Rafael Mathé | pdcollective

SKETCH GALLERY: Rafael Mathé

"In the beginning it was the drawing" - Not on the dark walls of the caves, during the dawn of humanity. But for me, in life.

I started by drawing graffiti on the walls of São Paulo, Brasil, and also by doing sequential art for comic books in "O Conínuo," an independent comics label, created with a few friends. These practices built the path that brought me into production design.

Drawings and set stills from the Portuguese film "Alma Viva"

While in Paris at la Femis school, I had the chance to be guided by the masters that have the vision that drawing is the main foundation to designing a universe. Anne Seibel and Jean Vincent Puzos held the key that opened the door for me to learn to design stories. I keep learning daily through their legacy and friendship.

Drawings and set stills from the Portuguese film "Alma Viva"

Since the first short-movies that I worked on, and up to now, drawing has been my tool to communicate with directors and other partners in the movie industry. It has allowed me to bring to reality the universes that were abstract. Hidden in between the words of a script, on the shadows of the DP’s lights and under the skin of the characters that populate the universe of each film.

Drawings and set stills from the Senegalese film "Banel & Adama"

Designing is about finding solutions. Drawing and design combine into a flexible device. It can assume several forms. Perspective sketches, concept art, storyboard or architectural layouts- all of them are welcome. The beauty of the gesture is in its accomplishment to communicate. I would say that a beautiful drawing is the one that speaks for itself in a precise context.

Drawings and set stills from the Portuguese film "9 Fingers"

Letting go is an everyday exercise. The image emerging from my intuition does not belong to me anymore. After that, an entire team will make a collective effort to bring it to reality. An adventure guided by the director’s vision, made by hundreds of eyes, ears and hands.

Drawings and set stills from the French film "La Nuit Venue"

So in my opinion, the pleasure of drawing is the one that allows me to be part of a genesis, to watch the birth of an idea and feel part of it. To live a few moments inside this altered reality. In the end, this idea will have form and sound, a creation that speaks by itself and that we get to name as: Cinema.