“We’re working for a future that normalises diversity”: BIEN on its approach to inclusive character design

“Design with, not for”: this simple principle forms the basis of BIEN’s self-developed methodology, Inclusive Motion Design (InMoDe™). Earlier this year, the LA-based animation studio’s co-founders Ricardo Roberts and Hung Le told It’s Nice That all about their mission to build more opportunities in design – but the work doesn’t start or end there.

Since its founding in 2017, BIEN has endorsed a holistic approach, InMoDe™, as part of their wider practices of inclusivity. We all know from watching countless blockbuster animations that illustrated characters – from people and animals to fantasy creatures – are so much more than just a drawing. They have the power to move and influence people, and BIEN takes this responsibility seriously.

So what does this process, InMoDe™, look like in practice? It always starts from within. For each client, BIEN puts together an inclusive team with lived experience that aligns closely with the target audience. It’s vital to ensure that people with disabilities are always represented too. After all, “15 per cent of the world has some type of disability,” Ricardo points out. “To be responsible designers, we need to make sure we’re inclusive of the world’s largest minority group.” These diverse voices are present in every step of the process – from brief to script, storyboard to animation.

“Our approach is to look at diversity beyond the typical forms and ask the right questions,” says Hung. “Is diversity really just skin color? Is disability on-screen just the depiction of people in wheelchairs?” The images we put out to the world should account for all the complexities of lived experience. This includes invisible disabilities, cultural backgrounds, and gender expressions, but also the finer details like clothing, accessories, props, body language and facial expressions. A close attention to these subtleties is what makes BIEN’s characters feel representative. The process is always followed up with audience feedback to avoid creating a spectacle of difference. Afterall, the aim is to depict diversity as ordinary – because it is.

One particularly impactful project BIEN worked on is an illustration toolkit for The Paralympics. The studio created almost 200 characters, designed to support para-athletes by providing inclusive visual references for classification across all the different sports. “We believe that the true goal of inclusive character design is to normalize diverse attributes that define us beyond race… to reflect the diversity that exists in real life rather than glamorizing one over others,” says Hung.

Over the years, the studio has also worked with some of the biggest names in tech, entertainment and sports, like Google, Netflix, Instagram, Dropbox, Apple, Disney, Hulu, and National Geographic. Despite all the success, working towards an industry with equal opportunities doesn’t come without roadblocks. The death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020 became a catalyst for increased diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across companies in the US and globally. However, recent years have seen growing criticism, reaching a peak earlier this year when Donald Trump signed a slew of executive orders rolling back DEI initiatives. “When hostility toward DEI grew louder, we didn’t retreat,” says Ricardo. “This year, we made a conscious decision to treat that backlash as fuel. Instead of softening our position, we doubled down, because the industry needs inclusivity now more than ever.”

Looking forward, BIEN wants to continue to create opportunities and educate audiences through workshops and scholarships. And in the long term? “We want to see new design trends, fresh creative output, business results for our clients, while simultaneously creating social change. There’s no room for thinking that the creative and advertising industries are shallow and don’t contribute to the greater good,” says Ricardo. “We’re working towards a future that normalises diversity. A world where equal opportunities are created, and that respectfully include members of the global majority on-screen and behind the scenes.”