Talking to Paween Sarachan: From Rigger to IGLOO Studio’s Head of Build, Mastering Asset Creation & Photorealism.

Rigger is the position responsible for defining the realistic movements of characters and creatures in animated films, not only real animals but also fantasy creatures like dragons and mermaids. By combining movement principles with imagination, a skilled rigger can create believable motion that immerses the audience in the story.

Every simple movement of a character is driven by skilled riggers.

With over 10 years of experience in the local and international animation industry, Paween Sarachan Sarachan is recognized as a masterful rigger who has contributed to international projects across various media, including cinematic games such as League of Legends and Valorant, TV series like Prehistoric Planet on Apple TV+, and visual effects for films like Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023) and Snow White (2025).

Today, let’s get the inside scoop on him as the Head of Build at IGLOO Studio!

Head of Build: Leading the Team That Creates Everything from Nothing

At leading animation studios around the world, the Head of Build holds a crucial position overseeing the asset team, which is responsible for crafting characters, props, and background environments. The team's work includes modeling, texturing, look development, and character effects (CFX). The assets produced by the Build Team, whether for animation or VFX, are then passed on to the animators in the Shot Team, following various project briefs from directors.

The highlight animation style at IGLOO Studio is stylized 2.5D, which seamlessly blends key elements of both 2D and 3D animation, enhancing the emotional depth and impact of storytelling.

"The role of the Build Team is to make everyone 'believe' in what they see, whether it's rigging characters, creating textures, or modeling," said Paween, the Head of Build.

He explains that the broad scope of work requires keeping the balance between technique, aesthetics, and storytelling, where science meets art. Because of this challenge, Paween prioritizes the team's workflow.

“I prioritize workflow and build pipeline management, as well as tools development, with a strong focus on ensuring that team leads can effectively mentor and support their team members. I want every review and feedback session to foster a learning environment because my goal is to elevate the quality of our work to match that of major Hollywood studios,” he shared, drawing from his experience working abroad.

As a leader, one of the most important responsibilities is finding the right tools and establishing a pipeline that enables the team to produce world-class quality work.

From Rigger to Head of Build: What Changes When the Role Changes?

"I had to adapt quite a bit, especially when comparing my experience to my time working abroad as a Lead Rigger," said Paween.

For him, the Head of Build’s responsibility involves shifting the direction of work. Previously, he followed instructions from a supervisor, but now, he is the one defining the team's direction.

Paween applies his experience working with supervisors abroad to better suit his team, particularly in work review processes. He has implemented a system where artists from all sub-teams gather to review work together, allowing each team to understand the necessary adjustments in other departments and find ways to support one another as much as possible.

To him, being a leader means fostering his team's potential and providing them with the necessary support.

When asked about the skills he wants to develop, Paween mentioned one key area he aims to improve for both himself and his team—artistic skills, particularly art perception. Since most of IGLOO Studio’s projects follow a stylized approach, refining shape design and look development (Lookdev) is crucial to ensuring that each character stands out uniquely while maintaining aesthetic harmony.

One Year with the Build Team: What’s the Journey Been Like?

“I have a good team” Paween talked to us. Like the time flies when he is at IGLOO Studio. Paween appreciates how resilient and proactive the team is in learning new things, which enhances the team's potential.

Beyond workflow systems and work reviews, rebuildability is another key concept that Paween brought back from his experience abroad and has applied to his team over the past year. Rebuildability is essential for delivering high-quality work, as it ensures that assets can be efficiently modified based on feedback received at each review stage.

He explained that this process comes into play after receiving comments during the submission phase.

"For example, if we initially create a character with two eyes but later receive feedback requesting a third eye, the Build Team must reconstruct the character in a way that looks natural and believable. This requires knowledge, tools, and a well-structured workflow to support the process—ensuring quality results within the given timeline and budget before passing the assets on to the Shot Team," he illustrated, emphasizing with pride that his team is more than capable of handling such challenges.

Looking ahead to the next year, Paween envisions the IGLOO Studio’s Build Team expanding its capabilities to take on a wider range of projects. With expertise across 2.5D, 3D, cinematic, hyper-realistic animation, as well as VFX, realistic, and stylized aesthetics, the team is well-equipped to meet the demands of the animation, gaming, and film industries."

IGLOO Studio’s Next Step in Challenging Industry.

“At IGLOO Studio, we never stop learning to meet the global market’s demand”

Paween emphasizes that IGLOO Studio’s team enjoys creative freedom in their work. Additionally, the studio continuously develops new tools, pipelines, and techniques, making IGLOO highly resilient and capable of meeting global market demands. Currently, the studio is exploring software that supports production, such as Unreal Engine and real-time rendering.

For Paween, these two programs are no longer just industry trends. They have become integral to the animation and VFX production process. He acknowledges that incorporating new technologies is essential, even though traditional methods still remain relevant for now.

"The future of animation and VFX will likely take a hybrid approach. Unreal Engine and real-time rendering will play an increasingly significant role, enabling us to deliver projects to clients more efficiently," he concludes.

Paween adds that his team consists of talented individuals who are both highly skilled and passionate about their work. As a leading animation studio in Thailand and Asia, IGLOO Studio is ready to meet the demands of the entertainment industry, delivering both original content and world-class service production.