Jul 13, 2025
Courageously achieving excellence in an ever-changing industry, LA WEEKLY
Courage in creative exploits is something that Juan Pablo Figueroa Casas has learned in his career in film and TV production. The talented Art Director has left an impact on mainstream media channels and earned recognition at international awards, including the Cannes and Webby Awards.
The Cannes Lions and Webby Awards are two of the most prestigious honors in the creative and digital industries. Cannes Lions, often dubbed the ‘Oscars of advertising’, recognize groundbreaking work in marketing and communication, judged by top global leaders. Winning signifies creative excellence and global impact. The Webby Awards celebrate the best of the internet, highlighting digital innovation and storytelling. Both awards attract entries from around the world and signal that a project or creator has reached the highest standard of creativity, influence, and relevance in today’s digital and media landscape.
Juan has also received numerous other prestigious awards throughout his career in animation, advertising, and storytelling. The short film E-ALZ: Memory Error, which received a Webby Honoree distinction from the Webby Awards in New York in 2018, was also a finalist at Mexico’s Caracol de Plata, and won two Bronze Telly Awards in General Cause Marketing and General Education for Branded Content (2018). It was also listed among the Best Latin American Ads by AdForum.
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“With technological advancements, we’ve learned to make processes more efficient in terms of both time and budget,” he says. “One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that today we have countless ways to connect with potential clients, and we shouldn’t be afraid to knock on doors.”
Throughout his work for leading streaming networks, he has remained true to his values, believing responsibility and quality are non-negotiable values, no matter the size or budget of the project. This decision to maintain morals and ethics in an ever-changing industry requires its own measure of courage, but then Juan has never been one to shy away from his personal vision, to tell the world’s stories.
In 2005, he co-founded, together with Guillermo Casas, his first studio, Ilusionario, an animation and illustration studio. It became a creative hub for projects across Latin America, the U.S., and Europe, collaborating with top advertising agencies like JWT Caribe, Ogilvy Costa Rica, and McCann Lima. Clients included major names such as Ford, Kodak, Coca-Cola, American Express, YPF, Honda, and Cartoon Network. This period established him as a versatile art director capable of delivering high-impact visuals for diverse sectors, from NGOs and education to automotive and entertainment.
He says of his work: “Empathy can move mountains. Dedication and hard work give true value to everything we do, and that always shows in the results.”
He is also committed to relationships, believing them to be the most valuable marketing tool. “You never know when or through whom a creative opportunity might come your way,” he says. “Strengthening bonds with clients is what ensures a steady flow of projects.”
Juan and his wife have their own audiovisual production company, Drimgo Studio, which he says has become his main area of focus. “At Drimgo, we create educational content for the U.S., materials for the government of El Salvador, 2D and 3D commercials, animated short films, and our most ambitious project yet: a 2D animated feature film for adults, directed by a Canadian filmmaker and produced by U.S.-based producers.” The company has also remained committed to localizing all languages in the creation of its audiovisual projects and video games.
He helmed the animated feature ‘Getting Lost’, an ambitious international production developed with studios in the U.S. and Canada. Getting Lost is an R-rated animated adventure comedy starring Kevin Smith, Dan Aykroyd, Kim Basinger, and Russell Peters. Written and directed by Michael Mankowski, the film is a co-production between Canada, and the U.S. through Animaginary Inc. and Drimgo Studio. Produced by Michael Mankowski, Mark A.Z. Dippé, and John Schneider, and executive produced by Kevin Smith and Dan Aykroyd. In addition to his work in feature animation, he oversaw art direction for a diverse range of educational and branded content. These included Bienestar NEEMA, a healthy eating platform aimed at U.S. audiences; Crecer Leyendo, a government-backed animation initiative promoting literacy in El Salvador; and Mudoscópico, a visually rich stop-motion series. He also played a key creative role in several NFTs art projects.
His creative projects have been featured in top industry platforms, including LBBOnline, which interviewed him about the metaphoric use of animation in Alzheimer’s awareness. He has also been published in Digital Design magazine, one of Latin America’s premier design publications.
He says that he and his team have had to overcome many challenges to forge a path in the industry, but that he is confident that they are capable of tackling any audiovisual challenge, from a graphic piece to an animated film or an entertainment or educational video game.
“I see myself as an important asset in projects, thanks to my ability to find solutions and offer creative options in the face of any challenge,” he says. “For example, if a client comes to us with a film project, that’s great. We’re capable of handling the entire pre-production, the marketing campaign, the website, and even exploring the possibility of turning an IP into a video game. We bring together talented teams to deliver every creative component and search for technological solutions that align with the client’s timeline and budget.”
Juan is not only a creator but also a mentor and speaker. He has delivered talks and seminars on animation and creative direction at institutions like Universidad Siglo 21, Universidad Blas Pascal, and Comicazo, emphasizing the value of training, AI integration, and innovation in advertising and entertainment.
His sessions often spotlight how animation, NFTs, and game design intersect—especially in today’s immersive media landscape. His passion for uplifting the next generation of designers and animators reflects a commitment to the industry’s sustainable growth.
Juan relates how he came to be in his profession, explaining the incredible journey he has forged, which started out with him making signage, basic designs, and printing while studying Graphic Design.
He has come a long way since then, having become a staple in the industry at an international level, and is ready to take on the future. He says he is fueled by a deep curiosity to learn new things and a fearlessness that will allow him to continue to embrace future projects with the same tenacity and determination he has used in the past.
