{{Short description|Spanish director, artist, and animator (born 1979)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = <!-- use common name/article title --> | image = | alt = Head and shoulders photo of Alberto Mielgo | caption = Alberto Mielgo at The Annie Awards | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1979|4|29|df=y}} | birth_place = Madrid, Spain | occupation = {{Hlist|Animator|artist|director}} | known_for = ''Tron: Uprising'', ''Love, Death & Robots'': ''The Witness'' episode, ''Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse'', ''The Beatles: Rock Band'' | website = http://www.albertomielgo.com/ }}
'''Alberto Mielgo''' (born 29 April 1979) is a Spanish director, artist, and animator. His accolades include an Academy Award, four Emmy Awards<ref name=":0">{{cite news |title=Emmy Awards of Alberto Mielgo |url=https://www.emmys.com/bios/alberto-mielgo |accessdate=19 April 2020|publisher=Television Academy |date=2013–2019}}</ref> and two Annie Awards.<ref name=":2">{{cite news |title=40TH ANNUAL ANNIE AWARDS Legacy |url=https://annieawards.org/legacy/40th-annie-awards |accessdate=19 April 2020 |publisher=ASIFA-HOLLYWOOD |date=2013}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite news |title=47TH ANNUAL ANNIE AWARDS Legacy |url=https://annieawards.org/legacy/47th-annie-awards |accessdate=19 April 2020 |publisher=ASIFA-HOLLYWOOD |date=2013}}</ref> Mielgo was an Art Director at Disney's ''Tron: Uprising'' (2013)<ref name=":9" /> and made his debut as a director with animated short film "The Witness" (2019) created for Netflix anthology: ''Love, Death & Robots''.<ref name=":8">{{cite news |last1=Ovenden |first1=Olivia |date=14 March 2019 |title=David Fincher's Netflix Series 'Love, Death & Robots' Is A Deep Dive Into Darkness |publisher=Esquire Magazine |url=https://www.esquire.com/uk/culture/tv/a26819723/love-death-and-robots-netflix-release-date/ |accessdate=20 April 2020}}</ref>
== Early life == Born and raised in Spain, Mielgo is currently established in Los Angeles, after having worked and lived in various countries of Asia and Europe.<ref>{{cite news |title=Alberto Mielgo at Trojan Horse was a Unicorn |url=https://www.trojan-unicorn.com/main-event/knights/alberto-mielgo |accessdate=20 April 2020 |publisher=Trojan Horse was a Unicorn |date=2016 |archive-date=24 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210424200529/https://www.trojan-unicorn.com/main-event/knights/alberto-mielgo |url-status=dead }}</ref>
== Career == Mielgo currently directs animations,<ref name=":5">{{cite news |last1=Giardina |first1=Carolyn |date=22 July 2019 |title=Animated Feature Via Stampede |publisher=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/behind-screen/love-death-robots-helmer-write-direct-animated-feature-1226235 |accessdate=19 April 2020}}</ref> and works as an Art Director.<ref>{{cite news |title=Contemporary Art Curator Magazine |url=http://www.contemporaryartcuratormagazine.com/home-2/alberto-mielgo |accessdate=19 April 2020 |date=8 October 2018}}</ref> While in London, Mielgo worked as an Art Director for Passion Pictures with Pete Candeland, with whom he worked on ''The Beatles: Rock Band'' and Gorillaz projects.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Weisberegr |first1=Jason |title=Everything but the Game: the Art and Motion of The Beatles: Rock Band |url=https://boingboing.net/2009/10/08/everything-but-the-g.html |accessdate=20 April 2020 |publisher=BoingBoing |date=2009}}</ref>
Mielgo's notable early projects include Tim Burton's ''Corpse Bride'', ''The Beatles: Rock Band'', both parts of ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'' and ''Tron: Uprising'' by Disney, for which he won in 2013 an Emmy Award<ref name=":0" /> and an Annie Award.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3">{{cite news |title=TRON UPRISING Art Direction |url=https://www.cgrecord.net/2013/05/tron-uprising-art-direction.html |accessdate=19 April 2020 |publisher=Computer Graphics Daily News |date= 2013}}</ref>
Mielgo was hired by Disney as an Art Director for the animated TV series ''Tron: Uprising'' in 2013.<ref name=":9">{{cite news |last1=Yeoman |first1=Kevin |title='TRON: Uprising' Series Premiere Review |url=https://screenrant.com/tron-uprising-series-premiere-review/ |accessdate=20 April 2020 |publisher=Screenrant.com |date=8 June 2012}}</ref> The Director of ''Tron: Uprising'' Charlie Bean explained that the idea was to create a very special style for the digital show, which was not seen on TV or in the movies.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Campbell |first1=Josie |title='Tron: Uprising' Producers Talk Timelines, Influences & the Grid |url=https://www.cbr.com/tron-uprising-producers-talk-timelines-influences-the-grid/ |accessdate=20 April 2020 |publisher=CBR.com |date=18 May 2012}}</ref> Bean worked closely with Mielgo, character designer Robert Valley, and supervising car designer Daniel Simon. Simon was responsible for the vehicle designs seen in ''Tron: Legacy'', including the Light Cycles. Mielgo won the Emmy Primetime Award for Outstanding Art Direction in 2013.<ref name=":0" />
In 2015, Mielgo was a Production Designer/Art Director for Sony's ''Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse'' and created an early animation test for the film.<ref name=":7">{{cite news |last1=Amidi |first1=Amid |author-link=Amid Amidi |title=Cartoon Brew: Early Boards For 'Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse' |url=https://www.cartoonbrew.com/feature-film/alberto-mielgos-early-boards-for-spider-man-into-the-spider-verse-are-truly-amazing-169521.html |accessdate=20 April 2020 |publisher=Cartoon Brew |date=25 January 2019}}</ref> At first, his main goal was to explore the world, comics, the past of Spider-Man, cinematography, language, style and opportunities.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Guido |first1=Giulia |title=The Spiderman storyboard by Alberto Mielgo |url=https://www.collater.al/en/spiderman-storyboard-alberto-mielgo/ |accessdate=20 April 2020 |publisher=Collater.al |date=2019}}</ref> The test animation was never completed – only four shots were completely finished and determined the visual language of the film.<ref name=":7" />
In 2019, Mielgo wrote, designed and directed "The Witness" episode for Netflix animation anthology series ''Love, Death & Robots'', which won three Emmys<ref name=":0" /> and an Annie award.<ref name=":1" /> Mielgo's involvement with the series began when he was approached by its supervising director, Gabriele Pennacchioli, who put him in touch with David Fincher and Tim Miller.<ref name=":4">{{cite news |last1=Major |first1=David |title=Netflix's Love, Death & Robots in Hong Kong: director of The Witness on his theme and inspiration |url=https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3004868/netflixs-love-death-robots-hong-kong-director-witness-his |accessdate=19 April 2020 |publisher=South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. |date=6 April 2019}}</ref>
In 2021 and 2022 Mielgo directed two animated short films; ''The Windshield Wiper,'' a personal project focused on his vision of love and relationships, which won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film at the 94th Academy Awards, and ''Jibaro'' for ''Love, Death & Robots.''<ref>{{Citation |title='The Windshield Wiper' Wins Best Animated Short Film {{!}} 94th Oscars |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yzz0QoplrFA |language=en |access-date=10 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Mielgo |first=Alberto |title=Episode #3.9 |date=20 May 2022|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt20239442/?ref_=ttep_ep9 |series=Love, Death & Robots |access-date=21 May 2022}}</ref>
In 2025 Mielgo wrote and directed a short film doubling as a reveal cinematic for the upcoming extraction shooter game ''Marathon'' developed by studio ''Bungie''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Price |first=Stephen |date=2025-04-12 |title=Alberto Mielgo Drops Cinematic Short for Bungie's Marathon |url=https://www.stashmedia.tv/alberto-mielgo-drops-cinematic-short-for-bungies-marathon/ |access-date=2025-04-14 |website=Motion design - STASH |language=en}}</ref>
== Awards == Mielgo won a Primetime Emmy Award<ref name=":0" /> (2013), and an Annie Award<ref name=":2" /> (2013) for his work on Disney's ''Tron: Uprising'' as Best Production Designer.<ref name=":3" />
Mielgo won three Emmy Awards (2019)<ref name=":0" /> for Best Animated Short, Best Art Direction, Best Animation, and an Annie award (2019)<ref name=":1" /> for Best Art Direction of "The Witness" episode for Netflix Animation anthology ''Love, Death & Robots''.<ref name=":4" />
In March 2022, he won an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for ''The Windshield Wiper''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thetealmango.com/entertainment/the-windshield-wiper-wins-best-animated-short-film-award-at-oscars/ | title='The Windshield Wiper' Wins Best Animated Short Film Award at Oscars | date=28 March 2022 }}</ref>
In September 2022, the "Jibaro" episode of ''Love, Death, & Robots'', written and directed by Mielgo, won the 2022 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Form Animated Program.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Outstanding Short Format Animated Program Nominees / Winners 2022 |url=https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2022/outstanding-short-format-animated-program |access-date=20 October 2022|website=Television Academy}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=Giardina | first=Carolyn | title=Creative Arts Emmys Showcase "Storytelling That Is Quite Unique" | website=The Hollywood Reporter | date=3 September 2022 | url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/love-death-robots-writer-director-jibaro-creative-arts-emmys-1235209953/ | access-date=24 January 2023}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links== * {{cite news |last1=Milligan |first1=Mercedes |title=Stampede Producing Original Feature by Emmy Winning Animator Alberto Mielgo |url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/features/stampede-producing-original-feature-by-emmy-winning-animator-alberto-mielgo/ |accessdate=19 April 2020 |publisher=Animation Magazine |date=23 July 2019}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mielgo, Alberto}} Category:1979 births Category:Living people Category:Annie Award winners Category:Spanish animators Category:Directors of Best Animated Short Academy Award winners Category:Primetime Emmy Award winners Category:Producers who won the Best Animated Short Academy Award