The Magic Behind Arcane with Fortiche's Lead Alexis Wanneroy | Animation Podcast EP. 90
Arcane magic isn't just about spells and fantasy; it's about the incredible artistry and technical innovation that bring animated worlds to life on screen. When Fortiche Studio created the groundbreaking series "Arcane," they didn't just animate characters; they crafted a visual experience that redefined what adult animation could achieve through masterful storytelling, cutting-edge techniques, and an unwavering commitment to artistic integrity. In this iAnimate Animation Podcast, we're diving deep into the secrets behind this animation phenomenon with Alexis Wanneroy, Fortiche’s Lead Animator, exploring how a small French studio revolutionized the industry and created something truly magical for audiences worldwide.
Introduction: Unveiling the Phenomenon of Arcane with Fortiche's Lead Animator, Alexis Wanneroy
The response to Arcane has been nothing short of extraordinary. When Alexis Wanneroy, Head of Character Animation at Fortiche Studio, first saw those initial five sequences from episode one, he knew he was witnessing something special. "To me, it's a dream come true for every artist," he explains. "You want something graphic, you want something beautiful, you want something raw, you want something real, you want drama."
This wasn't just another animated series; it was everything animators and storytellers had been yearning to create. The show crosses all boundaries, delivering a mature, visually stunning experience that appeals to both gamers and newcomers alike. What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that most of the budget came from Riot Games itself, with Netflix handling distribution, proving that sometimes the best creative risks come from those who understand their vision most intimately.
The series earned its place as a cultural phenomenon by refusing to compromise on artistic integrity, delivering nine episodes of theatrical-quality animation that rivals anything coming out of major studios, all while maintaining the efficiency and creative freedom that smaller, artist-driven studios can provide.
The Artistic Visionaries: Fortiche Studio's Signature Style
At the heart of Arcane's success lies Fortiche Studio's unwavering commitment to artistic vision. Founded by three French artists—Pascal, Jerome, and Arno—the studio has always pushed for "very artistic and graphic images" that deliberately avoid the watered-down aesthetic often imposed by non-artists in larger productions.
"Those guys are all artists," Wanneroy emphasizes. "They're not anything but artists, and they always wanted to push for something different than the watered-down things that come after trying to please a wider audience." This philosophy stands in stark contrast to the cookie-cutter approach that plagues much of modern animation, where artistic decisions often get filtered through committees focused on broad market appeal rather than creative integrity.
The studio's growth from 15 employees to 300 over seven years hasn't diluted this vision. Instead of accepting any project that comes their way, Fortiche remains selective, ensuring they can maintain their artistic standards. They've opened strategic branches in Montpellier and Las Palmas, but each location maintains the same commitment to quality and artistic identity that defines their Paris headquarters.
This approach has created a studio culture where artists feel at home, complete with foosball tables, ping pong, and collaborative spaces that foster creativity. It's this environment that attracts talent from across Europe and allows Fortiche to maintain its distinctive style while scaling its operations.
Crafting the World of "Arcane": Storytelling and Character Development
The storytelling foundation of Arcane comes from an unlikely but brilliant collaboration between Riot Games and Fortiche Studio. Christian Linke, the series director and former music artist for Riot, partnered with the studio to develop characters and narratives that transcend typical video game adaptations.
What sets Arcane apart is its commitment to character depth over spectacle. "We played differently than those characters that are crazy," Wanneroy notes about their approach to Jinx. "Like Harley Quinn, for example, is something I think we didn't play. We played something a bit more specific, a bit more in-depth with who the character is in those moments."
The series tackles complex themes like class struggle between Piltover and Zaun without falling into simple good-versus-evil storytelling. Each side has merit and flaws, creating the kind of nuanced narrative that respects its audience's intelligence. Characters like Vi and Caitlyn represent this complexity; their relationship bridges two worlds and demonstrates how understanding can develop across social divides.
The writing process emphasized character motivations and intentions over action sequences. Every sequence serves a purpose in character development, supported by composition, cinematography, and acting choices that reinforce the emotional core of each scene. This approach creates stories that work whether you're familiar with League of Legends or encountering these characters for the first time.
Bringing "Magic" to Life: Animation Techniques and Visual Effects in Arcane
The technical magic behind Arcane lies in Fortiche's innovative approach to animation production. Working with a relatively small budget compared to major studio productions, they achieved theatrical-quality results through smart workflow decisions and cutting-edge technology.
Real-time rigs proved crucial to their success. "When I play in Maya, it plays in real time," Wanneroy explains. This technology allows animators immediate feedback, dramatically improving both quality and efficiency. While other studios rely on playblasts and caching systems that slow down the creative process, Fortiche's animators can see their work instantly, allowing for more refined and natural-feeling animation.
The studio's approach to effects deserves special attention. Rather than relying on heavy CGI departments, most effects are created by just four or five 2D artists working in digital painting software. These effects, animated "on twos" to create a distinct graphic feel, seamlessly blend with the painted backgrounds and CG characters to create Arcane's signature aesthetic.
Perhaps most impressive is their approach to fight sequences. Every combat scene is keyframed by hand, without mocap or extensive CGI assistance. "We need for the mechanics to feel like real mechanics," Wanneroy notes. This commitment to hand-crafted animation creates fights that feel raw, heavy, and emotionally resonant rather than simply spectacular.
The production pipeline maximizes efficiency through smart asset reuse, early storyboard locking, and strategic planning that allows backgrounds to be painted rather than modeled. This approach proves that innovation often comes from constraints, forcing creative solutions that ultimately enhance rather than compromise the final product.
The Sound of "Arcane": Music and Ambiance
Music isn't an afterthought in Arcane; it's woven into the fabric of the show from the earliest stages of production. Christian Linke's background as a music artist for Riot Games brought a unique perspective to the series' sonic landscape, allowing for unprecedented integration between visuals and audio.
"We were animating with the music already," Wanneroy reveals, describing a rarity in animation production. Rather than adding music in post-production, Fortiche animated many sequences with their soundtracks already in place, creating a cohesive experience where movement and melody work in perfect harmony.
The collaboration with major artists like Imagine Dragons wasn't just for marketing; it was a creative choice that enhanced the show's emotional impact. The "Enemy" music video, directed by Bart Minouri (Fortiche's Head of Animation), serves as both a standalone piece and a perfect introduction to Arcane's world and aesthetic.
This musical integration extends beyond featured songs to the overall sound design and ambiance. The show's audio landscape supports its mature themes and graphic style, creating an immersive experience that draws viewers into the world of Piltover and Zaun. Every audio choice reinforces the series' commitment to treating animation as a sophisticated medium capable of complex emotional storytelling.
The success of Arcane's musical approach has influenced Riot's broader creative strategy, with their subsequent projects adopting similar graphic styles and integrated approaches to audio-visual storytelling. This proves that when music and animation are conceived as unified elements rather than separate components, the result can be truly magical.
Frequently Asked Questions from the Arcane Magic Secrets
1. What makes Arcane's animation style so unique and "magical"?
Arcane's distinctive look comes from Fortiche Studio's innovative blend of painted textures with CG characters, creating a graphic novel aesthetic that feels both cinematic and artistic. The magic lies in their technical approach: real-time rigs that allow animators immediate feedback, 2D effects animated "on twos" for a distinct graphic feel, and hand-keyframed animation without relying on mocap. Every texture is completely painted, and backgrounds use projected paintings rather than traditional 3D modeling, creating seamless integration between 2D and 3D elements.
2. How did Fortiche Studio achieve such high quality on a relatively low budget?
Fortiche's efficiency comes from smart workflow decisions and strategic constraints. They lock storyboards early to enable asset reuse, employ real-time rigs that eliminate time-consuming playblast workflows, and use a small team of 2D artists (4-5 people) for all visual effects instead of large CGI departments. Their painted backgrounds and strategic asset reuse, combined with careful pre-production planning, allowed them to produce what essentially amounts to three feature films in two years with just 80-100 animators.
3. Do I need to know League of Legends to understand and enjoy Arcane?
No prior knowledge of League of Legends is required. Christian Linke and the Fortiche team specifically crafted Arcane to tell a compelling story that stands on its own. While the series features champions from the game, they're introduced and developed as complex characters with clear motivations. The class struggle between Piltover and Zaun, the relationships between Vi, Jinx, Caitlyn, and other characters are all explained through the narrative itself.
4. What animation techniques were used for Arcane's fight scenes?
All fight sequences in Arcane are hand-keyframed without mocap or extensive CGI assistance. The animators focus on making fights feel "raw, heavy, and realistic" rather than superhuman or overly stylized. They spend extensive time on posing to ensure each movement feels natural and impactful. Reference footage from movies helps inform realistic intentions and acting, but everything is crafted frame-by-frame to serve the story and character development.
5. How does Arcane's music integration differ from that of typical animated series?
Unlike most animation productions, where music is added in post-production, Arcane animated many sequences with their soundtracks already in place. Christian Linke's background as a music artist for Riot Games enabled this integrated approach. Collaborations with artists like Imagine Dragons weren't just marketing tools—they were creative choices that enhanced emotional impact. This music-first approach creates a cohesive experience where visuals and audio are conceived as unified elements rather than separate components.
