Iginio Straffi

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Iginio Straffi, an Italian animator, illustrator, and former comic book author, was born on May 30, 1965.

He is the creator and president of the Rainbow S.p.A. television studio, which he co-owns with American firm ViacomCBS.

Straffi is the creator of the studio's animated shows Winx Club and Huntik, as well as the co-creator of its comic book Maya Fox. Straffi's first comic appeared in a 1985 issue of Tilt while studying at university.

He continued to work as a comic book illustrator into the 1990s, eventually becoming the lead creative artist for Sergio Bonelli Editore's Nick Raider series.

Straffi founded the Rainbow studio in 1995 with the help of Lamberto Pigini and Giuseppe Casali.

The studio's capital, 10,000 euros, was mainly used to buy computers and apps for digital design.

Before securing funds for original projects, Rainbow first offered creative services to other companies before deciding on designs for new projects.

The series became internationally popular and attracted the attention of American media company Viacom, the producer of Nickelodeon and Paramount Pictures.

Viacom became a co-owner of Rainbow in February 2011, purchasing 30% of the studio and leaving the remaining 70% to Straffi.

According to L'espresso's, the transaction was referred to as "Straffi's most significant agreement" because it resulted in the worldwide distribution of Rainbow's shows by Paramount and Nickelodeon, as well as various co-productions.

Straffi continues to work at Rainbow in creative capacities, but he has shifted his attention away from animation to live action as of 2019.

Nickelodeon's Club 57 and Fate: The Winx Saga, an extension of Winx Club, are two of his first live-action films.

Early life

Straffi was born in Gualdo, Italy's Marche region. He had an interest in illustrating comic books from a young age, and by age 7, he began drawing his own comic books. Straffi came from Macerata, Italy, when he was eight years old. He often wrote comic stories in his classmates' notebooks and competed in art competitions, such as one held by the comic book Totem. Straffi studied Modern Languages and Literatures at the University of Macerata, where he continued to improve his art skills. Antonella, a young girl who was raised in Italy by adoptive parents, was dated by him during his university years. Antonella pleaded with Straffi about her desire to see her biological parents, which prompted Straffi to create a character with a similar backstory (Bloom from Winx Club). Bloom's personality was based on Joanne Lee's wife's marriage to Straffi. Straffi and Lee married Lee in 1997 on a trip to Lee's hometown Singapore, where they married many years later. Isotta, Straffi and Lee's daughter, has been born.

Straffi introduced a tale in the 1985 issue of Tilt into the professional comic book trade market. He later worked on comic books for the magazine Lanciostory and the Italian version of Skorpio. Claudio Nizzi, the creator of the Nick Raider comic book collection, sent Straffi into 1989. Sergio Bonelli Editore, Nizzi, was hired to work for the comic book's publishing house. Starting with the October 1990 issue "Missione nel Bronx," Straffi became Nick Raider's lead creative artist. His work was also included in Métal hurlant and Comic Art magazines. Straffi's "dream job" was to turn his drawings into a cartoon, but he couldn't find one in his home country, so he loved illustration.

Straffi left Sergio Bonelli Editore in 1992 and moved to France for a storyboarding job at the Telcima animation studio. When he was given the role, he was "bewildered," but Straffi's words, "it was the turning point [he] was waiting for." Straffi worked on the pilot episode of Valérian as well as a planned film adaptation of Roman de Renart. Straffi returned to Italy after being familiar with each stage of the animation manufacturing process. Straffi created Rainbow SpA in 1995 with 10,000 euros, with the financial assistance of Lamberto Pigini and Giuseppe Casali. The funds were mostly used to buy computers and apps for digital design.

Rainbow started off providing creative support for larger companies. Three minutes of animation animation in the film La freccia azzurra and the pilot for Les Armateurs' cartoon Belphégor were among the studio's first commissions. Rainbow eventually received enough funds to produce its first original venture, the Tommy and Oscar series of CD-ROMs and animations. Winx Club, Straffi's latest iteration, premiered on Italy's Rai 2. It became one of the network's most popular shows, with an average audience share of 17%. Straffi had no more than 78 episodes (three seasons) when it was written. In 2008, he decided to extend the series for an additional season, citing the show's increasing success.

Winx Club's international success attracted the attention of American media company Viacom, the producer of Nickelodeon and Paramount Pictures, around this time. Viacom became a co-owner of Rainbow in February 2011, buying 30% of the company and leaving the remainder 70% to Straffi. Viacom's admission to the company was based on a "long courtship," and the terms of the US$83 million acquisition were set earlier in 2010. According to L'espresso, Viacom gives Straffi access to financial and studio resources that "ensure the success of the Winx fairies and the lives of Straffi himself." The deal, according to L'espresso, was "Straffi's most important deal," because it resulted in the worldwide distribution of Rainbow's shows through Viacom's network of subsidiaries. Nickelodeon studios in Viacom have co-produced several projects with Rainbow, including more seasons of Winx Club and Club 57 in 2019.

Straffi responded when asked by an interviewer in 2011 if he was "tired of" serving on Winx Club, "Let's just say I've moved onto other projects." Maya Fox's horror comic book series (first published in 2008) and the animated television series Huntik: Secrets & Seekers (which premiered in 2009). Gladiators of Rome, Straffi's first original animated film, opened in Italy in 2012. The film was one of the most expensive Italian films ever made, costing less than $80 million (70 million euros) including marketing expenses. The film did poorly at the box office, grossing about $10 million worldwide, which Straffi believes was due to Rainbow's lack of expertise in cinema. The Dark Side of the Sun, an animated film that premiered at the Rome International Film Festival in December 2011, was produced by Straffi.

Straffi said in 2019 that he planned to shift his attention to live action over animation; he said, "the change to live action completes [his] professional experience." This follows Straffi's announcement that Winx Club would be turned into a live-action movie (Fate: The Winx Saga), geared at the show's older followers, while the animated version will be redesigned for a much younger audience. Straffi is both a producer and a producer for Nickelodeon's Club 57 as of 2019. Straffi wrote about his near-death experience with Nickelodeon in 2005, saying that "the Rainbow know-how and the Nickodeon know-how are very similar; the American sensibilities with our European touch."

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Career

Straffi introduced a story in the 1985 issue of Tilt to the professional comic book trade market. He later worked on comic books for the magazine Lanciostory and the Italian version of Skorpio. Claudio Nizzi, the author of the Nick Raider comic book series, scouted Straffi in 1989. Sergio Bonelli Editore, Nizzi's son, was hired to work for the comic book's publishing house. Straffi was Nick Raider's lead creative artist, beginning with the issue "Missione nel Bronx" in October 1990. His work was also included in Métal hurlant and Comic Art magazines occasionally. Straffi's "dream job" was to convert his drawings into a cartoon, but he couldn't find an animation job in his home country, although he loved illustration.

Straffi left Sergio Bonelli Editore in 1992 and moved to France for a storyboarding job at the Telcima animation studio. When he was first considered for the position, he was "bewildered," but Straffi's words, it was "the turning point [he] was waiting for." Straffi worked on Valérian's pilot episode as well as a planned film version of Roman de Renart. Straffi returned to Italy after being familiar with each stage of the animation process. Straffi founded Rainbow SpA in 1995 with 10,000 euros, with the financial support of Lamberto Pigini and Giuseppe Casali. The money was mainly used to buy computers and applications for digital layout.

Rainbow began off providing design support for larger businesses. Three minutes of animation in La freccia azzurra and the pilot for Les Armateurs' cartoon Belphégor were among the studio's first commissions. Rainbow eventually acquired enough funds to produce its first original product, the Tommy and Oscar series of CD-ROMs and animations. Winx Club, Straffi's fourth creation, debuted on Italy's Rai 2. It became one of the network's most rated shows, with an average audience share of 17%. Straffi wrote the Winx Club script originally, but it was to be no more than 78 episodes (three seasons). In 2008, he renewed the series for an additional season, citing the show's increasing success.

Winx Club's international success attracted the attention of the American media company Viacom, the home of Nickelodeon and Paramount Pictures, around this time. Viacom became a co-owner of Rainbow in February 2011, purchasing 30% of the company and leaving the remaining 70% to Straffi. Viacom's admission to the company came after a "long courtship," according to the company's terms, which were agreed earlier in 2010. According to L'espresso, Viacom gives Straffi access to financial and studio services that "ensure the success of the Winx fairies and those of Straffi himself." The transaction, according to L'espresso, "Straffi's most important agreement" was negotiated, which resulted in the worldwide distribution of Rainbow's shows as a result of Viacom's network of affiliates. The Nickelodeon studios at Viacom have co-produced several projects with Rainbow, including additional seasons of Winx Club and Club 57 in 2019.

Straffi responded as "tired of" being on Winx Club by an interviewer in 2011. Maya Fox's horror comic book series (first published in 2008) and the animated television series Huntik: Secrets & Seekers (which premiered in 2009) are two of his other creations. Gladiators of Rome, Straffi's first original animated film, opened in Italy in 2012. The film was one of the most expensive Italian films made at the time, costing about $80 million (70 million euros) including marketing expenses. The film did poorly at the box office, grossing about $10 million worldwide, which Straffi assumed was due to Rainbow's lack of cinema experience. Straffi has also created The Dark Side of the Sun, an animated film that premiered at the Rome International Film Festival in December 2011.

Straffi stated that he planned to shift his attention away from animation to live action over animation; he felt that "the shift to live action completes [his] career." This followed Straffi's announcement that Winx Club will be turned into a live-action film (Fate: The Winx Saga) aimed at the show's older fans, while the animated version was redesigned for a much younger audience. Straffi is a producer for Nickelodeon's Club 57 as of 2019. Straffi wrote about his near-death experience with Nickelodeon in the same year, adding that "the Rainbow know-how and the Nickelodeon know-how are very similar; the American sensibilities with our European touch."

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