in January, five years after coming to the company.

Boards: What are the biggest challenges in supervising animation?

Daffy: Trying to read the director from day one, and figure out the best way to realize their vision (without treading on footsteps). In my personal life, I've been told I'm a good agony uncle. I think this helps me resolve issues relating to my work also, i.e., I try to seek out solutions to problems between the director's vision, the agency's concept and the client's product shot.

Boards: Most memorable animation moment?

Daffy: I worked on a film called Fairytale -- A True Story starring Harvey Keitel, Peter O'Toole and a cast of a hundred fairies. We had the grueling task of creating the animated wings for each [fairy]. I also animated the waist down of a special fairy called an undine. She had a fish's tail like a mini-mermaid. It was my first film job, and I didn't see the final composites of our work until the cinema launch. Being in an audience full of kids screaming "look MumÉfairies!" kind of said it all for me, and moments like that still make the late nights worthwhile.

Boards: What is the best animated piece you have seen recently? Who did it?

Daffy: L'enfant de la haute mer by Supinfocom. It was a student piece that played at LEAF 2000. Very textural, and more sophisticated than some "professional" shorts that have come out recently.

Boards: What's your favorite animated film?

Daffy: The Iron Giant -- beautifully animated, excellent cast and a brilliant story!

Boards: Who is your favorite animator?

Daffy: I'd say [Ray] Harryhausen, and it's such a cliché, but I loved Clash of the Titans.

Boards: Why do you think animation is such a popular medium for commercials?

Daffy: Animation to me has always been about the other world. Making the unreal real. I find current commercials can fit into certain categories -- very subliminal and mood evoking, grand and epic, or have their brand represented with a character. All these styles of commercials lend themselves to the flexibility of animation.

Webfiles>

FrameStore> www.framestore.co.uk