Exclusive Video Interview – Iginio Straffi, creator of the Winx: «Dreams are the roots of the stars, you have to know how to grasp them and reach them» – by Simone Intermite
In the silence of a bedroom, in a small village in the Marche region, a child dreamed. He imagined fantastic worlds, fearless heroes and endless adventures. Thus in the reflection of his imagination, the young Iginio Straffi traced the guidelines of what would become a multi-million dollar animation empire, Rainbow S.p.A., which brought to life a global icon, the Winx. “Dreams are the roots of the stars,” says Straffi as we reach him for our interview, underlining the importance of believing in your goals. “My journey began right there, in my bedroom, between sheets of paper and colored pencils. From that moment, I learned that dreams can come true.” The Winx’s father is not only the creator of an animation franchise loved all over the world, but he is also a man who shaped an entire industry. His journey began with a role at Bonelli Editore, where his passion for illustration and stories led him to work on famous comics such as “Nathan Never” and “Martin Mystère”. But the desire to create something completely of himself grew steadily. The culmination of this aspiration was Winx Club, an animated series that challenged stereotypes and embraced themes of female empowerment and self-confidence. This creation marked the beginning of a long list of successes that ranged from the adventures of the treasure hunters of “Huntik – Secrets & Seekers” to the magical world of “Mia and Me” passing through famous brands that brought the made in Italy in the world such as “Forty-four cats” and “Pinocchio and friends”. Rainbow S.p.A. has grown and evolved, becoming one of the main international children’s content production and distribution companies. In this Exclusive Video Interview, we discover more about the life and career of Iginio Straffi, from his growth path in the bedroom of a dreamy child to the creation of an animation empire. We talked about inspirations, about challenges overcome.
Let’s start from the beginning of your extraordinary journey. Speaking of comics, you started drawing your first comic when you were just 7 years old; Today you are the leader of an international entertainment company, with productions famous all over the world. How did you do it?
«Mine is truly an incredible journey and I think there is something I am particularly proud of in this entrepreneurial career of mine. I would like to be a role model for today’s kids who often think that their dreams will remain just visions, far from reality. I have had this passion since I was a child, writing, inventing characters, drawing and making films. But I met many who, rightly from their point of view, advised me to have more “realistic” aspirations, directing me towards more “normal” professions, especially in the province where I grew up. I am grateful to have persevered and, with great passion and determination, to have managed to achieve what I dreamed of as a child.”
Can dreams really come true?
«Dreams can come true, but there are often many challenges and obstacles along the way. I had to face the skepticism of many, but I also learned that passion, dedication and tenacity can be powerful tools for achieving goals. So, yes, dreams can come true, but it is important to be ready to work hard to make them come true.”
It’s a really important message. Given Rainbow’s relevance in the sector, it is also a source of Italian pride. But your career began with another important publishing house, Bonelli; What did you learn during your apprenticeship?
«My experience at Bonelli was a crucial formative period. Even though I wasn’t an employee of the company, working with professionals like writers and artists to create comics was an amazing opportunity. The most important lesson I learned from this experience was discipline. I had to sit at the table every morning, even when I had a thousand other ideas and styles I wanted to experiment with. The deadlines were not flexible, I had to deliver a certain volume of work every month, demonstrating the progress of my work. This discipline was fundamental to maintaining a constant and coherent style. Furthermore, working with professionals in that sector taught me the importance of collaboration and constant learning. I had the opportunity to work with brilliant minds and learn from them. This know-how prepared the ground for my future entrepreneurial initiatives, including the creation of Rainbow.”
From these experiences, you then created your great successes, including the famous Winx. How do you explain their lasting success, which now exceeds 20 years?
«I think the secret of the Winx’s success has been the constant renewal over the years. We have introduced new content, narrative plots, graphic styles and music in each new Winx season. This kept the audience interested, ensuring that the series remained relevant even after so long. Furthermore, in the DNA of the Winx there is a fundamental element that makes them special: they are girls with distinct, innovative characteristics, which have continued to be relevant to this day.”
Many girls have found in the Winx a positive model to follow…
«I believe that the public identified with the Winx characters and appreciated the message of female empowerment that they convey. In a rapidly changing world, the Winx have continued to inspire younger generations, contributing to their lasting success. And, of course, the constant work of the creative team and the commitment to always provide quality have been key elements in keeping the phenomenon alive over the years.”
What do you think the Winx offer young viewers, what makes them dream of being a Winx and living adventures like them?
«The Winx were designed so that each of the girls has a “normal” appearance in many aspects. This very special and highly identifiable caretization made each character a role model that girls can identify with in a unique way. The Winx represent the power of dreams and the aspiration to become something more, and this is a very powerful message that speaks directly to young viewers. Each girl can see a little bit of herself in each of them, which makes them feel special and connected to the story.”
There are those in the Winx who have theorized a form of modern feminism…
«Yes, I would say that they are not only heroines, but also a model of female strength. Before many other animated series, they represented the strength of women, demonstrating that female figures don’t just have to be saved by prince charmings, but can be heroines themselves who help others. This theme was fundamental in shaping the character of each protagonist and had a positive impact on new generations of girls, inspiring them to believe in themselves and their abilities.”
It’s truly a powerful and lasting message. You mentioned that you particularly loved the first three seasons. Is there a specific moment or key episode in which you feel you were able to best express your creative spirit?
«The first three seasons have always been very special to me, because they were created with a shared vision by a team of people who shared my passion. We gave life to a visionary and adventurous story that defined the Winx universe. I like to remember those seasons as a time when I was able to express myself. The first Winx film was also a unique opportunity to experiment with new elements and challenges in the story. In particular, there is an element that amused me a lot, namely the moment in which Bloom, Princess Charming, awakens Sky, the “handsome sleeping prince.” Inverting these archetypes and playing with the audience’s expectations was fascinating.”
Speaking of Rainbow, it is known that it is a totally Italian company. What do you think are the strengths that distinguish it from international productions? What added value can Rainbow bring to the market?
«Rainbow was born with the aim of creating a unique entertainment production. We have positioned the brand in an excellent solution, geographically and culturally. My generation grew up with the arrival of Japanese cartoons in Italy, which led to a very different influence compared to the American tradition. This mix of ideas has allowed us to create content that has a different flavor, capable of fascinating both the Italian and international audiences. Our strength lies in the ability to create stories that combine the best of both worlds. We inherited the Western tradition of fairy tales and storytelling, but we mixed it with innovative and fresh elements, inspired by Eastern cultures.
This is how the Winx were born:
«Yes, this approach led to the creation of the Winx. We have always tried to bring something innovative, and I think this is what distinguishes Rainbow from international productions. Furthermore, we were ahead of the times, proposing stories with longer and more complex narrative arcs, inspired by the Japanese model, while many Western productions were based on self-contained episodes. This made our plots engaging and compelling, and I think it’s one of the reasons why Winx and other Rainbow series are so loved.”
It’s truly a powerful and lasting message. You mentioned that you particularly loved the first three seasons. Is there a specific moment or key episode in which you feel you were able to best express your creative spirit?
«The first three seasons have always been very special to me, because they were created with a shared vision by a team of people who shared my passion. We gave life to a visionary and adventurous story that defined the Winx universe. I like to remember those seasons as a time when I was able to express myself. The first Winx film was also a unique opportunity to experiment with new elements and challenges in the story. In particular, there is an element that amused me a lot, namely the moment in which Bloom, Princess Charming, awakens Sky, the “handsome sleeping prince.” Inverting these archetypes and playing with the audience’s expectations was fascinating.”
Speaking of Rainbow, it is known that it is a totally Italian company. What do you think are the strengths that distinguish it from international productions? What added value can Rainbow bring to the market?
«Rainbow was born with the aim of creating a unique entertainment production. We have positioned the brand in an excellent solution, geographically and culturally. My generation grew up with the arrival of Japanese cartoons in Italy, which led to a very different influence compared to the American tradition. This mix of ideas has allowed us to create content that has a different flavor, capable of fascinating both the Italian and international audiences. Our strength lies in the ability to create stories that combine the best of both worlds. We inherited the Western tradition of fairy tales and storytelling, but we mixed it with innovative and fresh elements, inspired by Eastern cultures.
This is how the Winx were born:
«Yes, this approach led to the creation of the Winx. We have always tried to bring something innovative, and I think this is what distinguishes Rainbow from international productions. Furthermore, we were ahead of the times, proposing stories with longer and more complex narrative arcs, inspired by the Japanese model, while many Western productions were based on self-contained episodes. This made our plots engaging and compelling, and I think it’s one of the reasons why Winx and other Rainbow series are so loved.”
There is a lot of talk about artificial intelligence and the impact it could have on the creative industry. How do you see the future of work in a world where it plays an increasingly bigger role?
«Personally, I have not yet fully experienced artificial intelligence, but I have seen some surprising results obtained. There is a risk that technology could reduce the work of creatives, with software capable of writing scripts and creating characters. Writers and actors are already facing this change.”
How do you experience this change in everyday life?
«This transformation worries me a little, since I believe in the importance of giving human beings the opportunity to tell stories and excite the public. However, at a business level, I recognize that AI could reduce production costs, which is important at a time when investment in the entertainment industry is declining. We need to find a balance between using AI to improve efficiency and preserving the role of creatives in the industry.”
A personal question. Your characters have brought joy to many people around the world. What is your moment of personal happiness that you remember fondly?
«Answering this question is difficult, but if I had to choose, I would say that the moment of greatest happiness was the birth of my firstborn. It is an event that I have awaited for a long time and it has a unique and unrepeatable value. It’s hard to describe the joy it brought and how it changed my life. She gave me a completely different kind of love and affection than anything else. It’s a moment that far surpasses all the other successes of my life.”
In all these years of hard work have you always received what you deserved? What do you think you left behind?
«I have the feeling that I am constantly at least 10 years behind what I want to achieve. I feel that I have been a little slow in moving forward with my projects and I think there is still a lot to achieve, especially in the field of live action content. The challenge of expanding beyond the world of animation and cartoons, embracing the cinema and productions, it is a new path that I wish to follow. It is a terrain that presents its challenges, such as the Italian language and the acquisition of notoriety by Italian actors abroad. However, I saw the success of my film “My Name is Vengeance,” with Alessandro Gassman as the protagonist, which is still in sixth place among the most watched non-English language films on Netflix worldwide, since the digital platform has started collecting this data with Nielsen. This gives me hope and confirms that there are opportunities to successfully bring content produced in Italy to an international audience, an objective that I would like to replicate in the world of live action.”
As a last question we always paraphrase the title of our magazine and ask how Iginio Straffi sees “Tomorrow”, what are your hopes and fears?
«Tomorrow, for me, represents the hope of a world without wars and barriers, where people can truly integrate and cooperate with each other. At the same time, I have the fear that society is progressing in the wrong direction, backtracking on past achievements. We are witnessing negative changes in many parts of the world, and I hope that the new generations will have the courage to put our universe back on the right path and build a better future for our planet.”
Exclusive interview by Simone Intermite
Italian to English translation without guarantee.
Source: www.domanipress.it | last visit October 28th 2023