Interviews

Interview by Richard Gorey   Last month I spoke with New York Animator Chris Conforti, whose work I first saw when I guest-lectured in Dave Levy’s “Careers in Animation” class at SVA. At that time Chris was in the throes of finishing his thesis film, and he was zonked for much of my endlessly fascinating lecture. He introduced himself  (and apologized for nodding off) during the break, and I found him to be sincere, dedicated, and very gifted. No wonder Chris was tired that evening. It takes almost everything we have as artists to finish a thesis film…as many of my current students are discovering Chris is very busy these days, too. Unlike many art and film majors, Chris is that rare thing: a working animator (hooray!).  The hours are still long, and animation is a demanding art form, but Chris seems to have landed in all the right places, though the journey was a circuitous one. I recall being charmed by Chris’ thesis film, “Frog” which was fun, funny, engaging and well drawn. Was that the film the opened doors for him? I’m betting several students reading this have been asking themselves, ” How do I get to...

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  Interview By Richard Gorey This month, I visited with animator/filmmaker Dustin Grella, whose film Prayers for Peace won an ASIFA East award (and several others) last year. I’ve been speaking with several East coast animators, asking them how the industry has been treating them, whether or not a career in animation is still viable for independent filmmakers, and what their relationship with their work means to them. Dustin’s films are personal, sophisticated in their visuals, and elegantly emotional. I visited Dustin at his studio/home downtown a while back, and got a glimpse into his process. I hear he makes a mean cup of hot chocolate, and sometime during the winter season I’m going to go back for a cup…when he least expects it. Motivational speaker Tony Robbins once said, “Any life worth living is a life worth documenting.” Sadly, this often means that anyone with a video camera and an opinion believes they can call themselves artists: it’s easy to “record and post” online, but many “filmmakers” have little of value to share. Dustin’s work is thoughtful, sometimes troubling and sincerely entertaining…and though he isn’t primarily documenting his own life in his films, he is speaking truth about...

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An ASIFA Interview by Richard Gorey This month in our continuing series of visits with New York animation professionals we’re chatting with Jane Wu, whose short film, Book Girl and Cabinet Girl, has been making an impression at festival screenings. The film is a gentle and offbeat animated parable about friendship. I asked Jane if it was a personal story. “It is, in fact, autobiographical,” Jane says. “The idea started with a doodle of a younger version of my friend and me. In the drawing, I have a book on my head and she has a cabinet on hers. The pages from my book are flying into her cabinet. It’s actually a long running joke that I lose my memory easily and she remembers things for me.” The film’s whimsical design makes it seem playful and funny, which it is occasionally, but the subject matter is serious.  “ and I have known each other for many years and grew up together; going to the same junior high, high school and college,” Jane said. “I wanted to tell a story, dedicating it to her, and to prevailing friendships.  I’ve always enjoyed cartoons that seemed silly and cute on the...

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We meet with some new faces (and forces) in Animation. Interview by Richard Gorey. Animation is changing: this isn’t news to those in the business, but ASIFA East is changing, too. You’ve noticed we’re online now, and that we communicate via our blogs and websites. The ways in which people receive information—about jobs, the industry, events, and their place in the animation field—are changing, too, and many young artists are worried about finding employment in an uncertain economy. In the next few months, we’re going to try to speak to some of the newer ASIFA members and to some up-and-coming practitioners, to get their perspectives on the state of the industry, the state of their art and of their careers, as we all move into a new era. This week I spoke to Jessica Polaniecki, whose short film, To Have and to Hold, won the first place award at this year’s ASIFA festival. It’s a stop-motion piece about the journey through life a woman takes…and how her possessions take the journey with her. Polaneceki’s film is wistful and engaging, and suggests when we take care of the things we love, they may eventually take care of us. I sat...

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