PRIMAZINE ~ Primanima Jumpstart workshop participants at the Animarkt Stop Motion Forum

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Primanima Jumpstart workshop participants at the Animarkt Stop Motion Forum – Summary from Zoé Nagy

Nagy

Zoé

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14/12/2022

Primanima has always paid attention to opening up opportunities for young animators not only at the festival but beyond. Every year, the festival is preceded by an international animation workshop dedicated to different techniques, genres or practices. Our partners have been actively involved in the running of the international animation workshop and long-term talent development programme Primanima Jumpstart, which was launched at the 10th Primanima. This year, we collaborated with prominent film and animation professional platforms in the Visegrad region (MOMAKIN, CEE Animation Forum, StoryLab). Thanks to MOMAKIN, several Jumpstarters were able to attend the 2022 Animarkt Stop Motion Forum and take part in the professional events of the Forum. Here is a summary from Zoé Nagy about the Forum.

As part of the Primanima Jumpstart programme, I was invited to Poland for three days of the Animarkt Stop Motion Forum. I was initially involved as a participant in the Ask the expert programme, but I also had the opportunity to take part in many other fascinating professional activities and to get to know the unique city of Lodz, where the Forum is located. During the Ask the expert programme on the afternoon of 6 November, I had the opportunity to consult three experts on my film concept, each of them for half an hour.

Zoé Nagy at the Animartk Stop Motion Forum in 2022

I first met with producer Olivier Catherin. As the film was still in its relatively early stages, we discussed the story and the message of the film, and the direction I might take to develop them further. When I questioned him, he also told me about the producer's job and its responsibilities for a film. Afterwards, I had the opportunity to consult with scriptwriter Anna Bielak, who helped me to eliminate the occasional pitfalls in the film's story and to build a strong dramaturgical structure. Finally, I had the opportunity to talk to art director Eva Calland-Waller, who advised me on the style and visuals of the film. She offered some references and we had a conversation about how the visual world of the film could help the dramaturgy of the film, what direction I should take in the development process to make the final result what I had envisioned.

I had previously planned to make the film using only 2D animation techniques, but as a result of the event and the consultations, I am increasingly open to using stop-motion elements in the film, which might work well to separate certain worlds in the film itself. I was then able to attend several masterclasses, such as Mats Grorud's "How to tell true stories in animation?", where he talked about his process of adapting a real story into animation. I also listened to a presentation by Hector Fauso and Jonatan Gusman from Polar Studios, who explained the process of visual effects and corrections behind stop-motion films, and gave tips on how to make post-production easier for yourself or others following stop-motion shooting.

Altogether, it was a great experience and the consultations boosted my film project.